Parents' Guide to

Pollyanna

By Matt Berman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Classic story shows the power of positive thinking.

Book Eleanor H. Porter Literary Fiction 1913
Pollyanna Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 2 parent reviews

JHHimes
JHHimes Parent of 1, 3, 6 and 9-year-old
January 15, 2022
age 8+
It's good. The glad game is a good thing to learn about. Pollyanna is very cheerful and happy. She tries to make others glad. By the end of the book almost everyone was playing the glad game.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
nnsshfr
nnsshfr Adult
July 2, 2019
age 9+

Pollyanna and the Glad Game

I decided to buy the book when I feel like I need some motivation in my life. I read the reviews and bought Pollyanna book. I'm glad that I chose the right book to motivate me. The Glad Game and Pollyanna's positivity really opens my mind to become more optimist on my life. It's such a good book. Read it!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In POLLYANNA, the young heroine has had a hard life. Her mother died when she was young, and she has been impoverished all her life. Now, at the age of 11, her father has died too, and she is sent to live with her aunt, an austere and humorless woman who does her duty by her niece -- and nothing more. She relegates Pollyanna to a hot and barren attic room and hopes that she won't disrupt her quiet household routine too much. Pollyanna is able to weather these hardships because her father gave her a gift years before: the "glad game," and by playing it and teaching it to her new neighbors, Pollyanna proceeds to set the town to rights -- couples reunite, an orphan finds a home, the town minister begins to preach love rather than vengeance, and gladness reigns.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (7 ):

Published just before the beginning of World War I, this novel can seem old-fashioned today, but it still charms readers who enjoy older literature. Its kindly philosophy can still inspire, and youngsters will be delighted by a child who has so much to teach adults. Though the name "Pollyanna" has become associated with someone who is cloyingly optimistic, the character is quite a courageous and resourceful girl. Her positive outlook is deliberate, hard-won, and ultimately transformative, for the characters in the book and, potentially, for readers. What keeps the novel Pollyanna fresh is cute innocent details, like the way Pollyanna thinks Mr. Pendleton has a real "skeleton in his closet," and her fascination with the way light shining through a prism makes a rainbow.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about optimism in Pollyanna. This book is known for the "glad game." What do you have to be glad about?

  • Pollyanna was published more than 100 years ago. What seems old-fashioned about it to you? Are there things in the book that could happen today?

  • Have you seen any of the movie versions of Pollyanna? How was the movie you saw different from the book?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate