Pollyanna -- Eleanor H. Porter

Pollyanna (Classic Starts Series)
by Kathleen Olmstead (Abridge Version)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finished it in a few hours.

I think my assistant a bit mad at me for being too occupied in this book rather than working :p

Pollyanna. FINALLY I read this book.

I have the translation version, but I couldn’t bring myself to read the original one. When I stumble upon this abridge version in the Classic Starts series, retold by Kathleen Olmstead, I waste no time to read it. And I like it!

Pollyanna (almost) has the same character as Anne in Anne of the Green Gables. A cheerful girl, with lots of questions and lessons to teach the adults around her. I wasn’t a bit surprise when I see the changing of each character in this book after they know her. Specially her aunt Polly, who took her in after Pollyanna’s Dad died. While her mom already passed away long time ago.

Aunt Polly is a grumpy woman, yet a very rich one. Throughout this book, she constantly amaze by Pollyanna’s abrupt speech and manner. Used to living alone, makes it hard for her to adapt to Pollyanna’s presence.

But her niece has a special game to get her through the hard living with her aunt. Which was ‘Just Be Glad’ game. A game taught by her late father, it’s about finding positive things from everything around her and be glad about that.

So when her aunt gives her the room at the back in the attic, she feels glad because she could see the landscape below through her window, and she’s glad the room has no mirror, so she wouldn’t have to see her freckles every single time.

This is what we call grateful.

She greets everyone, including the Man she doesn't know. (I guess it's OK to greet people back then. But today, we don't talk to stranger!) With her attitude, Pollyanna won love from everyone in the city. People her aunt Polly never met before, come to the house when Pollyanna got an accident.

Soon, everybody learn the 'Just Be Glad' game, and they all could see the bright side of everything.

Love this book so much, maybe (just maybe) I will read the original version one day.