Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter 1913

     You can always find something to be glad about.  At least that is Pollyanna Whittier's philosophy.  And it's a philosophy that impacts an entire town.
     Pollyanna is the daughter of a poor Western pastor.  After her mother died, the Ladies Aid tried to teach her the basics of housekeeping.  Her father, however, teaches Pollyanna her most valuable lesson:  how to be glad in the worse circumstances.  Father and daughter play "the game" - until Rev. Whittier joins his wife in death, and Pollyanna becomes an orphan.
     The Ladies Aid sends Pollyanna to her mother's younger sister, Miss Polly who lives in Beldingsville, Vermont.  Eager and excited, Pollyanna journeys to Beldingsville.  But Miss Polly is not enthusiastic or "glad" about this sudden addition to her household.  Passionate only about her duty, Miss Polly considers all the drawbacks of having a child live with her.
     When Pollyanna arrives, Miss Polly sends Nancy, her maid, to meet the girl at the train station.  Nancy knows the cool welcome awaiting Pollyanna.  She was the one to clean the poorly furnished attic room for the little girl, when there are many lovely rooms quite vacant in other parts of the house.  Pollyanna's bright spirit is not daunted by the large mansion and its strict mistress, even when Miss Polly forbids her from mentioning her father.
     Nancy befriends Pollyanna, and becomes the first to learn "the game."  Others who live in Beldingsville soon learn to appreciate the friendly, sweet child.  Pollyanna's friends include Mrs. Snow, a cranky invalid, Mr. Pendleton, the silent recluse, Jimmy Bean, an orphan looking for a home, and Dr. Chilton, Mr. Pendleton's amiable physician.  She wins the affections of everyone she meets, touching many lives.  Only Miss Polly appears indifferent and uncaring.
     In her mother's old haunts, Pollyanna finds ghosts of love lost, festering grudges, and Nancy says Mr. Pendleton even has a skeleton in his closet!  But the secrets cannot long withstand the optimistic Pollyanna, who knows how to bring the best out of everyone.
     Do you know how to be glad for crutches when you wanted a doll?  Or how you can be glad you have a broken leg?  Pollyanna knows.  But the game is put to the ultimate test one day.  Will it work?
     Come play the game with Pollyanna, a child full of unconditional love and an unstoppable spirit.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

     Dear friends of mine introduced me to this book by the American naturalist Gene Stratton Porter.  It was published in 1909, and the next year Richard W. Pascoe, Hans Von Holstein, & Richard A. Whiting wrote a song of the same name.  I discovered this delightful piece of sheet music in an older relative's music treasury. 

     Set in Indiana, where the author herself lived, the story circles around the life of Elnora Comstock, who lives on the edge of the Limberlost Swamp.  Her father died when she was a baby, and her mother does not appear to care very much for her.  Elnora spends most of her time in the Limberlost, collecting moths, moss, and other pieces of nature.  Like the author, Elnora is a naturalist and loves the outdoors. 
     The book begins with Elnora going to her first day of highschool in Onabasha, much against her mother's wishes.  Mrs. Comstock uncaringly sends her daughter to school in an ugly hat and out-dated dress.  But receiving an education is most important to Elnora and it outweighs everything else.  Right away, the reader is filled with respect for this brave young girl.  Anyone who has been self-conscious on their first day of school will sympathize with her. 
     Elnora's dreams are almost instantly dashed when she learns that she will have to pay a tuition to attend highschool and buy her own books.  She knows she will receive no help from her mother.  Not only does Mrs. Comstock not approve of highscool, but she is very poor.  Our heroine finds her "fairy godmothers" in her dear neighbors Uncle Wesley and Aunt Maggie.
     A very bright and intelligent girl, Elnora does well in school, and even makes friends with the city girls.  In addition to her regular classes, she studies the violin at school.  Her dead father used to love his violin, but now Mrs. Comstock will not tolerate it.  Elnora has inherited her musical talent from her father, but she does not understand why her mother hatres this instrument.  Elnora loves the violin and cherishes its music from the depths of her soul.
     The mystery surrounding Mr. Comstock's death hangs over Elnora and the first half of the book.  Whatever happened that fateful day has turned Mrs. Comstock's heart bitter and cold, unable to give the love that Elnora craves.
     I loved the first half of this young adult novel.  I liked learning what American highschool was like way back in 1909.  If you enjoy the outdoors, you will like all the references to the birds, plants, and moths native to the Limberlost and Indiana.  I really liked Uncle Wesley and Aunt Maggie, and the character arch of Mrs. Comstock is different and touching.  Elnora herself was different, in that I had never read a book in which the main character is a naturalist. 
     In reading the book, I felt that the novel was actually two stories.  A long time ago I saw a 1990 TV version of Mrs. Porter's book, and it told only the first half of the story.  While the first "story" is about Elnora and her mother's dark heart, the second half focuses on Elnora's love story.  Unfortunately, the love story was disappointing.  I could see the end coming chapters before it came.  I do find comfort in recurring patterns, but I could not fully enjoy this one. 
     Nonetheless, do not let this dissuade you from reading this book.  I enjoyed it, and I would read it again, it's just that the fist half is my favorite.  I have not read anything else by Gene Stratton Porter, but I want to.  She is another one of those delightful lady authors of the early 1900s.  Once well known, her works have been surpassed in the waves of time by such contemporaries as Lucy Maud Montogomery.  If you like the Anne of Green Gables books, learning about everyday life in America during the turn-of-the-century, or nature you are sure to delight in "A Girl of the Limberlost."

Oh, just as a side note, this book makes references to another tale by Gene Stratton Porter.  It is "Freckles," published around 1900.  It is not necessary to have read "Freckles" to appreciate "A Girl of the Limberlost."