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Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms (Version 2, Dramatic Reading)

Harriet Lummis Smith

Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms, sometimes subtitled The Third Glad Book, is the third novel in the Pollyanna series and the first written by African-American author Harriet Lummis Smith. Eleanor H. Porter, the author of the first two books, died in 1920, after which the publisher recruited Smith to continue the series on the strength of her success as the author of the Peggy Raymond series, another series of novels targeted at a young female audience. Although Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms did not achieve the popularity that Porter’s two Pollyanna novels did, this third Glad Book was sufficiently successful that the publisher retained Smith for an additional three Pollyanna novels. Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms was first published in 1924, nine years after the publication of the second Glad Book, Pollyanna Grows Up. Smith picks up the narrative where Porter left off, starting with the wedding of Pollyanna and Jimmy and proceeding to detail their early married life. The title of this novel refers to the tradition of brides wearing orange blossoms. The first, second, and third Pollyanna novels were published before, during, and after World War I respectively, and the war begins to figure in Pollyanna’s story in this third novel. Although most of the supporting characters from the first two Glad Books appear in this third instalment, they generally play minor roles, with this book’s supporting characters being of Smith’s invention. While the central action of the original Pollyanna novel takes place in the fictional town of Beldingsville, Vermont and the second novel is primarily set in Boston, Massachusetts, the main setting of this third novel is New York, New York. A New York Times reviewer wrote that “Pollyanna of the Orange Blossoms is considerably more true to life and a better book than its predecessors.” - Summary by David Purdy