A girl called Pollyanna is an orphan (her parents are dead). She goes to live with her Aunt Polly (who did not marry) in Beldingsville, Vermont. Pollyanna is happy all the time, and makes other people happy. She plays a game called the "glad game", where you find something to be happy about even when you are sad. Soon, everyone in the town is happy. An accident occurs and Pollyanna is left unable to move her legs. She has to learn to be happy again, and then she gets better because a doctor makes her well again. Aunt Polly and the doctor marry.