Rating: 
Summary: This Book is Wonderful
Review: "An Old Fashioned Girl" is a wonderful and wholesome read. It is about a 14-22 year old girl named Polly Milton, who is a shy, quiet, but very sweet and sunshiny lass. She goes to visit her friend Fanny in the city, and learns that you don't need money to make you happy-in fact, quite the contrary. She realizes that however glamorous Fanny's home and family may be, she and her family share more love than the Shaw's, (Fanny's family,) ever could. The only person that Polly really feels at home with is Fan's grandmother, a sweet old lady with a very pretty past.
Louisa May Alcott origonally wrote "An Old Fashioned Girl" with only seven chapters, but, as was the case with "Little Women", she presently added the remainder. As with almost asll of Louisa's books, I like the beginning the best, although the end is certainly not bad. In the latter part of "An Old Fashioned Girl", Polly comes back to the city to give music lessons, so that she can support herself and so that her younger brother Will can go to college. She meets several new friens, Becky, Bess, Kate, Miss Mills, and Jenny. Mr. Sydney plays an important role, and so does Tom, Fan's brother. I also really liked Maud, Fanny's little sister. At the end of the book, there is a difference in the Shaw's family fourtunes, but the Shaw's battle through their difficulties with Polly's help. At the very end, Polly and Fanny both are rewarded.
As I said, I didn't like the end quite as much as the beginning, because I thought that it was a little to mushy for my taste. Anyway, my favorite characters were Polly, of course, Fanny's father, Mr. Shaw, Grandma, Mr. Shaw's mother, Maud, Jane, Becky, Bess, Kate, Miss Mills, and Will. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially girls. However, boys may like it too. I felt like Polly and her friends became a part of me as I read and reread the book. It is well described, and fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, but a little inaccurate
Review: From the author of Little Women is this great classic about Polly Milton, a young girl from a somewhat poor family who goes to visit her friend Fanny Shaw and her wealthy family in the city. Polly is not from the city, and this might help to explain why she dresses simply and has old-fashioned ideas. Therefore, it is a bit hard for Polly to fit in with Fanny and her rich friends. Join Polly on her adventures with the whole Shaw family, including Fanny, Tom, and Maud.
Before Polly realizes it, it is time for her to return home. The story opens back up six years later when Polly comes back to the city to work as a teacher, and visits the Shaw family once again and is involved in many more adventures.
An Old-Fashioned Girl is a great classic (for all ages) to curl up on a long winter's day with, and is definitely worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: A Lesson Book for Modern Girls
Review: I absolutely loved this book! It is set in Boston in the mid 1800's. Polly comes from a poor but loving family in the country, and finds it hard to keep her own standards while visiting her friend Fan for the summer. Through working hard and holding strong to her morals, she wins the hearts of the people she loves most. The reaon that I call this an excellent lesson book is because there is so much for modern young girls (like myself) to learn from Polly's mannerism, diligence, and respect. You cannot read this book just once. The more it is read, the more can be learned from it. I would suggest this book to anyone and everyone who is looking for something with excellent substance to read.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite of her work
Review: I have owned all her works and this is my favorite. Even though it was written in the 1800's, it still has sound judgements. Riches can come and go, but how you live your life and how you influence others with your care, love and concern mean the most. Polly has her own struggles with life's lessons but with help from older women and remembering what her parents, especially her mother, taught her, she struggles through.
The beginning of the book finds her a young teenage friend of Fan Shaw who had come down to the country the year before visiting some friends of the family. There is Fan, 2yrs older, Tom who is Polly's age, Maude the little sister of about 6, Mrs. Shaw an invailid and Mr. Shaw a man of wealth, plus Madame who is Mr. Shaw's Mother. At the end, Polly and her friends are all adults except Maud who is a teenager. Fan learns a lot from Polly and Polly learns from all who come into her life. It is a Must read in my opinion for any girl or woman.
Rating:
Summary: My All-Time Favorite Louisa May Alcott Book
Review: I would like to say that I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott's books, but "An Old-Fashioned Girl" far surpasses them all. Alcott vividly captures the feelings and emotions of a young, innocent girl, and even though there are trials and struggles along the way, in the end Polly is happy doing what she does best: helping people. This story is corny in some parts, but thats what I love most about it.The first half of the book is about Polly's first visit to the city, and to her friend Fanny. She is a little angel who struggles with the death of her beloved brother, Jimmy. She brings comfort to everyone she meets, but she doesn't fit in with Fanny's friends because of her simple country ways. The second half of the book shows us Polly's adulthood, where she moves to the city to earn money to keep her brother Will in college. She finds that Fanny's brother, Tom, has changed for the worse, and Polly works to be a good friend, sister, and music teacher. I won't tell the ending of the book, but this is an incredible story for girls and women of all ages.
Rating:
Summary: one of the most darling stories you'll ever encounter
Review: I've always been somewhat old-fashioned. I guess that's a lot of why I admired this book, but there's more of a reason. This story shows the true meaning of happiness: family love and hard work. Polly Milton is a fourteen year old little girl who goes to say with a rich family in town. She's friends with Fanny who is only two years older and who's only interests are boys, fashion, and parties. Tom is Fanny's brother who is Polly's age, and is the perfect little trouble and mischief maker, and the littlest, Maud, is on the verge of being like Fanny. Polly comes from a poor family where she has learned to love and cherish everyone and everything, impecible manners and politeness, to work hard, and to be the most loveable thing ever. With her sweet ways, she brings the brother and sisters of this family closer, shows their father how to love his children, gives Grandma the love and attention she always needed, attracts a young gentleman, and accomplishes everything she sets out to do. Happy, sweet, gentle Polly. When she grows older she becomes a music teacher. At 18, she finally gets interested in men and parties(but not too interested - she just pipes in once and a while) when Fanny is sick to death of it all. But, soon the family turns bankrupt and turn to Polly, who leads them to this...relizing that family was the only thing they ever really needed, not their money or finery. They learn the wonderfulness of hard work as I did through reading this story, and the importance of family. This book shows how we should all be, and how its just fine to not grow up too fast. Don't worry girls, there's romance at the very end too! But, truth to tell, you don't need romance to entertain you in this heartwarming story.
Rating:
Summary: A plummy story
Review: Louisa May Alcott is a trustworthy author - you know what you're getting. Although I hadn't read An Old-Fashioned Girl, I gave my sister a copy, thinking it would be a nice way to get her to continue reading. Not only did it get her reading, she got me so into it, I was waiting to read it for myself. Alcott is a good writer with some great books that have beautifully stood the test of time - this is one of them. Polly Milton is a country girl visiting friends in the big city. Her quaintness charms the Shaws, especially the adults. As much as the Shaw children also love Polly, they think she is unfashionable and even embarrassing. They are shamed by her unaffected wholesomeness and act as children do, by being unkind and unjust. Polly's innocence and pride are bruised by the careless Fanny, spoiled Maud, and gruff Tom. Her modest ways are tested by the temptations of living with the wealthy Shaws, but her sensitivity to this only supports her personal credo to be as good as possible. Polly is old-fashioned even by Victorian standards, but her honesty and cheerfulness are contagious. Even as a pragmatic adult, every time I read her story I feel a surge of inspiration and affirmation that it's still worth being good. Her charismatic personality will both beguile and challenge you. A moral, but not moralistic character, Polly leads by example by having fun, (eventually) blooming in the face of adversity, and always being true to herself. Polly's gentleness is layered around a steely core. She doesn't aim to convert you, but won't let others convince her to do what she feels is wrong, as Fanny and her trendy group find out. This is the sort of girl every parent wishes for, every girl needs for a friend, and every guy is looking for. "Good" heroines usually ring false and are burdensome to the reader. Alcott creates a real girl, who happens to be extremely loving. Polly embraces the world with wise, but accepting arms. She's magnetically sincere, drawing out the best in others. It's hard not to be affected. The Shaws and their friends become interesting and layered characters due to her quiet influence. I didn't like the children intially, but as they became increasingly complex and conflicted, I found them nearly as dear as Polly. There isn't much of a plot per se, but small episodes tied together over the course of a few years, often very funny in the end. The last part in particular will be a surprise - even this experienced reader didn't see it coming! Read this and feel Polly's (er, Alcott's) magic for yourself! A real treasure you'll want to pass on. It will only get better with age. A few books are part of a journey of a lifetime and I've found that An Old-Fashioned Girl is one of them.
Rating:
Summary: A plummy story
Review: Louisa May Alcott is a trustworthy author - you know what you're getting. Although I hadn't read An Old-Fashioned Girl, I gave my sister a copy, thinking it would be a nice way to get her to continue reading. Not only did it get her reading, she got me so into it, I was waiting to read it for myself. Alcott is a good writer with some great books that have beautifully stood the test of time - this is one of them. Polly Milton is a country girl visiting friends in the big city. Her quaintness charms the Shaws, especially the adults. As much as the Shaw children also love Polly, they think she is unfashionable and even embarrassing. They are shamed by her unaffected wholesomeness and act as children do, by being unkind and unjust. Polly's innocence and pride are bruised by the careless Fanny, spoiled Maud, and gruff Tom. Her modest ways are tested by the temptations of living with the wealthy Shaws, but her sensitivity to this only supports her personal credo to be as good as possible. Polly is old-fashioned even by Victorian standards, but her honesty and cheerfulness are contagious. Even as a pragmatic adult, every time I read her story I feel a surge of inspiration and affirmation that it's still worth being good. Her charismatic personality will both beguile and challenge you. A moral, but not moralistic character, Polly leads by example by having fun, (eventually) blooming in the face of adversity, and always being true to herself. Polly's gentleness is layered around a steely core. She doesn't aim to convert you, but won't let others convince her to do what she feels is wrong, as Fanny and her trendy group find out. This is the sort of girl every parent wishes for, every girl needs for a friend, and every guy is looking for. "Good" heroines usually ring false and are burdensome to the reader. Alcott creates a real girl, who happens to be extremely loving. Polly embraces the world with wise, but accepting arms. She's magnetically sincere, drawing out the best in others. It's hard not to be affected. The Shaws and their friends become interesting and layered characters due to her quiet influence. I didn't like the children intially, but as they became increasingly complex and conflicted, I found them nearly as dear as Polly. There isn't much of a plot per se, but small episodes tied together over the course of a few years, often very funny in the end. The last part in particular will be a surprise - even this experienced reader didn't see it coming! Read this and feel Polly's (er, Alcott's) magic for yourself! A real treasure you'll want to pass on. It will only get better with age. A few books are part of a journey of a lifetime and I've found that An Old-Fashioned Girl is one of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Old-fashioned but still good
Review: Louisa May Alcott is best known for her classic coming-of-age novel "Little Women." But she tackles an entirely different part of growing up in "An Old Fashioned Girl," the story of a country mouse living with a wealthy urban family in late 19th-century America. Polly Milton travels to stay with her aunt and uncle in the city, for the first time, but she immediately sticks out because of her outdated clothing and lack of fussiness. Her cousin Fan Shaw (also about fourteen) is already dressed like a young woman, and hangs out with a gang of shallow, trendy girls. Polly befriends old ladies, sings Scottish airs, and reads books on history. Can she fit in? What's more... does she really want to? Fast forward about five or six years: The Shaw family learns that Polly is returning to the city, intending to give music lessons to help support her brother. Time hasn't really changed Polly -- she's still sweet-natured, moral and pleasant to everyone. But the Shaw family is in serious financial trouble -- and Polly will help out the only way she knows how. In the late 1800s, "Girl" was written in two separate halves, which might explain why the second half is so much better than the first. The first isn't bad, but it suffers from a sort of prissiness. Virtually every story centers on Polly's moral struggles, with no break. Her story is far more engaging when she learns confidence and strength, not when she's wavering about peer pressure. As in "Little Women," Alcott's writing is still pretty readable for modern readers, although most people will not know what a "pannier" is. She also writes a good understated love story, in Polly's gradual interest in her cousin Tom. You'll know that these two really need to get together, but it's going to take them awhile. So sit back and enjoy the ride. Polly may put you off at first with her air of vague goody-two-shoes-ness, but she improves over the course of the book. Somewhat more realistic are the spoiled little brat Maud, the grumpy Tom, and the pretty but air-headed Fan. Grandmother isn't quite so engaging; she seems like an idealized older person who exists just to dispense wisdom. How about some personal quirks for the old lady? Louisa May Alcott managed to wrap a lesson about peer pressure around a real story. Fans of her work will love "An Old Fashioned Girl," even with its few moralistic flaws.
Rating:
Summary: Old-fashioned but still good
Review: Louisa May Alcott is best known for her classic coming-of-age novel "Little Women." But she tackles an entirely different part of growing up in "An Old Fashioned Girl," the story of a country mouse living with a wealthy urban family in late 19th-century America. Polly Milton travels to stay with her aunt and uncle in the city, for the first time, but she immediately sticks out because of her outdated clothing and lack of fussiness. Her cousin Fan Shaw (also about fourteen) is already dressed like a young woman, and hangs out with a gang of shallow, trendy girls. Polly befriends old ladies, sings Scottish airs, and reads books on history. Can she fit in? What's more... does she really want to? Fast forward about five or six years: The Shaw family learns that Polly is returning to the city, intending to give music lessons to help support her brother. Time hasn't really changed Polly -- she's still sweet-natured, moral and pleasant to everyone. But the Shaw family is in serious financial trouble -- and Polly will help out the only way she knows how. In the late 1800s, "Girl" was written in two separate halves, which might explain why the second half is so much better than the first. The first isn't bad, but it suffers from a sort of prissiness. Virtually every story centers on Polly's moral struggles, with no break. Her story is far more engaging when she learns confidence and strength, not when she's wavering about peer pressure. As in "Little Women," Alcott's writing is still pretty readable for modern readers, although most people will not know what a "pannier" is. She also writes a good understated love story, in Polly's gradual interest in her cousin Tom. You'll know that these two really need to get together, but it's going to take them awhile. So sit back and enjoy the ride. Polly may put you off at first with her air of vague goody-two-shoes-ness, but she improves over the course of the book. Somewhat more realistic are the spoiled little brat Maud, the grumpy Tom, and the pretty but air-headed Fan. Grandmother isn't quite so engaging; she seems like an idealized older person who exists just to dispense wisdom. How about some personal quirks for the old lady? Louisa May Alcott managed to wrap a lesson about peer pressure around a real story. Fans of her work will love "An Old Fashioned Girl," even with its few moralistic flaws.
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