Little Pollie

Ten-year-old Pollie Turner begins selling penny bunches of violets outside the Bank of England while her widowed mother struggles to earn their living through needlework. The noise and crowds overwhelm the shy child, but Sally Grimes, a more experienced street seller, helps her find customers. When a lady leaves more money than the flowers cost, Pollie runs after her to return it. That small transaction establishes the story's concern with honesty, poverty and practical kindness.

Gertrude P. Dyer's children's story moves between the busy streets of London and a modest home where Christian teaching shapes daily life. An evening reading of a religious chapter draws Sally's attention while the household gives a weary stranger shelter. Friendship, faith and the responsibilities placed on poor children give this short novel its focus. Readers interested in moral tales for children will find everyday work and small acts of care at its centre.