How have I never read this book before!! From page one I kept thinking: I would have loved (cannot bold that word enough) this book as a thirteen year old.

The story— as many of you know— follows the formative years of Anne Shirley, an orphan who is mistakenly adopted by brother and sister Matthew and Marilla, who really wanted a boy rather than a girl. This book is literally my definition of A Delight. Reading it was a balm to my soul and rekindled my belief in the enduring resilience of children’s imagination and the transcendence of innocence.

Anne is both a strong-willed female and yet fully and wonderfully feminine. Perhaps I liked her so much because I too as a young girl wanted to wear the prettiest dress and yet beat the boys to the top of the tallest tree (while wearing the dress, of course). The drama of the story remains contained on the small town stage and yet the action and antics never fail to entertain or to thrill. At the same time, it is not only Anne who learns lessons and grows as a character; you will find yourself invested in the rest of the cast as well.

The story had me both laughing out loud and then crying toward the end. The nostalgic part of me wants to say that this is the best book I’ve read in sometime, however I realize this may just be the thirteen year old me speaking from the heart.

That said, if you— like me— have never read this book before, it’s available on Project Gutenberg. Please, go download a copy. Your inner child will thank you.

---

P.S. Another thing that delighted my soul about this book was the descriptions of Green Gables and Avonlea. They perfectly captured Anne’s whimsical imagination as well as the true beauty of this country town where she lived. It made me miss this place that I’ve never stepped foot in. Always a top mark from me as far as a story goes.

---