Read this when
Anne of Green Gables
'Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?' 🧡 Anne Shirley, patron saint of people who talk too much and feel everything.
Who it's for
Anne arrives at Green Gables by mistake, the Cuthberts wanted a boy, and her fear of being sent away will resonate with anyone who has felt unwanted or conditionally accepted.
Feelings it meets
What it is
L. M. Montgomery's 1908 novel follows Anne Shirley, an eleven-year-old orphan sent by mistake to siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, who had asked for a boy to help on their farm in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. Anne adapts to her new home, forms a close friendship with Diana Barry, develops a rivalry with classmate Gilbert Blythe, and excels at school, earning a scholarship.
Where to find it
Public domain in the US: free on Project Gutenberg and Standard Ebooks, and free audiobooks on LibriVox. Also in print and in every library.
Before you start
Heads up: A guardian's death; a near-drowning.
Age: Ages 9+
Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.Margery Williams, The Velveteen Rabbit
