I spent the better part of my childhood practicing: Skip likes to hop. Hip, hop, hip, hop. As an ESL student, my focus was mastering these simple words and sounds. Once I mastered English, I explored all the great stories I had missed out on during my earlier years and developed a special affinity for children’s books. My favorite book is the children’s classic 1908 story of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Anne Shirley is an 11-year-old orphan who is unintentionally, but fortunately, adopted by two siblings, Marilla and Mathew. Anne is a witty, smart and chatty girl whose good intentions are often misconstrued as mischievous. The silver lining is that she often finds herself in adventurous diversions.

The story is brilliantly told from the third person omniscient point of view, allowing the reader into the characters’ introspective reflections. This writing style makes the novel great in character development, as the reader can easily understand and, therefore, relate to Anne. The author has a way with words, keeping the whimsical plot lighthearted and fun! In the line, “Dear old world,’ she murmured, ‘you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you,” L.M. Montgomery uses simple language that inevitably elicits feel-good emotions. Simply put, I love Anne of Green Gables because it makes me feel good!