Anne of Green Gables

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s characters live and breathe in my heart. 

In Anne of Green Gables, orphaned Anne Shirley is taken in by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of quaint Avonlea on beautiful Prince Edward Island. Anne’s many social challenges, her antics—well-meaning but with frequent disastrous (and humorous) results, her close friendship with neighboring Diana Barry, and her many hopes and longings and dreams warm and delight my heart. 

Like Anne, several characters in my own stories—as well as I—longed from childhood to become a writer. In my book, my heroine, also an orphan from Prince Edward Island, strikes up a correspondence… show more.

Anne Shirley is another character who doesn’t have an official diagnosis, but I think it is no accident that this character has long resonated with creative, daydreaming, quirky girls (and boys) everywhere.

I’m not alone in claiming Anne for the ADHD-community, and in celebrating her ADHD-related strengths: she can get lost in her own fantasy world, she has a unique perspective, and she’s really good—hyperfocused even—in a pinch or a serious situation. 

It's possible I over-identify with Anne. At one point, she says, “Oh, it's delightful to have ambitions. I'm so glad I have such a lot. And there never… show more.

Anne Shirley is my favourite main character of all time. She is feisty, brave, and sincere, with a great imagination. She is also a true friend and makes the best out of any situation. I have read this book many times and love it more each time. The descriptions of Prince Edward Island enticed me to visit this enchanting place. After reading Anne of Green Gables all those years ago, I decided I wanted to be a writer.

Oh how I love this book! And I have continued to love it, returning to the story with my children. Such vibrant characters and wonderful observations of human behaviour. I read all the sequels. I fell in love with Prince Edward Island and the gorgeous Gilbert. Anne Shirley was the first audacious, outspoken, maverick female voice I encountered. Her capacity for love and the love she invokes in her hardened adoptive mother, Marilla, still bring me to tears. Her connection with the gentle Matthew, her indignant rage at the unfairness of life, and her dream and determination to find something… show more.

Anne of Green Gables is a rich, complex book because not only is Anne someone I know to the depths of my soul, but her family and her neighbors are so well-developed that I am transported to the town. As the reader, you are made to feel like you live in Avonlea, and it’s a place you’ll never want to leave. No matter the situation—happy or heart-wrenching—you’ll be there.

I have been an eccentric my whole life. As a child, I had an adult soul. Nobody, including my parents, recognized this. So I felt as if I didn’t fit anywhere. Then I discovered Anne Shirley. The kindred spirit to my soul. She knew “big words.” Her heart was vulnerable, so her spirit was brave. I read that book so many times, the binding split. Anne Shirley was the first fictional character that resonated with me, and I have carried her with me ever since. I named my daughter Anne.

My first impression of meeting Anne was positive. I figured with her hopeful attitude and wild imagination, the quirky orphan would win everyone’s hearts and live happily ever after. My second impression showed up fairly soon, though—annoyance! Anne, you are self-sabotaging yourself! Change, and do it fast, or you’re not going to have a family after all.

I cringed as Anne bumbled simple tasks, and drove her potential mother crazy with endless fantasy stories. But her sincerity and determination always came through, and in the end… well, that would be telling. Anne taught me that we shouldn’t apologize for being… show more.

Anne Shirley is a kindred spirit. Like the other over-achievers I’ve fallen in love with, Anne has to overcome social biases in order to succeed. She is a girl, a red-head and an orphan, all of which are held against her unfairly. But she doesn’t let the injustices dampen her spirits. This is the book I re-read every summer because it reminds me of home (I’m originally a Maritimer). It also reminds me of childhood and the magic of stories.

There’s a reason why this book (and the other 2 in the series) is still a must-read classic, and it’s Anne (who always reminds people of the E at the end of her name). At age eleven, she’s taken in by siblings who were hoping for a boy to help on their fram, but in short order, Anne bewitches the entire town with her spirit, her imagination, and her misadventures. I love that she charges through life with exuberance and her sights on college, only to turn down a scholarship so she can stay in Avonlea when a tragedy befalls… show more.

Anne is one of my favorite characters from childhood. She often goes to school in a one-room schoolhouse, but she also has periods where she learns at home. She takes charge of her own education and learns determinedly, whether on her own or in the schoolhouse. I always loved Anne’s fierceness in the face of adversity, but I think what I love most about her is her unquenchable imagination. I learned to use my imagination better from reading about Anne, and she was probably an unconscious inspiration for my character Hannah.

Anne learns the most about life through her interactions… show more.