The best orphan books 📚

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.

I love this magical story with fairy tale vibes. A young boy, Gauge, is shunned by his village for being a Voyant, able to see the dreaded Wolf known to steal people's souls. Told from the omniscient perspective of the Wolf, who is misunderstood by the superstitious folk, this story is a beautiful tale of love, friendship, grief, and community. When Gauge's beloved grandfather dies, he is left to navigate his grief and mourning on his own, but soon makes friends with a village girl, Roux. The two help each other while uncovering the true secret of Wolf's role in… show more.

Each November the Scorpio Races are run—a race of mythological “water horses” that are more likely to drown and kill their riders than they are to run to the finish line. Only males compete in the races, until now. Puck Connolly, the first girl to ever ride, was thrown in by chance, unprepared, but doesn’t have much of a choice. The author describes these terrifying equine “water horses” as a cross between a velociraptor and the rankest Thoroughbred race horse you can imagine, but somehow manages to make the reader love them. This fantasy is so realistically drawn, I’d think… show more.

The clue is in the title, but with Neil Gaiman you always get more. What is great about Neil Gaiman’s stories is the way he balances the ordinary with the unusual, but what I love about his writing is that invariably I connect with the characters and they have an emotional heft. Bod Owens is a perfect example of that. (and what a clever name!) I challenge you to spend time in Bod’s world and not be affected by his story: it’s just not possible. You’ll find yourself desperately hoping Bod succeeds in achieving his dreams.