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Ratings: ★★★★★ (4.9/5)
Genre: Children's Classics / Coming-of-Age Fiction

Book Review:
''Did you ever suppose you'd see the day when you'd be adopting an orphan girl?'' asks Marilla Cuthbert of her brother Matthew. Little do they know that this question will lead them into one of the most beloved relationships in all of literature.

''Anne of Green Gables'' introduces us to Anne Shirley, an orphan girl with a fiery spirit, an imagination that knows no bounds, and a gift for getting into—and out of—scrapes that will leave you alternately laughing and crying. When the elderly Cuthberts send for an orphan boy to help with their farm on Prince Edward Island, they are understandably shocked when a skinny, red-haired girl arrives instead. But from the moment Anne announces that it's ''simply delicious'' to finally have a home, they—and we—are utterly charmed.

What follows is a series of adventures and misadventures that have captivated readers for over a century. Anne dyes her hair green, breaks her ankle leaping into a bed of flowers, serves a cake flavored with anodyne liniment, and clashes spectacularly with the handsome Gilbert Blythe. But she also discovers the true meaning of friendship with Diana Barry, finds a kindred spirit in the gentle Matthew, and gradually wins the heart of the stern but loving Marilla.

Montgomery's writing is warm, witty, and wonderfully vivid. She captures the beauty of Prince Edward Island—its fields and forests, its ponds and lanes—with such clarity that you can almost feel the breeze and smell the apple blossoms. And she creates in Anne one of literature's most unforgettable heroines—a girl who is by turns funny, tragic, infuriating, and absolutely irresistible.

This Puffin edition is beautifully presented and includes information about the famous Kevin Sullivan film adaptation starring Megan Follows. Whether you're discovering Anne for the first time or returning to an old friend, ''Anne of Green Gables'' is a book that will stay with you forever. As Anne herself would say, it's ''simply delicious.''

Perfect for readers of all ages. Highly recommended.