Through sincerity that “breathed in every tone of her voice,” Anne, an orphan brimful with imagination, wins over even the most resistant personalities in the tight-knit farmtown of Avonlea. Anne demonstrates an enchanting medley of values including devotion to friends, service and gratitude towards elders, and multi-faceted resilience–all of which come together to produce a heroine that readers will learn from and learn to love. However, this is not a coming-of-age story of an innately perfect child effortlessly bringing others to suit. Many of Anne’s merits are hard-earned through the course of the story. Anne works diligently and consciously to develop her moral character through the course of her own mistakes. She struggles against her own vanity (after accidently dying her hair green), her anger (she risks losing her future soulmate because of a years’ long grudge), and her vindictiveness (she refuses to attend school for months because of an unjust punishment meted out by her teacher, thereby potentially sabotaging her own future). Resilience through both her worldly and inner trials leaves Anne and the reader with this wholesome, heart-warming sentiment: “Dear old world, you are lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.”

Mindful Muslim Reader recommends Books 1-6 in this series.