I've spent many delightful hours as a girl engrossed in reading (and re-reading) Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island. I never got past the first three in the series; the others weren't available in my small town's library and by the time I realized there were others and found them in a bookstore, I'd moved on to college and left Anne behind.

Recently, I've tried to take up where I left off, but I could not get interested in the rest of the series. Anne the mother and wife seemed a bit less interesting to me, or perhaps the book I was reading started with so little of Anne and too much of her children's adventures. But my lack of enjoyment for the later book (note sure if it was House of Dreams or the next) has not dulled my love of the first three.

I never thought of the Anne books in terms of what they say or fail to say about feminism. Instead, I see Anne, who has imagination, intelligence, gumption, compassion,and passion, as a brilliant role model for girls today or anyday.