I'm really not sure why I liked this book so much. Anne should really come across as a mary-sue, she gets so close sometimes, but ultimately she dodges that particular bullet every time. I think it has to do with how many scrapes she gets into, and how many people think she's crazy. It also probably has to do with the fact that I listened to it as I went to bed, instead of reading through it; I am not sure if I could have stuck with such an optimistic character for so long if I had had to read it.

So I must say that this book manages to balance happy optimism and realism to an extent rarely seen. It reminded me a lot of Little Women, except with less of an agenda. I kind of wish that they still let sixteen-year-olds teach elementary school.