Thursday, May 29, 2008

Why I Love Our Read-Alouds, Part 937

Ramona asked me if I would read Anne of Green Gables to her. We started a couple of days ago, and when we reached the passage in which Anne describes herself as being in the "depths of despair" Ramona asked me what the "depths of despair" were.

"Well," I said, "'despair' means being terribly, terribly sad, so the 'depths of despair' would be the saddest a person could possibly be. Have you ever been in the depths of despair?"

"I," replied Ramona, "am in the depths of despair whenever you have to go out and I can't be with you. That's how much I love you."

She gazed up at me in a very Anne Shirley way.

And I?

I felt as if I'd just seen the White Way of Delight, the Lake of Shining Waters and had been told by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert that they were going to keep me.

My latest Anne-with-an-e fan (Ramona, not the cat.)

11 comments:

Melanie Bettinelli said...

Aaaawwww!!!!

How adorable. I can't wait till I get to introduce my girls to Anne with an E.

Karen said...

Did you know this year is the 100th anniversary of Anne of Green Gables? Lots going on in PEI this summer....there was a writing a letter to Anne contest that I found out about a day too late. Sigh. Love that Anne Shirley!

Colleen said...

Ramona is such a kindred spirit! Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorites, too. I hope I can have a moment like that with my daughter when she is old enough for me to introduce Anne to her!

Liz said...

Ah, yet another kindred spirit. The kindred spirit I raised is actually going to make a side trip to PEI while on her honeymoon and I am pea green with envy... Nice that Jim is so cooperative, even if he never read L.M. Montgomery himself. Every girl in our family has loved Anne, including my niece who grew up in China until she was 9. I can't wait for the next generation of kindred spirits!

Melanie Bettinelli said...

No, I didn't realize it's the 100th anniversary. And that makes me even more full of longing to return to PEI. Dom and I went there on our honeymoon-- wasn't I lucky to have a husband willing to indulge my Anne obsession?
But alas it's just not in the budget this year.

Hannah said...

I'm with Colleen -- I have two young daughters, one almost your Ramona's age (who would probably say the same thing about my departures), and I'm highly anticipating introducing Anne to them!

Tarie Sabido said...

OH MY GOSH. This post just made me melt! You are so blessed. :o)

(I discovered this post through the May Carnival of Children's Literature. :o))

Anonymous said...

There is a new "prequel" to the Anne of Green Gables books written by Budge Wilson, a Canadian writer, in the style of L.M.Montgomery that tells the life story of Anne from her birth until Matthew picks her up. Very enjoyable reading.

Mary Petersen

Mama Squirrel said...

Grin--I did enter the contest, on the very last day. The list of rules and regulations just about scared me off completely, though--why does everything have to be so complicated now?

Suz said...

Aww.. that's darling :-)

I feel little girls who haven't read about Anne with an e are missing out on a lot. We grew up with them... and still love L.M. Montgomery books. (And I'm 22!)

Islandsparrow said...

Kindred spirits are celebrating all things Anne over at my blog - feel free to drop by and enter my little-give-away.

Blessings!