Daddy-Long-Legs, written by Jean Webster, published in 1912.
This was recommended to me by Annie Barrows, co-author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, because it's also written in the form of letters.
The main character, Jerusha Abbot, aka Judy Abbot, has spent a dreary life in an orphanage. One of the trustees decides that she deserves better and chooses to pay all expenses for her to attend a girl's college, the only stipulation being that she write him monthly, apprising him of her progress. Judy, despite the fact that all she's ever known is orphanage life, blossoms in her new environment. She's rather cheeky and takes great liberty with her correspondence. There are missteps along the way, but the reader cheers her every accomplishment. I was astonished that something written almost one hundred years ago could have such relevance even now. Judy is a woman's libber far ahead of her time!
I'm sure I must've seen the 1955 movie with Fred Astaire and Leslie Caron, but would give anything to see it again.
Any ideas where I could get it, other than spending $20 on Amazon?
