Daddy-Long-Legs. Jean Webster

Raised in a bleak orphanage without even a name from her parents, this modern girls' fairy tale tells the story of Jerusha Abbott, a plucky young woman without ties and unsure of her future. After a visit from the trustees of the orphanage, Jerusha is told that one of the trustees sees in her the potential of a writer and wishes to be the patron of her college education. In exchange for tuition payment and a generous monthly allowance, Jerusha must write him a letter each month. She goes to an excellent women's university and thrives, growing, learning, and having fun in an adventurous period of self-discovery. First published in 1912, Webster's tale of an orphan and her unknown, shadowy benefactor is an enriching love story that unfolds in the countless pages of a cheerful young woman's letters.