Anne of Green Gables Anime Doll by Takara Tomy

On July 31, 2016, Takara Tomy Toys is releasing a limited and exclusive Anne of Green Gables doll based on the 1979 anime series by Nippon Animation. The beautiful anime, also known as Akage no An, was directed by Isao Takahata as part of the World Masterpiece Theater series. The Anne of Green Gables doll was designed to celebrate 40 years of Nippon Animation. Read more about the Takara Tomy Toy release here.

The sweet Anne Shirley doll is part of the "Liccarize" series, which faithfully represents anime characters. The Anne of Green Gables doll is approximately 23 cm tall and has two outfits (shown below):


Anne's first outfit is the brown wincey dress she arrived at Green Gables wearing. The second outfit is the beautiful dress with puffed sleeves that Matthew Cuthbert gives Anne for Christmas. The doll can be posed on its own stand, and it comes with a hat, bag, shoes, and other accessories.

Created July 31, 2016. Last updated April 30, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

2014 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament

For the 2014 Christmas season, Hallmark released an Anne of Green Gables Keepsake Ornament. The ornament was the third and final in a series of three Christmas tree ornaments, which were exclusively released in Canada.

The ornament depicts the Green Gables house where Anne Shirley found a home with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. Green Gables is decorated with a Christmas wreath on the front door and is covered with snow and shimmery glitter in the winter scene. A cheerful snowman raises its arms in front of the house. The ornament is approximately 2 1/8" tall and 4" wide.

The box describes the scene saying, "Green Gables House, located in Cavendish in the PEI National Park, is a popular tourist destination. Each year hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world visit the site which inspired the setting for L.M. Montgomery to create her beloved tale of a red-haired orphan, Anne of Green Gables."

Image credit:
Edited photograph of the 2014 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament.

Created November 15, 2014. Last updated May 13, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

2013 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament

For the 2013 Christmas season, Hallmark released an Anne of Green Gables Keepsake Ornament. The ornament was the second in a series of three Christmas tree ornaments that were exclusively released in Canada.

The ornament depicts Anne Shirley wearing a grey wincey dress. Anne has black lace-up boots and a straw hat, and her red hair is arranged in two braids. She is seated and carefully holding her carpet bag. The ornament is approximately 4 3/8" tall.

The box describes the scene saying, "On the train station platform, her carpet bag containing all of her worldly goods, Anne sits perched atop a pile of shingles while she awaits the arrival of Matthew Cuthbert and the beginning of her journey to Green Gables."

Image credit:
Edited photograph of the 2013 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament.

Created November 20, 2013. Last updated May 13, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

2012 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament

In October 2012, Hallmark released an Anne of Green Gables Keepsake Ornament for the Christmas season. This ornament was the first in a series of three Christmas tree ornaments, which were exclusively released in Canada.

The ornament depicts Anne Shirley wearing a blue dress and a white pinafore. She has black lace-up boots and a straw hat, and her red hair is arranged in two braids. Anne is carrying a bouquet of yellow flowers in her right hand and holds a single stem in her left hand. The ornament design is inspired by Ben Stahl's painting of Anne Shirley, entitled "Beyond the Summer Fields."

The ornament is approximately 4 3/8" tall. It was re-released in 2013.

Image credit:
Edited photograph of the 2012 Hallmark Keepsake Anne of Green Gables Ornament.

Created December 2, 2012. Last updated May 13, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables

Today, I read a thoughtful article called "How animé conquered the world" written by S.B. Zulueta, a lecturer-technologist who works in the Animation Department at College Central, Singapore. Published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the article discusses key points in the history of animé and mentions the 1979 Anne of Green Gables animé.

In the article, Zulueta describes how TV audiences initially viewed Japanese animation as "crude and corny." These opinions began to change in 1963, when Osamu Tezuka created an animated series featuring his popular manga character Mighty Atom (aka "Astroboy"). Astroboy was the first Japanese animated TV series. Tezuka had a limited budget, so Zulueta explains that he compensated for the lack of drawings and movement by applying a cinematic approach with "interesting layouts and camera movements."

This cinematic approach is Tezuka lasting legacy. During the robot animation fad of the 1970s, others used Tezuka's approach to create animation TV series quickly and cheaply and then sell toys based on the series.

Zulueta writes that, "Only Team Takahata and Miyazaki, later to form Ghibli Studio, tried to buck the system by doing better-quality TV series of Western classics such as "Heidi, Girl of the Alps," and "Anne of Green Gables." When all the other ’70s TV series had faded into obscurity, those Takahata-Miyazaki TV series remain watchable today because of the care that went into them."

According to Zulueta, the rest of the world began to appreciate animé with the release of Katsuhiro Otomo's “Akira” (1988), Mamoru Oshii’s “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), and Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning feature films.

Zulueta describes the two most important factors that have helped animé develop. The first is the strength of the manga industry, which provides source material for many popular animé adaptations for television and film. The second is the ability of animé "to absorb world stories and repackage them as its own. Indeed, the Anne of Green Gables animé is an example of the latter. As Zulueta concludes, "good stories know no borders."

Image Credit:
Drawings of Astroboy and Anne of Green Gables.

Reference:
Zulueta, S.B. How animé conquered the world. (September 20, 2010). Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/artsandbooks/artsandbooks/view/20100920-293216/How-anim-conquered-the-world (archived).

Created September 21, 2010. Last updated November 27, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Blythes are Quoted

The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery and edited by Benjamin Lefebvre was published in 2009. L.M. Montgomery had originally prepared her manuscript for this book prior to her death by suicide, but it was not published during her lifetime. In 1974, editors at McGraw-Hill Ryerson restructured the manuscript and published it as The Road to Yesterday. This version of the book included 14 short stories and one poem from the original manuscript, but it did not include L.M. Montgomery's interspersed narrative and conversational sections. The collection also omitted one of the short stories ("Some Fools and a Saint") and most of the poems from the original manuscript.

The Blythes are Quoted restores L.M. Montgomery's original manuscript structure and components. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part occurring before the Great War and the second part taking place after the war. The book depicts several evenings in Anne and Gilbert Blythe's household, during which Anne recites poetry. Following each poem, the Blythes have short episodes of conversation and commentary. Fifteen short stories are interspersed throughout the book. All of the short stories include mentions of the Blythe family or have appearances by members of the family.


The Blythes are Quoted includes the following contents:

Forward by Elizabeth Rollins Epperly

PART ONE

A note from L.M. Montgomery
"The Piper" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Some Fools and a Saint" (short story)

Twilight at Ingleside (narrative vignette)
"I Wish You" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Old Path Round the Shore" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Guest Room in the Country" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"An Afternoon with Mr. Jenkins" (short story)

The Second Evening
"The New House" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Robin Vespers" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Night" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Man and Woman" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Retribution" (short story)

The Third Evening
"There Is a House I Love" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Sea Song" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Twins Pretend" (short story)

The Fourth Evening
"To a Desired Friend" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Fancy’s Fool" (short story)

The Fifth Evening
"Midsummer Day" (poem by Anne Shirley)
"Remembered" (poem by Anne Shirley)
"A Dream Comes True" (short story)

The Sixth Evening
"Farewell to an Old Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Haunted Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Song of Winter" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"Penelope Struts Her Theories" (short story)

The Seventh Evening
"Success" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Gate of Dream" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"An Old Face" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Reconciliation" (short story)
"The Cheated Child" (short story)
"Fool’s Errand" (short story)
"The Pot and the Kettle" (short story)


PART TWO

Another Ingleside Twilight
"Interlude" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Come, Let Us Go" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"A June Day" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Wind of Autumn" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Wild Places" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"For Its Own Sake" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Change" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"I Know" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Brother Beware" (short story)

The Second Evening
"The Wind" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Bride Dreams" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"May Song" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Here Comes the Bride" (short story)

The Third Evening
"The Parting Soul" (poem by Walter Blythe and Anne Blythe)
"My House" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Memories" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"A Commonplace Woman" (short story)

The Fourth Evening
"Canadian Twilight" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Oh, We Will Walk with Spring Today" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Grief" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Room" (poem by Anne Blythe)
"The Road to Yesterday" (short story)

Au Revoir
"I Want" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Pilgrim" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"Spring Song" (poem by Walter Blythe)
"The Aftermath" (poem by Walter Blythe)

Afterword by Benjamin Lefebvre
A Note on the Text
Acknowledgments
Books by L.M. Montgomery


Image Credits:
Book cover of The Blythes are Quoted.

Purchase and read The Blythes are Quoted:

Created November 2, 2009. Last updated May 1, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Valentines - Set 3

Here's a third set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines to give to your kindred spirits, friends, classmates, and loved ones. Save the Anne-inspired Valentines shown below. Then print the Valentine cards out on cardstock paper in landscape mode, cut them out, and share them!



To design this set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines, I used public domain images, public domain clipart from Antique Clipart, and an image of Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley from Sullivan Entertainment's production of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987).

Download and print more Anne of Green Gables Valentines here: Set 1, Set 2, and Set 4.

Created January 16, 2009. Last updated January 26, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (2009)

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (aka Hello Anne: Before Green Gables) is an anime series produced by Nippon Animation as the 26th title in the celebrated World Masterpiece Theatre series. It is the prequel to the beloved anime series Anne of Green Gables (aka Akage No An), which was one of the first classic novels adapted for the World Masterpiece Theater series in 1979. Notably, the prequel anime marks the 30th anniversary of this original anime adaptation.

The storyline of Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables is based on Budge Wilson's book Before Green Gables, which was published in 2008 as a prequel to L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. Wilson's prequel was written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables. The prequel was translated into Japanese and titled Konnichiwa Anne (Hello Anne) by Akiko Usagawa.

Rina Hidaka portrayed Anne Shirley's voice in Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables. Takayo Nishimura served as the chief animation director for the production. As a special touch, the series was narrated by Eiko Hisamura (née Yamada), who portrayed Anne Shirley in the original Akage no An back in 1979.

The series was directed by Katsuyoshi Yatabe, produced by Kōichi Motohashi, and written by Michiru Shimada. Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables features delightful music by Yasuharu Takanashi, Hiromi Mizutani, and Kenji Fujisawa. The opening and closing theme songs, "The Seed of Light" and "Alright March," were sung by Azumi Inoue, who is best known for singing the theme songs of My Neighbor Totoro.

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables tells the story of Anne Shirley's early life as an orphan before she was adopted by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. It begins when Anne Shirley is six years old and living with foster families in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The series is 39 episodes long, and each episode is approximately 20 minutes in length. The series premiered on BS Fuji on April 5, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. and aired each Sunday evening through December 27, 2009.


Image credit:
Drawing of Anne Shirley from Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (2009) © Nippon Animation

Official Website:
Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables at Nippon Animation

References:
Before Green Gables (TV). Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10550

Loo, Egan. (July 7, 2008). Before Green Gables Prequel Animation to Anne Novels Green-Lit. Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-07/before-green-gables-prequel-animation-to-anne-novels-green-lit

An Attempt to Hype Konnichiwa Anne: The Upcoming 26th World Masterpiece Theatre Series. (December 3, 2008). Star-Crossed Anime Blog. Retrieved from: http://psgels.blogsome.com/2008/12/03/an-attempt-to-hype-konnichiwa-anne-the-upcoming-26th-world-masterpiece-theatre-series/ (archived).

Created December 4, 2008. Last updated December 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

100th Anniversary Anne of Green Gables Coin

On April 16, 2008, the Royal Canadian Mint released a special Anne of Green Gables coin on the 100th anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery’s novel. The coin is presented in a illustrated full color folder with an illustration of the Green Gables house by Christopher Kovacs shown above. The 25 cent coin is a beautiful collector’s piece with a multicolor image of Anne Shirley by Ben Stahl on the reverse side and an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse side.

Here's an image showing the back of the coin presentation folder:

The Anne of Green Gables coin is described as follows:

"This magnificent 35mm nickel plated steel coin celebrates the literary heroine Anne Shirley with a beautiful painted portrait reflecting her colourful, melodramatic nature. One can easily imagine Anne on the red shores of Prince Edward Island looking out to sea with romantic longing, her blue dress, straw hat and wildflowers so characteristic of 19th-century island life. Based on an original image by Ben Stahl."

"In 1908, an unassuming novel by L.M. Montgomery of Prince Edward Island captivated the world with its heartwarming tale of Anne Shirley, an irrepressible orphan girl who enchants the island’s quiet community of Avonlea with her vivid imagination and endless mishaps. Published in over 20 languages and now 100 years in print, this story continues to delight and charm."

Created July 2, 2008. Last updated June 13, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

100th Anniversary Anne of Green Gables Stamps

On June 20, 2008, Canada Post and Japan Post jointly released special Anne of Green Gables stamps on the 100th anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery's novel. The dreamy portrait of Anne Shirley is by Ben Stahl, and the painting of the iconic Green Gables house is by Christopher Kovacs. The sweet animated drawings of Anne Shirley, Matthew Cuthbert, Diana Barry, Gilbert Blythe, and Marilla Cuthbert are from the anime series Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage no An by Nippon Animation, which was part of the World Masterpiece Theater series.

Canada Post also issued a souvenir sheet with a set of two 52¢ Anne of Green Gables stamps to commemorate the occasion with artwork by Ben Stahl and Christopher Kovacs.



The following wonderful article was published by Canada Post upon the release of the stamps with biographical information on L.M. Montgomery, a description of her beloved Prince Edward Island, and details on the artwork, digital illustration, and stamp design:

Issued: June 20, 2008

Article published in

Canada's Stamp Details (Vol. XVII No 2; April to June 2008)

It's hard to believe that the irrepressible Anne Shirley might have lain hidden in a hat box forever. When Lucy Maud Montgomery completed her first novel in 1905, she received several rejections from publishers, so she put the story away. But Anne, with characteristic persistence, must have tugged at her imagination. A few years later, Montgomery retrieved the novel and sent it out again. Anne of Green Gables was finally published in Boston in 1908, to immediate success.

One hundred years later, Anne and her story are featured on a pair of domestic rate (52¢) stamps issued by Canada Post to celebrate the novel's centennial. The stamp images are based on original artwork officially authorized by The heirs of Lucy Maud Montgomery and the Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority Inc. The painting of Anne was created by Ben Stahl, and that of her beloved Green Gables house by Christopher Kovacs.

"Anne is such a unique character, so full of life and so inspired by nature," says designer Dennis Page. "These paintings represent her story well-the images are surrounded by nature, and Anne appears lost in her thoughts."

Anne's name, he notes, is printed on the stamps in a typeface as personal and expressive as she is. Page also worked with digital illustrator Mike Little on a unique frame for the two images, which serves as a subtle reminder that Anne's famous story is actually a work of fiction. "The stamp frames are meant to resemble the pages of a book printed in 1908, with deckle edges and an original look and feel."

Even Montgomery said she never felt quite truthful admitting that this vibrant red-headed girl was indeed a fictional character. Although Anne of Green Gables was her first novel, Montgomery had been writing poems and stories since childhood, inspired by her life on Prince Edward Island. Born in 1874, she was not even two when her mother died of tuberculosis and she was sent to live with her grandparents in Cavendish, a town later made famous as Avonlea. She grew up immersed in nature and Anne's scenic descriptions of Avonlea are drawn from Montgomery's own experiences of living in Cavendish where she was enchanted by the orchards, woods and beaches. Montgomery once wrote, "Everything was invested with a kind of fairy grace and charm, emanating from my own fancy, the trees that whispered nightly around the old house where I slept, the woodsy nooks I explored, the homestead fields, each individualized by some oddity or fence or shape, the sea whose murmur was never out of my ears - all were radiant with 'the glory and the dream'...amid all the commonplaces of life, I was very near to a kingdom of ideal beauty."¹ Montgomery continued writing while training and working briefly as a teacher, and was earning a comfortable income from her published work even before the success of Anne of Green Gables. Eventually she married and moved to Ontario, but her heart and imagination stayed on the Island.

The house known as Green Gables is now a national historic site, with an operational period-style post office. Montgomery never actually lived there, but it was home to relatives, and she often explored the surrounding property. The setting clearly inspired her-the landscape near Cavendish is as vivid a character in her books as any other. To recognize this special place as uniquely Canadian, the souvenir sheet bears a maple leaf die perforation between the two stamps.

The Cavendish connection is featured on a souvenir sheet official first day cover (OFDC), and on two additional OFDCs, each bearing double cancels-one real (Cavendish PE) and one fictional (Avonlea PE).

Anne has captured the imaginations of girls around the world and her story has a special history for many Japanese. Anne first arrived in Japan in the 1930s with Canadian missionary Loretta Shaw. When Shaw left the country at the start of the Second World War, she gave a copy of the novel to her friend Hanako Muraoka, who translated it as Akage no An, literally "Anne of the Red Hair". After the war ended, Japanese education officials were eager to introduce children to Western texts, and Muraoka suggested the novel. In 1952, it was included in the school curriculum, and it has been well loved by generations of students ever since. Today, thousands of Japanese travel to Cavendish each year to visit Anne's fictional home.

Despite its distinctly Canadian setting, Anne of Green Gables belongs to the world. The story has captured the imaginations of readers in many languages and countries. "In Japan, readers have formed a fan club called the 'Buttercups,' named for Anne's favourite flower," says Joy Parks, Research Officer, Stamp Services, at Canada Post. Buttercups appear on the floral envelope seals included with the stamp booklet, part of a collection of flowers reproduced from the paintings depicted on the stamps. Like the wildflowers that return to bloom each spring, Anne lives on in the imagination of her readers, as real today as when she was first published.

Additional information is available on the following websites:
www.gov.pe.ca/lmm
www.lmmontgomery.ca

¹ Stan Sauerwein, Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Incredible Life of the Creator of Anne of Green Gables (Canmore, Alberta: Altitude Publishing Canada Ltd.) 2004, p. 22-23.

Created June 30, 2008. Last updated January 20, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

Before Green Gables is a book by Budge Wilson about the early life of Anne Shirley prior to her arrival at Green Gables. The book was published in February 2008 to commemorate the centennial of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, which was published in 1908. Penguin Publishing and some of Montgomery's descendants designated the book as an "official prequel." In 2009, an anime called Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables was released that was based on Budge Wilson's Before Green Gables.

In Chapter V of Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery describes Anne's early years in a sad conversation between Anne and Marilla following Anne's arrival at Green Gables. The chapter, entitled "Anne's History," gives Marilla and the reader insight to Anne's early life. When Anne was three months old, her parents, Walter and Bertha Shirley, died of scarlet fever in Nova Scotia. Following their deaths, Mrs. Thomas and her drunken husband took Anne in. Anne lived with the Thomas family and took care of their four youngest children until Mr. Thomas's death when Anne was eight years old. Then Anne was taken in by the Hammond family. Anne spent over two years with the Hammonds, taking care of their eight children, which included three pairs of twins. When Mr. Hammond died, Anne was sent to the Hopeton Asylum where she lived for four months. From there, Anne was sent to Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert at Green Gables. From the succinct details Anne gives Marilla, we know that Anne's early life was harsh and that she was exploited as a housekeeper and babysitter. Anne's imagination guarded her from the lack of love and care she received in her childhood.

As the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables approached, Helen Reeves, an editor at Penguin, had the idea of publishing a prequel novel. In an interview with Randy Boswell of The Edmonton Journal, Reeves explained that Montgomery "gave us something to build on" by providing "little snippets about Anne's early life." Reeves continued saying, "We know Anne's had a very difficult time," and she felt, "It makes sense to dramatize it."

Helen Reeves approached author Budge Wilson to write the prequel. Budge Wilson is a Halifax-native and a prize-winning author who has written more than 30 books for children. She has won seventeen Canadian Children's Book Centre "Our Choice" Awards and the Canadian Library Association's Young Adult Canadian Book Award. In 2004, Wilson was made a member of the Order of Canada.

Initially, Budge Wilson was daunted about taking on the project and took two months before she agreed to write the prequel. In an interview with CBC News, Wilson said, "it was like being asked to do a prequel to the Bible." Wilson worried about the project and told CBC News, "I was very concerned that L.M. Montgomery might not want this done." Furthermore, Wilson said she would not want another writer "to do something like this" with her own characters or books. Even after completing the novel, Wilson spoke of her concerns, telling Maria Kubacki of The Calgary Herald, "I wondered whether L.M. Montgomery would want me to do this, or anybody to do this."

In spite of these misgivings, Budge Wilson was drawn to the project telling The Calgary Herald, "One of the things that drew me in was the puzzle of how Anne came to be." Wilson wondered, "How did she get off that train such a feisty, spirited, forward-looking person?" In an interview with CBC News, Wilson explained, "I knew if I was going to do this book, it was my job to fill in the gaps and explain how she could go through all that and still emerge in P.E.I. as a feisty and mentally healthy and articulate, forward-looking person."

In a 2006 interview with The Edmonton Journal, Wilson emphasized that she would use her own voice in writing the prequel saying, "I will, of course, try to be true to the astonishing character that Lucy Maud Montgomery created." Wilson continued saying, "For this, I am grateful to her. But I would not -- in fact, could not -- presume to tell my part of Anne's history in Montgomery's voice. I will do this in my own voice, hoping that she would approve of the project if she were alive today." Upon re-reading the Anne series, Wilson remarked, "Anne really is a marvellous, marvellous character. I'm just anxious to be true to who she is."

Once she began the book, Budge Wilson wrote a chapter a day in longhand over the course of 71 days, and completed the 71 chapters of her draft on her 80th birthday, according to an article in Dalhousie Magazine. The prequel will enlighten readers about Anne's parents, Walter and Bertha Shirley, and she how they influence Anne's personality. Wilson explained her perspective to The Edmonton Journal saying, "I feel that genetics is important."

Helen Reeves realizes that the prequel may be controversial and that, "there are going to be a lot of people who think it should be left alone." With this in mind, Penguin sought approval for the prequel from some of L.M. Montgomery's descendants, who agreed to put their stamp of approval on the project in return for having a say in the creative process and a share in the profits. As part of this process, Wilson submitted a 38-page outline for the prequel as well as a sample chapter for approval by L.M. Montgomery's family. Montgomery's grandson David Macdonald stated, "I think my grandmother would have thought it appropriate for an author who grew up in Nova Scotia to write about Anne's life before she came to Prince Edward Island and Green Gables."

L.M. Montgomery's granddaughter, Kate Macdonald Butler told The Calgary Herald that she was glad her family published an Anne of Green Gables prequel before anybody else. Montgomery's family had been approached about doing a prequel previously, but had always said no. This time they agreed because of Penguin's assurance that they would have "complete creative control." Kate Macdonald Butler noted to The Calgary Herald that the prequel could make "a lot of money."

Budge Wilson was relieved that the family approved of her story telling The Calgary Herald, "The family is pleased and that's important to me," and although she will never know what L.M. Montgomery would think of the prequel, she said, "I hope she wouldn't have minded."

Penguin will release Before Green Gables alongside two other books to mark Anne's 100th anniversary. One is a commemorative edition of the original Anne of Green Gables with the 1908 cover art. The second is a book called Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks of L.M. Montgomery, which explores Montgomery's life in the years leading to Anne's publication.

Official Website:
100 Years of Anne at Penguin Books

Image Credits:
The Canadian, American, and British book covers of Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

References:
Boswell, Randy. (October 28, 2006). Anne of Green Gables gets a prequel: Nova Scotia Children's Author to Create Canadian Literary Heroine's Early Years. The Edmonton Journal. Canwest News Service. Retrieved from: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=5482cc2e-dd52-40b3-94c3-621f8cb9fdf9&k=49996.

Gessell, Paul. (February 3, 2008). Survival of the Fittest: Credible Prequel Paints Grim Picture of Anne's Life Before Canada's Famous Orphan Found Green Gables. The Calgary Herald. Canwest News Service.

Kubacki, Maria. (February 10, 2008). How Anne Became Anne: Prequel Traces Life Before Green Gables. The Calgary Herald. Canwest News Service. Retrieved from: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/booksandthearts/story.html?id=83cefa6c-249e-4812-94a6-204be89b5371.

Wilson Tackles 'Daunting' Prequel to Anne of Green Gables. (February 11, 2008). CBC News. Retrieved from: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2008/02/11/green-gables-prequel.html.

Smulders, Marilyn. (June 25, 2008). Reading Between the Lines. Dalhousie Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.dal.ca/news/2008/06/25/budge.html.

Review:
Ward, Elizabeth. (February 17, 2008). How Anne Got to Green Gables. The Washington Post. Retrieved from: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/entertainment/2008/02/17/how-anne-got-to-green-gables/7877e8f2-c685-4abc-8458-f1377f7fa23d/.

Purchase and read Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson:


Created February 5, 2008. Last updated December 16, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne (2007)

Anne is a television series created by the award-winning director Nalaka Swarnathilaka that was broadcast on Swarnavahini TV in Sri Lanka in 2007. The tele drama was based upon L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables, which was translated into Sinhala by Shanika Dulani Kumanayake.

Vinuri Ramanayake played the younger version of the title role of Anne Shirley, and Poorni Kamaladiwela played the older Anne. The younger and older versions of Anne's best friend Diana Barry were played by Piyumi Gamage and Buddhika Wimalasekara, respectively. The series had a large cast, including more than 50 people. Students from Sri Lankan schools played many roles in the series, which was filmed during a school vacation period in Diyatalawa, Bandarawela, and at the Elphinstone Theatre in Colombo.

In addition to directing the adaptation, Nalaka Swarnathilaka wrote the script for the series. The tele drama was produced by Ruchira Liyanaarachchi for R.S. Video. Anne was 28-episodes long and was telecast on Swarnavahini on Sundays at 8:30 p.m.

Director Nalaka Swarnathilaka recognized the need for children's programming in Sri Lanka. In his directorial debut, he created Danga Malla, a television drama based on Enid Blyton's novel The Naughtiest Girl in the School. The series was broadcast three times in one year due to its popularity. As a follow-up to this debut, he brought the story Anne of Green Gables to the screen.

Swarnathilaka reflected on the story Anne of Green Gables in an interview with Daily Mirror Life saying, “I always had a penchant for children’s stories, especially the stories outside our country. Even our children like stories and that’s why Harry Potter is so popular. This story will also definitely attract not only children but also adults because the theme is such. I hope people will see it and talk about the creation.”

In an interview with Susitha R. Fernando for The Sunday Times Online, Nalaka Swarnathilaka explained that Anne's story "makes you think about children and their world" in a serious way, and he feels that, "Adults should know that there are many lessons we can learn from children." When he was asked whether Sri Lankans would identify with Anne's Western setting, Swarnathilaka reflected on the common aspects, saying: "'Anne' is a story set in a rural village" involving "nature, family lives and children who were left alone" in the world. "The story is filled with local flavour and I hope it would suit our society as well."

Nalaka recounted the memorable moment when he discovered young Anne. He explained that "Vinuri Ramanayake who plays little Anne was just sitting in a classroom alone when I came across her at Visakha Vidyalaya. She had never acted and from the first audition I realized she was the ideal person for the role."

Synopsis (from Daily Mirror, April 30, 2007):

"Miss Marilla Cuthbert and Mr. Matthew Cuthbert, middle-aged siblings who live together at Green Gables, a farm in Avonlea, on Prince Edward Island, decide to adopt an orphan boy from the asylum as a helper on their farm. Through a series of mishaps, what ends up under their roof is a precocious girl of eleven named Anne Shirley. Anne is bright and quick, eager to please but dissatisfied with her name, her pale countenance dotted with freckles, and with her long braids of red hair. Being a child of imagination, however, Anne takes much joy in life, and adapts quickly, thriving in the environment of Prince Edward Island.

The rest of the story recounts her continued education at school, where she excels in studies very quickly, her budding literary ambitions and her friendships with people such as Diana Barry (her best friend), Jane Andrews and Ruby Gillis and her rivalry with Gilbert Blythe, who teased her about her red hair and for that acquired her hatred, although he apologised many times."

The following credits and cast for the television series were listed in an article by The Daily Mirror:

Credits:

Director and Script Writer: Nalaka Swarnathilake
Based on Translation by: Shanika Dulani Kumanayake
Producer: Ruchira Liyanaarachchi (RS Video)
Camera: Thrishula Deepa Thambawita
Music Director: Nuwan Vithanage
Art Director: Dinesh Jayashantha
Editor: Pujitha Kanchana Amaratunge
Make Up: Sameera Madhu Kindelpitiya
Dance Choreography: Harshika Rathnayake
Assistant Director: Asiri Priyani
Costumes: Tharanga Anthani
Vocals: Natasha Perera, Poorni Kamaldiwala
Lyrics: Amitha Rabbidigala, Nuwan Katugampola

Cast:

Vinuri Ramanayake - Anne Shirley (younger)
Poorni Kamaladiwela - Anne Shirley (older)
Piyumi Gamage - Diana Barry (younger)
Buddhika Wimalasekara - Diana Barry (older)
Kusum Renu
Athula Liyanage
Nilmini Sigera
Athula Pathirana
Malkanthi Jayasinghe
Maureen Charuni
Rebecca Nirmali
Chitra Warakagoda
Manel Wanaguru
Chaminda Jayasuriya
Wijeratne Warakagoda
Nilmini Buwaneka
Lanka Bandaranayake
Udayashantha Liyanage
Kumara Abeywardhana
Lakshman Rajapakshe
Tiran Gurusinghe
Nuwan Wijesinghe
Harshi Seneviratne
Sathya Gurusinghe
Tharuka Abeyratne
Kanchana Hewawitharana
Rebecca Hugebert
Ravishanka Alikewela
Chamitha Perera
Hasangi Minusha
Nisal Deelaka
Aparna Fernando
Navindu Yasas
Dulanjali Kumari Herath
Kavishka Dilshan
Ovini de Silva
Vishva Vidanagamage
Madusha Erandi Weeraddane
Amila Virajith
Sharon Hugerbert
Hasitha Herath
Chamalka Perera
Yesith Randula Abeysinghe
Poorni Shehara
Suwimali Dissanayake
Thidas Nimnaka Abeysinghe
Vinuri de Silva
Christein Deshapriya


This production is another wonderful example of how Anne of Green Gables appeals to audiences around the world. I hope to watch this series one day.


Image credit:
Photograph of Vinuri Ramanayake playing Anne Shirley in Anne (2007). © Swarnavahini

References:
Anne in the making... (April 30, 2007). Daily Mirror Life, Daily Mirror. Retrieved from: http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2007/04/30/life/6.asp.

Anne: A tale of playful girl. (September 16, 2007). The TV Times. The Sunday Times Online. Vol. 42, No. 16. Retrieved from: http://sundaytimes.lk/070916/TV/tv-times000021.html.

'ANNE' loved by children. (September 2, 2007). Daily Mirror. Retrieved from: http://archives.dailymirror.lk/2007/09/03/life/01.asp. (archived).

Fernando, Susitha R. (September 16, 2007). Nalaka's cause for the children. The TV Times. The Sunday Times Online. Vol. 42, No. 16. Retrieved from: http://sundaytimes.lk/070916/TV/tv-times000021.html.

Jayashan, Anjana. (February 15, 2010). Sri Lankan Celebrity: Vinuri, the school girl who shot to fame in one night. The Asian Tribune. Retrieved from: http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2010/02/15/sri-lankan-celebrity-vinuri-school-girl-who-shot-fame-one-night. (archived).

Created September 12, 2007. Last updated November 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) Screening

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City is showcasing a film exhibition called "A View from the Vaults: Warner Bros., RKO Pictures, and First National Pictures, Inc." from February 9–24, 2007. This exhibition includes a screening of Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) on Saturday, February 10, 2007 at 3:45 p.m.

The film series includes a "selection of ten enduring films produced by Warner Bros., RKO Pictures, and First National Pictures, Inc., from 1938 through 1949. These films were all recently acquired by the Museum."

"A View from the Vaults" is organized by Anne Morra, the Assistant Curator in the Department of Film.

Here are the descriptions of the 10 featured films:

Jezebel. 1938. USA. Directed by William Wyler. Screenplay by Clements Ripley, Abem Finkel, John Huston, based on the play by Owen Davis. With Bette Davis, Henry Fonda. Davis won an Oscar for her iconic portrayal of Julie Marsden, a woman whose assertion of independence is tragically misunderstood in 1850s New Orleans. Larger than life, Julie sets out to win back her lost social standing—but only on her own terms. 104 min. Friday, February 9, 5:45; Saturday, February 17, 6:00. T1

Gunga Din. 1939. USA. Directed by George Stevens. Screenplay by Joel Sayre, Fred Guiol, based on a story by Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, adapted from the poem “Gunga Din” by Rudyard Kipling. With Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen. This account of the tragicomic exploits of three members of the French Foreign Legion and their fight against the corrupt Guru in India was voted to the National Film Registry in 1999. 117 min. Saturday, February 10, 1:30; Wednesday, February 21, 6:00. T1

Anne of Windy Poplars. 1940. USA. Directed by Jack Hively. Screenplay by Michael Kanin, Jerry Cady, based on the novel by L. M. Montgomery. With Anne Shirley, Patric Knowles. A follow-up to Anne of Green Gables (1934), this film follows a grown-up Anne as she moves to the remote Canadian town of Pringleton and builds a new life as a teacher at a small provincial school. 86 min. Saturday, February 10, 3:45. T1

They Drive by Night. 1940. USA. Directed by Raoul Walsh. Screenplay by Jerry Wald, Richard Macaulay, based on the novel The Long Haul by Albert Isaac Bezzerides. With George Raft, Ida Lupino. Brothers Joe and Paul Fabrini haul produce from farms in northern California to Los Angeles. They refuse to drive for anyone else, and attempts are made to intimidate them into joining a ruthless competitor’s business. 95 min. Saturday, February 10, 5:30; Monday, February 19, 8:30. T1

The Man Who Came to Dinner. 1942. USA. Directed by William Keighley. Screenplay by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, based on the play by George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart. With Monty Woolley, Bette Davis. Radio personality Sheridan Whiteside slips and falls on an icy sidewalk in front of the home of a prominent Ohio family. With a broken leg, he cannot be moved—and soon the meddlesome Whiteside is interfering with the lives of his hosts. 113 min. Sunday, February 11, 5:00; Monday, February 19, 6:00. T1

Action in the North Atlantic. 1943. USA. Directed by Lloyd Bacon. Screenplay by John Howard Lawson, based on the story “Heroes without Uniform” by Guy Gilpatric. With Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey. In this WWII thriller, Lieutenant Joe Rossi (Bogart) must navigate through enemy-filled waters on the perilous journey from Halifax to Murmansk. 128 min. Monday, February 12, 6:00; Saturday, February 24, 2:00. T1

The Corn Is Green. 1945. USA. Directed by Irving Rapper. Screenplay by Casey Robinson, Frank Cavett, based on the play by Emlyn Williams. With Bette Davis, Nigel Bruce. Schoolteacher Lily Moffat is determined to change the primitive education system in her tiny Welsh mining town. The townsfolk oppose her innovative pedagogy, but they cannot deter Lily from her efforts. 114 min. Monday, February 12, 8:30; Friday, February 16, 5:45. T1

Murder, My Sweet. 1945. USA. Directed by Edward Dmytryk. Screenplay by John Paxton, based on the novel Farewell My Lovely by Raymond Chandler. With Dick Powell, Claire Trevor. Private eye Philip Marlowe is hired to find the missing girlfriend of an ex-convict. This must-see thriller, steeped in film noir atmosphere, features the disappearance of a dame and some dirty double-crossing—not to mention the iconic stature of Marlowe himself. 95 min. Wednesday, February 14, 6:00; Saturday, February 17, 2:00. T1

Flamingo Road. 1949. USA. Directed by Michael Curtiz. Screenplay by Robert Wilder, Edmund H. North, based on the play by Robert Wilder, Sally Wilder. With Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott. Crawford plays Lane Bellamy, a woman with an unfavorable reputation who attempts to climb the social ladder in a sinister Southern town run by a corrupt political boss. 94 min. Wednesday, February 14, 8:00; Saturday, February 17, 4:00. T1

Mighty Joe Young. 1949. USA. Directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack. Screenplay by Ruth Rose, based on a story by Merian C. Cooper. With Robert Armstrong, Terry Moore. For twelve years Jill Young has tenderly nurtured her pet gorilla Joe in Tanzania. When a Hollywood promoter arrives and convinces Jill to bring Joe to Tinseltown, the trouble begins. Winner of the 1950 Academy Award for Best Special Effects. 94 min. Thursday, February 15, 6:00; Wednesday, February 21, 8:30. T1

Please visit the MOMA website for further details.

Thank you to Julia Crimmins for sending along this news.

Image credit:
Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) film poster featuring Patric Knowles and Anne Shirley, RKO Pictures.

Created January 21, 2007. Last updated June 9, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Valentines - Set 2

Here's a second set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines to give to your kindred spirits, friends, classmates, and loved ones. Save the Anne-inspired Valentines shown below. Then print the Valentine cards out on cardstock paper in landscape mode, cut them out, and share them!



To design this set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines, I used images from Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987), Nippon Animation's Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An, the 1934 Anne of Green Gables film, and Anne & Gilbert: The Musical.

Download and print more Anne of Green Gables Valentines here: Set 1, Set 3, and Set 4.

Created January 15, 2007. Last updated January 26, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Penguin Group (Canada) to Become the Official Book Publisher of L.M. Montgomery 100th Anniversary Editions

Penguin Group (Canada) to become the official book publisher of L.M. Montgomery 100th Anniversary Editions

Press Release

TORONTO - Penguin Group (Canada) announced yesterday it will undertake a major Canadian and international publishing program in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Anne of Green Gables, including publication of an official prequel, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the book's original publication in 1908.

To further celebrate this significant anniversary, Penguin will publish a special collectible 100th anniversary edition of Anne of Green Gables, featuring the original cover art of M.A. Claus and W.A.J. Claus.

A third project, Imagining Anne: The Scrapbooks of L.M. Montgomery will bring to life Montgomery's own thoughts and interests using selected pages from her own scrapbooks from the years 1893 to 1908, covering her time as a college student, teacher and writer, and the years in which she created the character of Anne Shirley, leading to the publication of Anne of Green Gables in 1908.

The significance of the souvenirs and clippings Montgomery collected will be explained by Elizabeth Epperly, Ph.D., professor of English at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and the founder of the L.M. Montgomery Institute at UPEI.

Imagining Anne will be a full-colour giftbook, releasing in March 2008.

Penguin holds world rights in all languages to both the prequel and the scrapbook.

The prequel, Before Green Gables, which tells the story of Anne's early life in foster homes and an orphanage in Nova Scotia, will be written by Governor General's Literary Award finalist Budge Wilson.

Budge Wilson has published twenty-nine books in more than 10 countries and her stories have been included in over 90 anthologies, including the first Journey Prize Anthology.

Her many awards include nineteen Canadian Children's Book Centre "Our Choice" awards, the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Award, the Marianna Dempster Award, the Ann Connor Brimer Award, the Lilla Stirling Award and the City of Dartmouth Book Award.

Her latest book, Friendships, is a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award.

Wilson offered the following comments: "When Penguin asked me to write this prequel, I was faced with an enormous challenge."

"But it was this challenge that made me want to write the book," Wilson said.

"Given the appalling deprivation and emotional starvation of Anne's years in the Thomas and Hammond households and during her four agonized months in the orphanage, one is mystified as to how she became the person she was when she made her first journey to Green Gables with Matthew Cuthbert," she said.

"How could she have become so vibrant a person, so talkative, so articulate, so optimistic, so full of extravagant dreams?"

"This was the enticing puzzle that drew me into the project."

Wilson will spend several chapters getting to know Anne's parents and will bring other people into the story who will introduce Anne to the magic of words and literature, the possibilities for solace and joy in an active imagination, and the experience of giving and receiving love.

"I will, of course, try to be true to the astonishing character that Lucy Maud Montgomery created," said Wilson.

"For this, I am grateful to her."

"But I would not - in fact, could not - presume to tell my part of Anne's history in Montgomery's voice."

"I will do this in my own voice, hoping that she would approve of the project if she were alive today." Penguin is delighted to have the full support of the heirs of L.M. Montgomery and will work in co-operation with the family to create an exciting national marketing plan to make 2008 especially memorable as the year of Anne and of L.M. Montgomery.

L. M. Montgomery's grandson David Macdonald, speaking for the family, said, "We are delighted that Penguin have undertaken to publish a prequel to Anne of Green Gables for 2008 and have selected respected author Budge Wilson to write Before Green Gables.

"We think she is a terrific choice," Macdonald said.

He continued, "It's an added bonus that Budge Wilson like Anne, comes from Nova Scotia."

"I think my grandmother would have thought it appropriate for an author who grew up in Nova Scotia to write about Anne's life before she came to Prince Edward Island and Green Gables."

Commissioning editor Helen Reeves commented on the tremendous opportunity presented by the 100th anniversary, saying, "The character of Anne Shirley continues to be loved around the world."

"Growing up in the UK, I read all the Anne books and it's tremendously exciting to see a different part of Anne's story brought to life by one of Canada's most celebrated contemporary writers," Reeves said.

"We look forward to 2008 with great anticipation," she said.

Founded in 1974 as a distribution company for Penguin books from all over the world, Penguin Group (Canada) began publishing Canadian and international titles in 1977, and quickly became known as one of Canada's pre-eminent publishers of literary, thought-provoking fiction, and non-fiction.

Penguin is internationally recognized as the world's predominant publisher of classic literature; in Canada publishing both modern classics and black classics, including works by Susanna Moodie, Stephen Leacock and L.M. Montgomery.

Created October 26, 2006. Last updated January 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Christmas Ornament

On my honeymoon on Prince Edward Island, I bought this Anne of Green Gables Christmas ornament to hang on my Christmas tree. It's a little straw hat with red braids attached.

If you can't make it to PEI, there's a similar Christmas ornament available here.

Created July 26, 2006. Last updated January 25, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables U-Haul Truck

When I opened my front door today, I found this Anne of Green Gables U-Haul truck parked right outside my apartment. I took this photograph of it from my doorstep.

The under the illustration of Anne and Green Gables, the side of the truck reads:

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
HOME OF THE LEGENDARY ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
FOYER DE LA LÉGENDAIRE «ANNE DE LA MAISON AUX PIGNONS VERTS»

Seeing the truck made me smile. It's always nice to have a reminder of Prince Edward Island and Anne Shirley.

Here's a crisper view of the Anne Shirley graphic art from the U-Haul website:



Created September 3, 2005. Last updated June 10, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Miniature Diorama

My boyfriend gave me a blind box, which he spotted while traveling in Seattle. It's from the "Little Anime Series World Masterpiece Theater" collection. Each box contains a miniature diorama from one of five World Masterpiece Theater anime series produced by Nippon Animation. One of the anime series included is Anne of Green Gables (Akage no An). Knowing that I love Anne of Green Gables, my boyfriend bought a box for me and hoped for the best. Lucky for me, my box contained the Anne of Green Gables scene.

This blind box collection was manufactured by MegaHouse in 2003. The five World Masterpiece Theater series included in the collection are: Anne of Green Gables (1979), 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1976), Rascal the Raccoon (1977), A Dog of Flanders (1975), and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1980). The scenes for the five series are depicted on the sides of the blind box and on the insert inside the box (pictured below):





Inside the red box was a pink case that looked like a tiny book:



A brown plastic box, designed to look like wood, slides out of the pink case:



Opening the box reveals the eight items shown below: the Green Gables kitchen, Matthew's couch and shoes, the Green Gables kitchen table, a bowl, a pair of birds, and three characters: Matthew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert, and Anne Shirley:



Here's a closer view of Matthew Cuthbert (who's asleep), Marilla Cuthbert, and Anne Shirley (carrying a layered cake):



Here are a few views of the Anne of Green Gables diorama with Matthew asleep on his couch, Marilla bustling about the kitchen, and Anne carrying a lovely layered cake (that hopefully is flavored with vanilla instead of liniment):





Here's a close-up view of the Green Gables diorama:



Created June 27, 2005. Last updated January 20, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne & Gilbert: The Musical (2005)

Anne & Gilbert: The Musical (2005) is a musical based on stories from the Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. The musical premiered at the Victoria Playhouse in Victoria–By-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island on August 4, 2005. The first act of the musical is based on Anne of Avonlea, and the second act is based on Anne of the Island. The story was adapted for the stage by Jeff Hochhauser, Nancy White, and Bob Johnston.

I was fortunate to watch the musical in 2006 at the Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside. It's a wonderful production, and the songs are charming.

A CD featuring some of the songs and a book based on the Anne & Gilbert musical are available online. You can also listen to the album at Apple Music.


Official Site:
Anne and Gilbert: The Musical

Image Credit:
Promotional artwork from Anne & Gilbert: The Musical.

Purchase the Anne & Gilbert cast recording and check out the script and lyrics book:

Created June 3, 2005. Last updated May 12, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Valentines - Set 1

Give these Anne of Green Gables Valentines to your classmates, kindred spirits, and loved ones. Save the Anne-inspired Valentines below. Then print the Valentine cards out on cardstock paper in portrait mode, cut them out, and share them!



To design this set of Anne of Green Gables Valentines, I used public domain clipart from Antique Clipart, and images of Gilbert Blythe, Anne Shirley, and Diana Barry from Sullivan Entertainment's production of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) and Nippon Animation's Anne of Green Gables (1979) aka Akage No An.

Download and print more Anne of Green Gables Valentines here: Set 2, Set 3, and Set 4.

Created January 1, 2005. Last updated January 26, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com