Showing posts with label Anne of Green Gables Series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anne of Green Gables Series. Show all posts

May 10, 2022

What's in a Name? Rainbow Valley: L.M. Montgomery, Johnny Cash, Love Affair, and John Wayne

Steve Ellis of Love Affair singing Rainbow Valley, Johnny Cash, L.M. Montgomery's novel Rainbow Valley, poster for Rainbow Valley starring John Wayne

I recently finished a book called Forever Words: The Unknown Poems by Johnny Cash. This collection of Johnny Cash's poems and lyrics was published posthumously in 2016. It's a great book if you're a fan of The Man in Black.

So how does this relate to L.M. Montgomery? Well, as I was reading the book, I read the lyrics for a song Johnny Cash wrote in the 1970s called "Chinky Pin Hill." (It's now been recorded in a beautiful rendition by I'm With Her). The third stanza of the song reads:

We'll stop in Rainbow Valley
Where the church is standing still
And we'll be newlywed married
On Chinky Pin Hill

Seeing the name "Rainbow Valley" got my attention because it's the name of the seventh book in the Anne of Green Gables series. L.M. Montgomery's Rainbow Valley was published in 1919.

Johnny Cash had capitalized Rainbow Valley as a real, definable place. Could Cash have come across Montgomery's Anne series on a bookshelf somewhere and remembered the name? Or was there a real Rainbow Valley out there?

I started digging around the internet. It turns out that there is a Rainbow Valley on Mount Everest where many climbers have fallen to their deaths in their colorful gear. Well, I was clearly following the wrong thread there.

I continued searching and came across a cheerful song called "Rainbow Valley" by a band from London called Love Affair from 1968. The lyrics are sweet and charming:

The sun always shines
down in my Rainbow Valley.
There's one that's always mine,
down in my Rainbow Valley.

Maybe this song title made its way into Johnny Cash's lyrics? I also wondered, could Love Affair have been inspired to name their song by L.M. Montgomery's book?

Going back even farther, there's a 1935 film titled Rainbow Valley starring John Wayne. I wonder what inspired the title of this film. Were all these people simply influenced by rainbows in valleys, or could they have been inspired by one another?

What's in a name? My hours of digging provided me with no definitive answers. Sometimes art is all about hidden dialogues and connection, picking up inspiration from people, words, sounds, and observations and putting them all together in unexplainable ways to create something new.


Created May 10, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

January 27, 2022

Thoughts on "The 'Anne of Green Gables' V.R. Experience"

The "Anne of Green Gables" V.R. Experience by Weike Wang, published in The New Yorker, Illustration by Luci Gutiérrez

On Monday, The New Yorker published an article titled, "The 'Anne of Green Gables' V.R. Experience" by Weike Wang. The article appears in the "Shouts & Murmurs" section, which contains humor, satire, and funny observations. It's a curious piece, and I recommend reading it if you're an Anne of Green Gables fan.

The article begins without mentioning any history of Anne of Green Gables and fails to mention the novel's author, L.M. Montgomery, by name. These were odd omissions. But perhaps Anne is such an iconic character that she and Montgomery no longer need an introduction.

Rather than spending time on introductory matters, Weike Wang dives into a description of your Anne of Green Gables virtual reality experience. You (as Anne Shirley) have a choice in skin tones, but must have long red hair styled in two braids. Your journey in the carriage occurs in the autumn and without Matthew (unlike the book), and you meet the Cuthberts at Green Gables.

Later, your virtual reality experience continues in the classroom where your teacher leaves a vowel out of your name to your dismay. When your classmate Gilbert Blythe insults you, you have the option to hit him with a virtual arsenal of weapons including the standard slate, as well as a retractable prop dagger, a dead fish, and more. After class you go on "life-affirming adventures" with your bosom friend Diana Barry.

Then you must study, eventually graduating with your teaching license from Queen’s and winning the prestigious Avery scholarship, which allows you to attend a four-year college. Your friends, including Gilbert, celebrate you. Weike Wang notes that you can choose to end your virtual reality experience here, "feeling galvanized, like you can do anything," or you can choose to stay for the final two minutes. In these final minutes, your family loses their savings, Matthew Cuthbert dies of a heart attack, and you defer your dreams for a time and stay at Green Gables. Then you marry Gilbert, have seven children, and live in an idyllic home. Wang writes, "though you do leave the room less galvanized, you are relieved that the immense pressure to amount to something has resolved itself and, in the natural course of adulting, priorities must change."

The article had a bit of humor and weirdness, but it also left me thinking about the author's purpose. Was it simply a humorous piece, poking fun at virtual reality and Zuckerberg's metaverse, or was it more? Weike Wang brings up an interesting point, namely, that in this virtual reality version of Anne's story, you could stop your experience at a wonderfully high point in Anne's life. When Anne wins the Avery scholarship, she has so many ambitions and dreams ahead of her, and she's on the cusp of success.

Do many modern women truly want to live out Anne's full life story? When she's young, she's charismatic and passionate, and she doesn't conform. She's not ordinary. But later, she gives up her dreams of teaching and writing for her loving brood of children and devoted (but mainly absentee) husband. As Weike Wang notes, "A person can’t trailblaze forever; she has to slow down sometimes and take stock of societal norms." This piece left me wondering where I would choose to conclude my own Anne of Green Gables virtual reality experience and whether I would prefer to leave before those final two minutes.

Created January 27, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

June 10, 2021

Marilla Before Anne

Marilla Before Anne by Louise Michalos

Marilla Before Anne by Louise Michalos was published in May 2021 by Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press. This work of historical fiction extends the world of Anne of Green Gables to tell the story of Marilla Cuthbert's early life. What was Marilla like before Anne Shirley entered the picture?

Louise Michalos set out to answer this question in her own way. Michalos was born in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia and raised in Halifax. Her mother was raised in a lighthouse, and her father, like L.M. Montgomery, was raised in a house that served as the local post office. She has knowledge and awareness of the community ties in the Maritimes, and wanted to explore Marilla's backstory with an authentic voice.

Here is the description of the book from Nimbus Publishing and Vagrant Press:

A heart-rending work of historical fiction telling the story of Marilla Cuthbert, long before Anne came to Green Gables farm.

Marilla Cuthbert was fifty-two years old when the plucky red-headed Anne Shirley came to live with her and her brother, Matthew, at Green Gables farm on Prince Edward Island. A seemingly cold and dour spinster, her heart eventually softens to the loveable orphan girl. But for over a century readers have wondered, who was Marilla before Anne?

In Louise Michalos’s remarkable debut novel, readers are introduced to a spirited eighteen-year-old Marilla Cuthbert—a girl not unlike Anne herself—who is desperately in love, and whose whole life is spread before her. But when a moment of defiance brings life-changing consequences, a new Marilla begins to take shape, one who would learn to bear tragedy like a birthright, and loss as an inevitability, and who would hold steadfast to the secrets that could shatter the lives of everyone around her.

Weaving its way from Marilla’s early life in Avonlea to her coming-of-age in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and back, Marilla Before Anne is the story readers of Anne of Green Gables have longed for. Told with a refreshingly original East Coast voice, this exquisite, heartbreaking work of historical fiction takes readers on a journey back in time, to the Green Gables where Marilla Cuthbert lived, loved, and learned, long before Anne.

Reviews

"Beloved characters live in our minds. For those who think they know Marilla Cuthbert, Louise Michalos creates a heart-rending and imaginative fantasy of who our Marilla might have been."
—Lesley Crewe, author of The Spoon Stealer

"Taking us back to Marilla's passionate youth, this book is part old-style romance, part history, with complicated heroes, heroines, and villains. It plays fast and loose with the Marilla and Matthew who may already live inside readers' heads―those willing to take that leap are in for a galloping ride."
—Liz Rosenberg, author of House of Dreams: A Biography of L. M. Montgomery



Image credit:
Book cover of Marilla Before Anne.

Reference:
Author spotlight: Louise Michalos. Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia. Retrieved from: https://writers.ns.ca/author-spotlights/author-spotlight-louise-michalos/.

Purchase and read Marilla Before Anne:

Marilla Before Anne by Louise Michalos

Created June 10, 2021. Last updated October 23, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

April 08, 2021

The Anne Chronicles Podcast Series

The Anne Chronicles Podcast Series banner with a photograph of a woman dressed as Anne of Green Gables

The Anne Chronicles is a three-episode podcast series by Pickering Museum Village about the Anne of Green Gables series written by L.M. Montgomery. The series is hosted by Lisa Bialy and launched on April 6, 2021 as part of Pickering's "Anne and Maud Experience." In the podcasts, Bialy discusses aspects of the first six books in the Anne series: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, and Anne of Ingleside.

Each episode is a conversation between Lisa Bialy and a guest. They discuss similarities and connections between L.M. Montgomery and Anne Shirley, provide historical context for the novels, and delve into differences between Anne's world and the present day. The episodes cover Anne and Maud's experiences with teaching and education, adoption and family, and love and marriage. The series was produced with the support of Canadian Heritage and the Government of Ontario.

Series Description:


When she was 14 years old, Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote in her diary: "I love books. I hope when I grow up to be able to have lots of them." Known to her friends and family as Maud, this Canadian author of 24 books introduced us to the character of Anne Shirley. Although she always stated her Anne of Green Gables stories were not based on her life, you will discover the striking connections between fact and fiction as we explore the world of the author and her beloved character, Anne Shirley, in this series of podcasts. Financially supported by @CDN_Heritage & Government of Ontario


Episode Synopses:


Episode 1: Teaching and Education (22 minutes) - Anne Shirley became a teacher at the tender age of 16 which wasn’t uncommon in the 1880s. Even Maud had a career as a teacher, briefly. We’ll uncover the joys and struggles they both encountered as we wander through their lives in the one-room schoolhouse.

Episode 2: Adoption and Family (19 minutes) - Anne Shirley always imagined what it would be like to have a family. When she was adopted by brother and sister Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert she thought her dreams had come true. But they wanted a boy. Maud also grew up without her mother or father and was raised by her grandparents. We’ll reveal what adoption was really like, and explore the journey to find a family.

Episode 3: Love and Marriage (19 minutes) - Anne Shirley and Maud Montgomery weren’t sure about marriage and both turned down several marriage proposals. They always thought their relationships were more like friendships until their feelings grew into something more. Anne eventually accepted Gilbert Blythe and Maud married Rev. Ewan MacDonald. Was it "happily ever after" for them?


Official websites:

The Anne Chronicles at Apple Podcasts
The Anne Chronicles at Spotify

Image credit:

The Anne Chronicles podcast series banner.

Created April 8, 2021. Last updated April 16, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

March 15, 2021

Publication Sequence of the Anne of Green Gables Series

Publication Sequence of Anne of Green Gables Series

It might surprise you that L.M. Montgomery did not write the eight novels of the Anne of Green Gables series in the order we generally read them today.

Introducing Anne Shirley


L.M. Montgomery introduced Anne Shirley to the world when she published Anne of Green Gables in 1908. Its sequel Anne of Avonlea followed shortly thereafter in 1909. After completing these first two novels about Anne Shirley, Montgomery focused on publishing other novels and short story collections before revisiting Anne.

Anne Shirley Grows Up


Between 1915 and 1921, L.M. Montgomery wrote another four books about Anne Shirley and Anne's children. Anne of the Island (1915) tells the story of Anne's college years, Anne’s House of Dreams (1917) begins with Anne's wedding and describes the early years of Anne's marriage to Gilbert Blythe, Rainbow Valley (1919) tells the stories of Anne Blythe's young children, and Rilla of Ingleside (1921) focuses on Anne Blythe's youngest daughter Rilla Blythe.

Revisiting Anne Shirley


Following a long gap of 15 years, L.M. Montgomery revisited a younger version of Anne Shirley and wrote about her years as a high school principal in Anne of Windy Poplars (1936). Today, this novel is considered Book 4 of the Anne of Green Gables series if we read the novels in the chronological order of Anne’s life. The storyline of Anne of Windy Poplars falls between Anne of the Island (1915) and Anne’s House of Dreams (1917).

Returning to Anne


Thirty-one years after publishing Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery wrote Anne of Ingleside in 1939. According to the timeline of Anne’s life, Anne of Ingleside is considered Book 6. Its storyline falls between Anne’s House of Dreams (1917) and Rainbow Valley (1919), both of which were written 20 years earlier.

What order were the Anne of Green Gables books published in?


In summary, here is the publication sequence of the Anne of Green Gables novels. The order we generally read the books in today is listed to the right.

Publication SequenceChronology of Anne's Life
1) Anne of Green Gables (1908)Book 1
2) Anne of Avonlea (1909)Book 2
3) Anne of the Island (1915)Book 3
4) Anne's House of Dreams (1917)Book 5
5) Rainbow Valley (1919)Book 7
6) Rilla of Ingleside (1921)Book 8
7) Anne of Windy Poplars (1936)Book 4
8) Anne of Ingleside (1939)Book 6


Have you ever read the books in order by their publication dates, or have you always read the novels in the chronological order of Anne Shirley’s life? What are your thoughts on reading the novels of the Anne of Green Gables series in different orders?

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables Book Set by L.M. Montgomery


Created September 1, 1999. Last updated April 28, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

March 08, 2021

Who is Anne Shirley?

Anne of Green Gables book cover

Anne Shirley is a character first introduced to the world in the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. When we first meet Anne, she is an eleven-year-old girl with a vivid imagination, talkative disposition, and bewitching personality.

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert are surprised by Anne's arrival in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. The Cuthbert siblings had planned to adopt a young boy to help Matthew with the farm at Green Gables, but mistakenly they are sent a girl. Fortunately, Anne wins both Matthew and Marilla over, and the Cuthberts adopt Anne giving her a home at Green Gables.


Image Credit:
Anne of Green Gables book cover featuring artwork by Ben Stahl.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Anne of Green Gables Book Set by L.M. Montgomery


Created July 15, 1999. Last updated March 8, 2021.
© worldofanneshirley.com

November 06, 2018

Marilla of Green Gables

Marilla of Green Gables: A Novel by Sarah McCoy

Marilla of Green Gables: A Novel by Sarah McCoy was published in October 2018 by William Morrow Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. This work of historical fiction expands the world of Anne of Green Gables to tell the backstory of Marilla Cuthbert. Did you ever wonder about her early life and romance with John Blythe? Anne Shirley was curious, and I'm sure many readers of Anne of Green Gables were too.

Here is the description of the book from HarperCollins Publishers:

A bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables . . . before Anne: A marvelously entertaining and moving historical novel, set in rural Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century, that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, and the choices that will open her life to the possibility of heartbreak—and unimaginable greatness.

Plucky and ambitious, Marilla Cuthbert is thirteen years old when her world is turned upside down. Her beloved mother dies in childbirth, and Marilla suddenly must bear the responsibilities of a farm wife: cooking, sewing, keeping house, and overseeing the day-to-day life of Green Gables with her brother, Matthew and father, Hugh.

In Avonlea—a small, tight-knit farming town on a remote island—life holds few options for farm girls. Her one connection to the wider world is Aunt Elizabeth "Izzy" Johnson, her mother’s sister, who managed to escape from Avonlea to the bustling city of St. Catharines. An opinionated spinster, Aunt Izzy’s talent as a seamstress has allowed her to build a thriving business and make her own way in the world.

Emboldened by her aunt, Marilla dares to venture beyond the safety of Green Gables and discovers new friends and new opportunities. Joining the Ladies Aid Society, she raises funds for an orphanage run by the Sisters of Charity in nearby Nova Scotia that secretly serves as a way station for runaway slaves from America. Her budding romance with John Blythe, the charming son of a neighbor, offers her a possibility of future happiness—Marilla is in no rush to trade one farm life for another. She soon finds herself caught up in the dangerous work of politics, and abolition—jeopardizing all she cherishes, including her bond with her dearest John Blythe. Now Marilla must face a reckoning between her dreams of making a difference in the wider world and the small-town reality of life at Green Gables.

Reviews

"Great for lovers of Anne who need more Avonlea in their lives. This book was very well done in the style of L.M. Montgomery that I had to remind myself that it wasn't actually written by her..."
― Alison Frenzel, Fabled Bookshop and Cafe, TX

"Fans of the Anne of Green Gables series will rejoice at this warm and heartfelt addition to their world. McCoy’s love for the characters is palpable, and with an insightful eye she illuminates the original Avonlea, while also offering glimpses into the turbulent history of the time."
— Madeline Miller, Author of Circe



Image credit:
Book cover of Marilla of Green Gables.

Purchase and read Marilla of Green Gables:

Marilla of Green Gables: A Novel by Sarah McCoy

Created November 6, 2018. Last updated October 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

January 20, 2018

Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation

Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation by Libbie Hawker

Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation by Libbie Hawker was published by Running Rabbit Editions in December 2017. This work of historical fiction imagines the story of Diana Barry from the Anne of Green Gables series. Hawker explores Diana's relationships, adventures, and deep friendship with Anne Shirley.

Here is the description of the book:

Growing up is never easy. It's even harder when you have a mother who doesn't understand, a nagging sense of self-doubt, and a secret crush you can't confess...not even to your bosom friend.

L. M. Montgomery's timeless classic, Anne of Green Gables, has been reimagined from the perspective of Diana Barry, Anne's best friend and kindred spirit. As Diana and Anne navigate the path from childhood to their grown-up lives, parents, schoolmates, and Anne's well-meaning blunders contrive to keep them apart. But two girls destined for lifelong friendship can't be separated so easily...can they?

With the sweet charm and dreamy atmosphere of Montgomery's original story, Diana of Orchard Slope is sure to delight Anne fans, historical fiction readers, and lovers of the Jane Austen Fanfiction genre.

ISBN-13 978-1947174184


Image credit:
Book cover of Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation.

Purchase and read Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation:

Diana of Orchard Slope: A Green Gables Variation by Libbie Hawker

Created January 20, 2018. Last updated November 1, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

November 02, 2009

The Blythes are Quoted

The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery


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:

The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery


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

February 16, 2004

Anne of the Island Manga

Book cover of Anne of the Island (Anne no Seishun), the fifth and final book in a manga series adapted and illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi

Anne of the Island (Anne no Aijou or Anne's Love) is the fifth and final book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series (also known as Akage no An or Red-Haired Anne). The book was published in May 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of the Island as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The back cover describes the storyline as follows:

"Anne leaves Prince Edward Island when she goes to study at college. She spends her student days accompanied by her lifelong study mate Gilbert and she makes new friends like Philippa."

Anne of the Island follows the life of Anne Shirley as she leaves her home in Avonlea to attend school at Redmond College. Anne becomes friends with Prissy and Philippa and the three board together. Meanwhile in Avonlea, Anne's childhood friend Ruby Gillis dies of consumption. Anne and Gilbert have been close friends, but when Gilbert proposes to Anne, she rejects him. Anne returns home when her dear friend Diana Barry marries Fred Wright. At Redmond, Anne begins seeing Roy Gardner, but she realizes she does not love him. At the story's conclusion, Gilbert falls ill, and Anne realizes that he is her true love.

ISBN: 9784774301716

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of the Island.

Created February 16, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

February 15, 2004

Anne of Avonlea Manga

Book cover of Anne of Avonlea (Anne no Seishun), the fourth book in a manga series adapted and illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi

Anne of Avonlea (Anne no Seishun or Anne's Youth) is the fourth book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series (also known as Akage no An or Red-Haired Anne). The book was published in April 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Avonlea as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The back cover describes the storyline as follows:

"Anne is now a teacher at the Avonlea school. The twins Davy and Dora move in at Green Gables to be taken care of and so a new life begins for Anne."

Anne of Avonlea follows the life of Anne Shirley from age 16 to 18. As the story opens, Anne worries about her cow Dolly entering Mr. Harrison's fields. As with most people Anne Shirley meets, she befriends her irate neighbor. Soon after, Anne begins teaching at the Avonlea School, and she experiences challenges as a new teacher. Life at Green Gables changes when Marilla adopts a set of twins, Davy and Dora Keith. Outside of teaching, Anne and her friends work to improve the village of Avonlea through their Avonlea Village Improvement Society (AVIS). The story concludes when Anne's best friend Diana Barry gets engaged.

ISBN: 9784774301709

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Avonlea.

Created February 15, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

February 14, 2004

Anne of Green Gables Manga, Part 3

Book cover of Anne of Green Gables (Akage no An) Part 3, the third volume in a manga series adapted and illustrated by Yumiko Igarashi

Anne of Green Gables (Akage no Anne), Part 3 is the third book in a five-volume manga adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series. It is the third part of a three-part manga adaptation of the novel Anne of Green Gables and was published in February 1998 as part of the Kumon Manga Library. Yumiko Igarashi, a Japanese manga artist, adapted and illustrated L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables as a comic book. The volume was published by Kumon Shuppan and is 205 pages long.

The story begins with Anne's return to school where she meets her new teacher Miss Stacy. As Christmas approaches, shy Matthew finds a way to delight Anne with a new dress with puffed sleeves as a Christmas gift. Miss Stacey plans for the school to put on a Christmas concert. Marilla and Matthew attend the concert, and after watching Anne's performances, they decide to send her to Queen's Academy.

Although she is growing up, Anne still gets into trouble, dyeing her hair green and nearly drowning while pretending to be the Lily Maid. Gilbert Blythe come to Anne's rescue and tries to apologize and make amends, but Anne refuses to be friends with him.

Anne begins studying for the entrance exam to Queen's and places first on the exam. When Anne leaves Green Gables for Queen's Academy, she misses her family and friends. Likewise, Marilla, Matthew, and Diana miss Anne. Anne's work pays off and she wins the Avery scholarship.

Anne plans to continue her studies, but these plans change when Matthew dies. Anne decides to stay at Green Gables with Marilla and to teach nearby. At the end of the story, Gilbert gives up his teaching position at the Avonlea School so Anne can teach there, and the two finally become friends.

ISBN: 978-4-774301-69-3

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Green Gables, Part 3.

Created February 14, 2004. Last updated January 29, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com