Parade Magazine Names Anne of Green Gables on Its List of 222 Best Books of All Time

In May 2024, Parade Magazine published their list of the 222 Best Books of All Time. Instead of limiting themselves to a list of 100 Best Books, which they thought "sounds too definitive, too final," Parade compiled a much longer list that feels "like a treasure trove worth diving into and arguing over and enjoying." Parade explains that their list includes "all types of works of fiction—picture books and romances and fantasies and westerns and young adult novels and good ole fiction and mysteries and classics and recent works we believe will be classics in years to come."

Parade formed their list with the help of 33 authors, including Anne Tyler, George R.R. Martin, and Karin Slaughter. In addition, they consulted some of their favorite indie bookstores around the country for suggestions. Beyond that, Parade explored Goodreads and other websites to identify the books readers most loved.

On their list of the best books of all time is Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Parade describes the book as follows:

"A plucky young orphan girl with spunk? Check! Ornery old people who turn out to be endearing? Check! Some "disasters" and setbacks that loom large for our heroine but prove surmountable? Check! A boy who is infuriating but proves to be rather handsome and kind once you get to know him? Check! Yes, this 1908 classic was not the first of its kind (hello, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm) and certainly inspired countless successors. But the red-haired Anne with an "e" is special. It inspired five sequels of increasing depth and sophistication, though writer Margaret Atwood insists this first novel is the best. And who are we to argue with Margaret Atwood? By the end of the series, Anne looks on as her children sleep, while the shadows of World War I loom large. You realize how much Anne and her world mean to you…and start to read them all over again."

I'm so glad Anne made the list. If you're struggling to find your next read, this is a great list to consult and get ideas from.


Website:
222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers by Parade Magazine

Image Credit:
Image adapted from Parade Magazine website, photograph from iStock.

Reference:
Giltz, Michael. (May 17, 2024). 222 Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf, With Picks from Bestselling Authors and Indie Booksellers. Parade. Retrieved from: https://parade.com/books/best-books-of-all-time/.

Created June 2, 2024. Last updated May 1, 2026.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables Included on Time Magazine's List of The 100 Best YA Books of All Time

In August 2021, Time Magazine, with the help of a panel of leading young adult authors, released an updated list of The 100 Best YA Books of All Time. The list includes classic and modern novels that help young people understand themselves and feel less alone as they form views of themselves and the world.

Among the great books on the list is Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Megan McCluskey writes about Anne of Green Gables saying, "Set in the idyllic fictional town of Avonlea in Prince Edward Island, Canada, Anne of Green Gables is both a love letter to Montgomery’s home province and a classic coming-of-age story that captures the joys and sorrows of growing up in equal measure."

Along with Anne of Green Gables, the list includes A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon, and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, and as well as many other stories for young adult (and older) readers to enjoy.

Website:
The 100 Best YA Books of All Time by Time Magazine

Image Credit:
Image of Anne of Green Gables from The 100 Best YA Books of All Time webpage by Time Magazine.

Reference:
The 100 Best YA Books of All Time. (2021, August 11). Time Magazine. Retrieved from: https://time.com/collection/100-best-ya-books/.

Created August 15, 2021. Last updated October 8, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Time Magazine's 2015 List of The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time Includes Anne of Green Gables

In January 2015, Time Magazine published a list of The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. Time wrote, "We’re living in a golden age of young-adult literature, when books ostensibly written for teens are equally adored by readers of every generation." The magazine consulted with "U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate Kenn Nesbitt, children’s-book historian Leonard Marcus, the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature, the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress, the Every Child a Reader literacy foundation and 10 independent booksellers" to create two all-time classic book lists, a list of the 100 best young-adult books and a list of the 100 best children’s books.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery ranks #14 on their list of The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. Time describes the book saying, "Young spirited Anne moves in with foster parents and adapts to her new home in Green Gables"

Along with Anne of Green Gables, the list includes To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. by Judy Blume, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, The Princess Bride by William Goldman, Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary, and many other wonderful stories.

Readers can cast their vote for their own favorites in Time's poll.

Website:
The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time by Time Magazine (2015) (archived link)

Image Credit:
Image of Anne of Green Gables book cover from The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time webpage by Time Magazine (2015). (archived link)

Reference:
The 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. (January 8, 2015). Time Magazine. Retrieved from: http://time.com/100-best-young-adult-books/ (archived link).

Created February 1, 2021. Last updated December 31, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com