Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Anne of Green Gables Miniseries at the Atlantic International Film Festival

The 45th annual Atlantic International Film Festival will take place from September 10–17, 2025 at Cineplex Cinemas Park Lane in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The festival is holding a free screening of Anne of Green Gables (1985) starring Megan Follows as Anne Shirley and written, directed, and produced by Kevin Sullivan. The free screening is in celebration of the adaptation's 40th anniversary and will take place at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday September 14, 2025 in Theatre 6.

Here's the synopsis from the festival's program (with my corrections):

Now 40 years since its premiere, the most treasured screen adaptation of Lucy Maude Montgomery’s classic of Atlantic Canadian literature returns to the big screen. Megan Follows stars as Anne Shirley, a spirited orphan whose arrival transforms life in Avonlea. Starring renowned theatrical actress Colleen Dewhurst and an unforgettable role for the beloved character actor Richard Farnsworth (as Mr. Hammond Matthew Cuthbert) this Emmy-winning miniseries continues to charm and captivate audiences of all ages.

Director: Kevin Sullivan
Writer: Kevin Sullivan, Joe Wiesenfeld
Producers: Ian McDougall, Kevin Sullivan
Cast: Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst, Richard Farnsworth, Patricia Hamilton
Country: Canada
Province: Prince Edward Island
Runtime: 200 minutes + 10 minutes intermission

Along with the special screening of Anne of Green Gables, the festival features 60 films, including seven world premieres. The Festival Pass costs $200, the Weekender pass costs $100, or you can purchase general admission tickets or various ticket packages. See the website for more info about the fun event!

Official Websites:
Atlantic International Film Festival

Image Credit:
Screencapture of the Atlantic International Film Festival's '25 Program Guide.

Reference:
DiRisio, Haeley. (August 18, 2025). Atlantic International Film Festival celebrates 45 years next month. CTVNews. Retrieved from: https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/atlantic-international-film-festival-celebrates-45-years-next-month/.

Created September 2, 2025. Last updated September 24, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables - 40th Anniversary Screening

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema is holding a 40th anniversary screening of Anne of Green Gables (1985) starring Megan Follows as Anne Shirley and directed by Kevin Sullivan. The screening will take place at 506 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1Y3, Canada on Sunday, July 27, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. General admission is CA$15.00.

Here is the film synopsis and event info from BlogTO:

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film adaptation of one of Canada's most beloved stories.

Based on the international best-selling novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, this Emmy award-winning production, filmed amid the spectacular scenery of Prince Edward Island, is a delicate epic full of wit, style, and emotional power. When Anne Shirley (Megan Follows) mistakenly arrives at the home of an elderly couple looking to adopt a male farmhand, she creates a meaningful life for herself. A landmark story of an outsider struggling through adolescence to triumph as a young woman.

Includes a 15 minute intermission.


Website:
Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema

Image Credit:
Image from @funthingstoronto.

Created July 24, 2025. Last updated September 26, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Dan in Green Gables

Dan in Green Gables (2025) is a graphic novel adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables, written by Rey Terciero (also known as Rex Ogle) with illustrations by Claudia Aguirre. The graphic novel is 256 pages in length, and it re-imagines the story of Anne of Green Gables.

Publishers Weekly describes the plot as follows: "After being abandoned by his mother, a queer teen endeavors to cultivate a sense of home and belonging in this tender and heartfelt graphic novel reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. Living on the road with his flighty mother, who has an alcohol dependency, forced pale-skinned 15-year-old Dan to assume adult responsibilities early in his childhood. His nomadic lifestyle abruptly ends when his mother takes him to rural Tennessee to meet his late father’s parents; the next morning, Dan is heartbroken to realize his mother is gone, leaving him with the grandparents he’s never known."

Rey Terciero spoke about his choice to re-imagine Anne of Green Gables as a graphic novel for today's kids who have "less time than ever." In an essay at Publishers Weekly, he writes, "...while I was daydreaming about reforging my required reading (and sometimes extra credit), I thought, 'Hmm. These would be so much better as comics.' So as an adult, I wanted to write stories for the younger me. I wanted to see myself reflected in these stories. With prose, it’s easy to say a character is white, or brown, or Black. But when you see these characters with the same skin color as you, something magical happens and awakens a hunger for more stories.

That’s why I wrote Meg, Jo, Beth, & Amy. That’s why I wrote Northranger. That’s why I wrote Doña Quixote. And that’s why I wrote Dan in Green Gables.

So if I’m going to write for teen me, I know he’s going to want something that’s not only fun and powerful and emotional and hilarious, but also...short. Graphic novels are quick reads for kids. So much so, that they often go back and read them again, and again, and again.

And if those kids are anything like me—and trust me, they are—they’ll want to start creating their own classics, so they can take well-known stories and re-imagine them to see themselves."


Here is the description of the book from Penguin Random House:

In this modern reimagining of Anne of Green Gables, effervescent extrovert Dan Stewart-Álvarez is surprised to find home and community in rural Tennessee.

Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always wanted to settle down. He just didn’t think it’d be like this: with his mother abandoning him in rural Tennessee with two strangers—his gentle grandmother and conservative, rough-around-the-edges grandfather. Here, he is forced to adjust to working the farm, entering high school, and hardest yet—reckoning with his queerness in a severe Southern Baptist community.

But even as Dan grows closer to his mawmaw, befriends fellow outsiders at school, and tries to make a new life for himself in Green Gables, he has to discover whether he can contend with intolerance and adapt to change without losing himself in the process.

From award-winning author Rey Terciero and Eisner Award nominee and illustrator Claudia Aguirre comes a new retelling of Anne of Green Gables about unconventional families, queer identity, and finding the meaning of home in the most unlikely of places.

Reviews

"Animated, intricately detailed artwork by Aguirre (Lifetime Passes) has a watercolor feel that evokes a nostalgic 1990s ambiance. Utilizing a bustling, distinctly limned cast anchored by a protagonist whose personality leaps off the page, Terciero (Northranger) explores religion, generational trauma, acceptance, and self-worth with grace."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review (full review)

"The art style is detailed, especially in capturing the 1990s Tennessee setting, while still maintaining an appealing bright, bold look. VERDICT: a must purchase, especially for fans of Mike Curato’s Flamer or those who enjoy the works of Ivy Noelle Weir and Kathleen Gros."
—School Library Journal, starred review

"An energetic and enchanting YA graphic novel [that] embodies the spirit of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables while giving it a shiny new take that compassionately incorporates chaotic family dynamics, friendship, queer identity, religion, bullying, and—above all—love. Dan in Green Gables stands alone as an uplifting and gratifying graphic novel, relatable to any reader who believes, like Dan, that 'happiness is a revolution.'"
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

"The dreamy, whimsical illustrations are steeped in the sweet, slow feeling of a humid East Tennessee afternoon. Pops of saturated color flood the background of some panels, highlighting emotional moments and mirroring Dan’s vibrant personality. Satisfying thematic parallels and a spirited, vulnerable carrot-topped protagonist will satisfy fans of the original, which is refreshingly remixed by Terciero’s joyfully queer spin. An effervescent search for belonging and a heartfelt ode to a beloved classic."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Dan in Green Gables captures the charm and sincerity of the beloved classic with a new protagonist whose infectious energy and perseverance will enthrall fans of Anne Shirley. Terciero depicts the struggles of his protagonist with tenderness, striking an excellent balance between hardship and joy: Dan in Green Gables never feels too demoralizing, nor too lighthearted...meanwhile, Claudia Aguirre’s lush illustrations capture Dan’s year in Tennessee in warm, inviting hues that imbue the characters with liveliness and depict a world you’ll want to revisit again and again."
—BookPage

ISBN-13: 978-0593385586


Image credit:
Book cover of Dan in Green Gables.

References:
Dan in Green Gables (March 31, 2025). Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593385579.

Terciero, Rey (Rex Ogle). (June 3, 2025). Why Reimagining Classic Literature as Modern Graphic Novels Is So Important for Young and Reluctant Readers. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/97935-why-re-imagining-classic-literature-as-modern-graphic-novels-is-so-important-for-young-and-reluctant-readers.html.

Purchase and read Dan in Green Gables:


Created June 15, 2025. Last updated September 17, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Megan Follows, Star of Anne of Green Gables, Will Play Lucy Maud Montgomery

Megan Follows, star of the beloved Canadian series Anne of Green Green Gables (1985), will play Anne's creator L.M. Montgomery in an upcoming series called Lucy. Maud. Known for her moving and unforgettable portrayal of Anne Shirley, Megan Follows is producing a new television series based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's life.

Speaking to Variety, Megan Follows explained, "I’ve always been incredibly grateful to be introduced, as a young woman, to the power of a character who was a central figure in her own story. One thing I share with the writers [of the show] is that our lives were greatly influenced by Anne. She defined us as artists, as writers, me as an actor."

Megan Follows will play L.M. Montgomery alongside other actresses. She explains to Variety, "I will play Maud, as that was her preferred name, from her forties through the end of her life. But we will also go on a wonderful journey with a young Maud and Maud in her 20s. There are multiple timelines we are discovering and experiencing with her."

The series will be the first dramatic depiction of L.M. Montgomery's life and will delve into her "passionate affairs, literary stardom and vivid imagination." The team optioned L.M. Montgomery's biography The Gift of Wings by Mary Rubio, a scholar who co-edited L.M. Montgomery's journals, as the source material for the series. Megan Follows elaborated, telling Variety, "It has been our extraordinarily rich source material, as well as many novels which have recently come into the public domain. We believe our project is really the first dramatic adaptation of this life story."

In the 1980s, when Megan Follows was playing Anne, she would take Montgomery's journals with her. Megan Follows told Variety, "I used to carry them around, because I could see there was so much more to this woman writing, at times very subversively, and exposing the world with a wicked sense of humor. She was extraordinarily intelligent, witty, observant. She had passionate affairs and lived in a time of great social upheaval and change. She’s a woman who speaks to our times."

Megan Follows went on to say, "Examples of really intelligent, creative, powerful women are worth celebrating and introducing to newer generations." The project has been in the works for some time. Megan Follows previously mentioned developing this project with the CBC in December 2023.

Produced by Story Girls Productions, the limited series will be eight episodes long, and each episode will be 60 minutes in length. Megan Follows will direct and star in the series. Susan Coyne is the creator of the series and its showrunner. Previously, Coyne wrote the screenplays for L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables (2016), L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables: Fire and Dew (2017) and an episode of Daisy Jones & The Six. The writers for Lucy. Maud include Susan Coyne and Rosa Laborde. The series is produced by Megan Follows, Edwina Follows, and Mary Young Leckie.

Producer Edwina Follows spoke to Variety about the series saying, “It’s a compelling drama about a powerful woman whose life experience remains relatable to this day.” Megan Follows elaborated on the production, telling Variety that it will appeal to L.M. Montgomery's fans as well as those unfamiliar with her work: "They can watch a show about the power of creativity as a saving grace and as a means of exploring the world and finding your voice. Even when you’re up against extraordinary odds. She fought and fought for that recognition, and fought for young people around the world. She understood what it was like to be on the outside."

Story Girls Productions is currently at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) Co-Production Market to secure financing, presales, and international distributions for the series, which aims to shoot in 2025.

Info on the Series:

Story Girls Productions, Canada

Writers: Susan Coyne, Rosa Laborde

Director: Megan Follows

Producers: Edwina Follows, Mary Young Leckie, Megan Follows

With pilot script and second episode ready, this Canadian show is about to introduce a wider audience to writer Lucy Maud Montgomery, forgotten force behind such classics as “Anne of Green Gables.” As well as her personal life, her passionate affairs, turbulent marriage, the pressures of fame, her ongoing struggle with mental illness and the solace she found in her writing. Supported by Canadian Media Fund.

I haven't been this excited about an L.M. Montgomery-related production since back in 1999/2000 when I was awaiting Sullivan Entertainment's Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (aka Anne3). I hope Lucy. Maud will be distributed worldwide, so all L.M. Montgomery fans have a chance to see it. Let's hope that Story Girls Productions has great success in Berlin.


Image credit:
Photograph of Megan Follows.

References:

Balaga, Marta. (February 18, 2025). ‘Anne of Green Gables’ Star Megan Follows to Play Its Author Lucy Maud Montgomery in Series ‘Lucy. Maud’ (EXCLUSIVE). Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/anne-of-green-gables-megan-follows-lucy-maud-1236311127/.

Balaga, Marta. (February 18, 2025). Berlin’s Co-Pro Series Welcomes Skateboarders, Drug Kingpins and Fernando Meirelles. Variety. Retrieved from: https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/fernando-meirelles-berlinale-series-market-co-pro-series-1236311488/.

Megan Follows: Playing Anne in Anne of Green Gables and bringing the story to a new generation. (December 15, 2023). Q with Tom Power. CBC Arts & Entertainment. Retrieved from: https://podcasts.apple.com/ro/podcast/megan-follows-playing-anne-in-anne-of-green-gables/id256943801?i=1000638664483.

Created February 19, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Broadway-Aimed Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical Acquired by Broadway Licensing

Broadway Licensing has added Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical to its catalogue. The musical is a contemporary adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables by Matte O’Brien and Matt Vinson. Broadway Licensing Global plans to bring the musical to Broadway and to introduce the show to audiences worldwide.

In a press release, Broadway Licensing Global announced the following:

Broadway Licensing, the dedicated musical imprint of Broadway Licensing Global, proudly announces its acquisition of Matte O'Brien and Matt Vinson's Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical. Also home to play imprints, Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts, BLG is currently represented on Broadway by Oh, Mary, recently featured by Water for Elephants, and soon to be represented by the highly anticipated productions of Eureka Day and John Proctor is the Villain.

L.M. Montgomery's, Anne of Green Gables, is one of the best-selling books of all time, with more than 50 million copies sold in over 50 languages. The definitive classic follows the imaginative and fiercely independent Anne Shirley, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she is sent to live with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert at their farm, Green Gables. Anne navigates her place in this close-knit community, ultimately learning what it means to truly belong. With a clever book and a contemporary score, O'Brien and Vinson faithfully adapt this beloved story for today's modern landscape of theater.

"Our entire team is captivated by this vibrant and new adaptation" says Ted Chapin, Chief Executive Officer of BLG. "Welcoming Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical into our catalogue allows us, alongside lead producers Eric Cornell and Jack Sennott of Cornice Productions, to introduce this exciting new piece to audiences worldwide."

Christopher Arnott of the Hartford Courant calls Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical, "a sharp re-thinking of a timeless coming-of-age tale." In kind, Ariana Straznicky-Packer of BroadwayWorld raves that the musical exudes, "the sharp wit and stylistic speed of Gilmore Girls, nods to award-winning Broadway musical favorites Wicked, The Bridges of Madison County, The Drowsy Chaperone, and more; all blended together into something entirely new and exciting."

"There is genuine excitement for a new stage adaptation of Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical and we have already received a number of licensing requests. We are thrilled to strategically partner with Broadway Licensing to meet this demand as part of our Broadway, touring, and international planning," says Cornell.

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical was originally produced and presented as a World Premiere at Goodspeed Musicals in 2022. It was earlier developed and produced by Justin Nichols and The Rev Theatre Company (Brett Smock, Producing Artistic Director) in 2018. A Concept Recording was released in 2020 on Broadway Records.

"Anne Shirley has always been a 'Different Kind of Girl' and ahead of her time," Chapin adds. "At BLG, 'different' is our specialty."

Follow Anne of Green Gables on all social media channels: @aoggmusical or visit www.aoggmusical.com for more information. The Concept Recording can be found on Spotify.

Learn more at: broadwaylicensing.com.

ABOUT BROADWAY LICENSING GLOBAL

Broadway Licensing Global and its family of imprints (Dramatists Play Service, Playscripts, Stageworks, and Broadway on Demand) is the global leader in theatrical licensing and distribution. Representing an astonishing 40 Tony Awards® and 49 Pulitzer Prize-winning iconic works, BLG titles epitomize the greatest collection of authors, composers, lyricists, and underlying rights holders across the globe, including Stephen King, Alan Menken, Arthur Miller, Lynn Nottage, Elvis Presley, Paula Vogel, Tennessee Williams, the Beatles, the Bee-Gees, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

MEDIA CONTACT & ASSETS
For Broadway Licensing Global:
Hannah Thulin & Lindsey Rathjen | Account Director, Interdependence | broadwaylicensinggroup@interdependence.com

Official Site:
Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical

Image Credit:
Cast of Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical (Goodspeed Musicals, 2022) featuring Juliette Redden as Anne Shirley. Photo by Diane Sobolewski.

References:
Logan Culwell-Block. (December 10, 2024). Broadway-Aimed Anne of Green Gables Musical Joins Broadway Licensing Catalogue: The adaptation of the L.M. Montgomery book made its world premiere at Goodspeed Musicals in 2022. Playbill. Retrieved from: https://playbill.com/article/broadway-aimed-anne-of-green-gables-musical-joins-broadway-licensing-catalogue.

Broadway-Aimed Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical Joins Broadway Licensing. (December 10, 2024). PR Newswire. Retrieved from: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/broadway-aimed-anne-of-green-gables-a-new-musical-joins-broadway-licensing-302325776.html.

Created January 8, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery at the Toronto Public Library

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth, the Toronto Public Library is presenting a special exhibit called "Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery." Located in the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, the exhibit includes first editions of L.M. Montgomery's novels and Montgomery's original letters.

Here is the description of the exhibit from the Toronto Public Library:

Celebrate Lucy Maud Montgomery's 150th birthday with the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books. From first editions of her classic novels to original letters penned by Montgomery herself, this exhibition explores the author's fascinating life and timeless stories. Best known for Anne of Green Gables, Montgomery was a Canadian icon in her own right, publishing 20 novels and countless short stories during her long career.

Free. All are welcome.

Located in the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books, on the 4th floor of the Lillian H. Smith Branch.

"Maud's World" opened on September 9, 2024, and the exhibit is ongoing until December 1, 2024. It is located at the Lillian H. Smith Branch of the Toronto Public Library at 239 College Street, Toronto, ON M5T 1R5. The exhibit is located on the 4th floor and is free to the public.


Official Website:
Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery

Image Credit:
Photograph of Lucy Maud Montgomery at her desk (1932) from Wikimedia Commons.

Reference:
Maud's World: Celebrating 150 Years of Lucy Maud Montgomery. (2024). Toronto Public Library. Retrieved from: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT511151&R=EVT511151.

Created November 29, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

New Anne of Green Gables Anime Series Will Air in April 2025

Anne Shirley, a new anime series based on the Anne of Green Gables novels will be released next year. The series will be broadcast on NHK Educational TV in Japan beginning in April 2025. Anne Shirley is being produced by Answer Studio, which previously produced Suzume, Golgo 13, and Your Name.

According to the press release, the anime will adapt the first three novels in the Anne of Green Gables series written by Lucy Maud Montgomery and translated to Japanese by Hanako Muraoka. It will adapt Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, and Anne of the Island.

The official website for the new adaptation launched this week with four stills from the new series. An image of Anne Shirley and her bosom friend Diana Barry is shown above. Below is an image of Anne waiting at the station.



Here's another image of Anne Shirley.



Lastly, here is a still of Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley. Isn't Gilbert's hair a bit too close to red?



I'm so excited about this new adaptation of Anne's story, and I hope it ends up covering the entire series. I also wonder how it will compare to the 1979 Anne of Green Gables anime series.

Official Website:
Anne Shirley

Image Credit:
Stills from the upcoming Anne Shirley anime.

References:

Anne of Green Gables is Getting an Anime, Animated Series Anne Shirley is Planned to Air on NHK E-Tele in April 2025. (November 20, 2024). Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-is-getting-an-anime-animated-series-anne-shirley-is-planned-to-air-on-nhk-e-/.218092.

Cayanan, Joanna. (November 20, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novels Get New Anime by Answer Studio Next Spring. Anime News Network. Retrieved from: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-11-20/anne-of-green-gables-novels-get-new-anime-by-answer-studio-next-spring/.218070.

Komatsu, Mikikazu. (November 19, 2024). Anne of Green Gables Novel Gets New TV Anime Adaptation in April 2025. Crunchyroll News. Retrieved from: https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/11/20/anne-of-green-gables-new-tv-anime-adaptation-april-2025.

Tan, Melvyn. (November 19, 2024). New Anne of Green Gables Anime To Begin in April 2025. Anime Trending. Retrieved from: https://anitrendz.net/news/2024/11/19/new-anne-of-green-gables-anime-to-begin-in-april-2025/.


Created November 21, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024)

Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024) is a play by Chris Henry that adapts L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables for the stage. The play presents Marilla Cuthbert's perspective and is the second part of a two-part adaptation of the story. The first part is titled Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home. The two productions can be watched independently as stand-alone plays or viewed together as a whole.

The plays premiered on October 17, 2024 and will run through November 4, 2024 at the Royal Family Performing Arts Space in Times Square located on 145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036. Both plays were produced by Royal Family Productions, where Chris Henry serves as the artistic director, and they were adapted and co-directed by Henry, with choreography and co-direction by Lorna Ventura. The cast of Marilla of Green Gables includes Ephraim Birney, Francesca Fernandez, Desi Waters, Emily Anne Davis, and Madison McLean.

Chris Henry discussed her inspiration to bring the plays to the stage because of her personal connection to the story with BroadwayWorld saying, "As someone who was adopted, the story of a fiery, strong, imaginative orphan girl really resonated with me throughout my childhood and throughout my life. I was inspired to take this material and adapt Ms. Montgomery's text for the Royal Family stage with my collaborator, Lorna Ventura. We have stripped down the book to its essence and have broken it up into two parts. We hope that anyone who has ever tried to find their place in the world will find joy, inspiration, and home in the story of Anne of Green Gables."

The play is described as follows:

"Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family shifts over to Marilla’s point of view as we see her navigate what becoming a mother really means as she continues to deal with Anne’s adventures growing up. Royal Family Productions presents this world premiere in repertory with Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home. These pieces are each stand-alone plays, but together they tell the story of three unlikely people meeting and eventually becoming a family."

Tickets are $35 for general admission, $100/$65 for tax-deductible reserved seats, and $250/$215 for tax-deductible VIP tickets. The show is 1 hour and 25 minutes long, with no intermission.


Official Website:
Royal Family Productions

Image Credit:
Poster for Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family (2024) from Royal Family Productions.

References:
Rabinowitz, Chloe. (2024, October 3). Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home & Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family to Run Off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-FINDING-HOME-MARILLA-OF-GREEN-GABLES-BECOMING-A-FAMILY-to-Run-Off-Broadway-20241003.

Created October 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024)

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024) is a play by Chris Henry that brings L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables to life on the stage. The play is the first part of a two-part adaptation of the story; the second part is titled Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family. The two productions can be watched independently as stand-alone plays or viewed together as a whole.

The plays premiered on October 17, 2024 and will run through November 4, 2024 at the Royal Family Performing Arts Space in Times Square located on 145 West 46th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10036. Both plays were produced by Royal Family Productions, where Chris Henry serves as the artistic director, and they were adapted and co-directed by Henry, with choreography and co-direction by Lorna Ventura. The cast of Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home features Emmaline Goia and Maggie Langhorne.

Chris Henry discussed her inspiration to bring the plays to the stage because of her personal connection to the story with BroadwayWorld saying, "As someone who was adopted, the story of a fiery, strong, imaginative orphan girl really resonated with me throughout my childhood and throughout my life. I was inspired to take this material and adapt Ms. Montgomery's text for the Royal Family stage with my collaborator, Lorna Ventura. We have stripped down the book to its essence and have broken it up into two parts. We hope that anyone who has ever tried to find their place in the world will find joy, inspiration, and home in the story of Anne of Green Gables."

Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home was previously presented in 2019 in a substantially different form.

The new version of the play is described as follows:

"Royal Family artistic director Chris Henry’s Anne of Green Gables is a one-woman, movement-fueled, theatrical experience for all ages, featuring dynamic choreography by Lorna Ventura. Finding Home shares the journey of Anne Shirley, an imaginative, red-headed, hot-tempered, eleven-year-old orphan, and what happens when she is accidentally brought to the home of quiet siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert in Prince Edward Island. Royal Family Productions presents this new version in repertory with the world premiere of Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family."

Tickets are $35 for general admission, $100/$65 for tax-deductible reserved seats, and $250/$215 for tax-deductible VIP tickets. The show is 1 hour long, with no intermission.


Official Website:
Royal Family Productions

Image Credit:
Poster for Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home (2024) from Royal Family Productions.

References:
Rabinowitz, Chloe. (2024, October 3). Anne of Green Gables: Finding Home & Marilla of Green Gables: Becoming a Family to Run Off-Broadway. BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-FINDING-HOME-MARILLA-OF-GREEN-GABLES-BECOMING-A-FAMILY-to-Run-Off-Broadway-20241003.

Created October 30, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth, The Toronto Reference Library is presenting a special exhibit called "Patterns and Puffed Sleeves – Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables."

The exhibit highlights costume designs from four screen and stage productions of L.M. Montgomery's most famous story Anne of Green Gables. Designs are featured from Sullivan Entertainment’s Anne of Green Gables (1985) and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). Costume designs are also displayed from the 1994 production of Anne of Green Gables by Theatre Calgary and the 1974 production of The Charlottetown Festival’s Anne of Green Gables: The Musical. The exhibit features the work of award-winning costume designers Martha Mann and Marie Day. Along with viewing their hand-drawn designs, visitors can view the final costumes themselves, as well as photographs and memorabilia from the productions.


Here is the description of the exhibit from the Toronto Public Library:

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Lucy Maud Montgomery!

Lucy Maud Montgomery is an iconic Canadian author whose works are popular world-wide. In celebration of the anniversary of her birth we are exploring one of her most notable pieces of literature — Anne of Green Gables.

This exhibition features original costume designs, from both stage and screen, by designers Martha Mann and Marie Day from TPL's Special Collections in the Arts. These designs were used in Sullivan Entertainment’s Emmy award-winning Anne of Green Gables series, Theatre Calgary’s 1994 production and Charlottetown Festival’s long-running Anne of Green Gables musical.

Explore the world of Anne of Green Gables through the lens of a costume designer! See how they use fashion to bring the story to theatrical life!

Do not miss out seeing actual garments from the 1985 Sullivan Entertainment production of Anne of Green Gables in the entrance window to the Toronto Reference Library.

Special thanks

Sullivan Entertainment Inc. for sponsoring the exhibit through loans of costumes and photographs from their productions of Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel.

Theatre Calgary for providing a program and images of their 1994 production of Anne of Green Gables.

The "Patterns and Puffed Sleeves" exhibit opened on October 5, 2024 and will continue through January 12, 2025. It is located in the TD Gallery at The Toronto Reference Library on 789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2G8. Entry to the exhibit is free, and free guided tours will take place on Tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. during the exhibit's run.


Official Website:
Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables Exhibit at The Toronto Reference Library

Image Credit:
Images from Patterns and Puffed Sleeves - Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables Exhibit at The Toronto Reference Library.

Reference:
Patterns and Puffed Sleeves: Celebrating Costume Design through Anne of Green Gables. (2024, October). Toronto Public Library. Retrieved from: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/programs-and-classes/exhibits/patterns-and-puffed-sleeves.jsp.

Created October 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Stratford Festival Commissions a New Play Based on Anne of Green Gables

Last month, the internationally acclaimed Stratford Festival announced that they are developing a new play based on Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The new adaptation is by playwright Kat Sandler, who will also direct the production. The play will premiere at the Avon Theatre as part of the Festival's 2025 season.

Founded in 1953, the Stratford Festival is a theatre festival that runs from April to October each year in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. The Festival is renowned for its productions of Shakespeare's plays, and it also presents a variety of other plays and musicals. The Festival has featured many talented actors over the years, including several who starred in adaptations of L.M. Montgomery works, including Megan Follows, Jonathan Crombie, Jackie Burroughs, Sarah Polley, and Charmion King.

The new Anne of Green Gables play is a Stratford Festival commission sponsored by The Schulich Foundation. The Stratford Festival's website describes the play as follows:

"Is there a Canadian title with more global recognition than Anne of Green Gables? More than 56 million copies have been sold, and it has been translated into 30 languages.

Anne of Green Gables by Kat Sandler is a bold adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's timeless tale of imagination, resilience and the transformative power of love. Set in the picturesque village of Avonlea, it follows the adventures of Anne Shirley, an irrepressible orphan with a vivid imagination and an unyielding spirit.

Sandler, who will also direct, is known for her deeply funny yet poignant plays and has written and directed extensively across Canada. She has enormous affection and respect for this story and wants to bring it vibrantly to life for another generation. The story of an outsider, an orphan, who finds happiness and wins the hearts not only of her adoptive family but of her doubting community is a story for the ages."

In a recent CBC News interview with Kat Sandler and Keith Barker (the Stratford Festival's director of new play development), the pair talk about reintroducing Anne Shirley's timeless story to a new generation of viewers. Barker states that they aim to be true to the novel, which he says, "reads beautifully" and "it's accessible, it's funny, it's smart." Sandler comments on the story's timeless themes saying, "Love, belonging, chosen family, community, loss, class — like, these are really big, big themes with high stakes." Sandler hopes that her adaptation reflects these themes.


Official Website:
Stratford Festival

Image Credit:
Screencapture of part of the Stratford Festival's 2025 Playbill featuring Anne of Green Gables.

References:
How the Stratford Festival wants to reimagine 'Canadian epic' Anne of Green Gables for a new era. (2024, September 8). CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6502563.

Ryan, Carolyn. (2024, September 8). Renowned Stratford Festival commissions new Anne of Green Gables play. CBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-anne-of-green-gables-stratford-festival-1.7313342.

Created October 1, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Studio 100 International to Remaster Anne of Green Gables Anime Series

AnimationXpress reported today that a German company called Studio 100 International is currently "remastering" the Anne of Green Gables (1979) anime using AI-assisted technologies to transform these series to full HD with a 16:9 widescreen format. The company specializes in entertainment for children and families. According to a press release from the company, it is undertaking the initiative as part of its "Heroes of Childhood" licensing campaign to breath "new life into its iconic classic series." Along with remastering Anne of Green Gables, they plan to remaster several other classic animated series from the 1970s, including Alice in Wonderland, Sinbad, Vic the Viking, Pinocchio, Nils Holgersson, Heidi, Marco (3000 Leagues in Search of Mother), and Maya the Bee.

By using AI-assisted technologies, Studio 100 International aims to create visual information needed to adapt the animated content to a widescreen format. They explain that the scenes will then be refined manually to maintain the integrity of the original. The audio for each series will be reconstructed to support different language versions for global distribution.

Studio 100 International will present the first remastered episodes for this project at MIPCOM in Cannes, which takes place from October 21–24, 2024.

Tampering with the early productions of Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata, who went on to establish the beloved Studio Ghibli, has caused outcry in the anime community according to an article by Paris Geolas at CBR. Geolas writes, "The usage of AI in Studio Ghibli works in particular has been strongly objected to given Hayao Miyazaki’s clear disapproval of the medium when it comes to animation. Many animation studios now use CGI and sometimes AI to enhance the animation or increase output within tight deadlines, but Studio Ghibli has always been faithful to using hand-drawn frames, contributing to the studio’s unique and beloved art style."


Image Credit:
Screencapture from Anne of Green Gables (1979) Anime.

References:
AnimationXpress Team. (2024, September 24). Studio 100 International to present remastered classic series like ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Heidi’ at MIPCOM. AnimationXpress.com. Retrieved from: https://www.animationxpress.com/animation/studio-100-international-to-present-remastered-classic-series-like-pinocchio-and-heidi-at-mipcom/.

Geolas, Paris. (2024, October 2). Studio Ghibli Founders' Earliest Anime Works Get "Cutting-Edge AI" Remasters. CBR. Retrieved from: https://www.cbr.com/studio-ghibli-first-anime-ai-remaster-controversy/.

Studio 100 International Remasters Classic TV Series in Full-HD and 16:9 for the First Time. (2024, 24 September). Press Release. Studio 100 International. Retrieved from: https://media.studio100international.com/media/sites/2/2024/09/d30fc09701-240924_pressrelease_s100int_classics-remastering_final.pdf.

Studio 100 International Unveils Full-HD and 16:9 Remasters of Beloved Classic TV Series. (2024, September 24). FormatBiz. Retrieved from: https://www.formatbiz.it/dettNews.aspx?id=11905.


Created September 24, 2024. Last updated October 3, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel (2017) is an adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's novel by Mariah Marsden with illustrations by Brenna Thummler. The graphic novel is 232 pages in length. The lovely dedication reads: "To Lucy Maud Montgomery, who reminds us that nothing is more powerful than a girl with an imagination."

Here's the publisher's description of the book from the Andrews McMeel website:

Schoolyard rivalries. Baking disasters. Puffed sleeves. Explore the violet vales and glorious green of Avonlea in this spirited graphic novel adaptation.

The spirit of Anne is alive and well in Mariah Marsden's crisp adaptation, and it's a thrill to watch as the beloved orphan rushes headlong through Brenna Thummler's heavenly landscapes. Together Marsden and Thummler conjure all the magic and beauty of Green Gables. Like Anne herself, you won't want to leave.
— Brian Selznick, author/illustrator of "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" and "The Marvels"

The magic of L.M. Montgomery’s treasured classic is reimagined in a whimsically-illustrated graphic novel adaptation perfect for newcomers and kindred spirits alike.

When Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan who can help manage their family farm, they have no idea what delightful trouble awaits them. With flame-red hair and an unstoppable imagination, 11-year-old Anne Shirley takes Green Gables by storm.

Anne’s misadventures bring a little romance to the lives of everyone she meets: her bosom friend, Diana Barry; the town gossip, Mrs. Lynde; and that infuriating tease, Gilbert Blythe. From triumphs and thrills to the depths of despair, Anne turns each everyday moment into something extraordinary.

I read this graphic novel last year and enjoyed it. The illustrations are bright and crisp with the glorious reds, greens, and blues of Prince Edward Island.

Some readers have found Anne's green, pupil-less eyes to be blank, puppet-like, and somewhat off putting. And it's true that her eyes are curious and odd.



Anne's strange eyes also made me smile. They reminded of a wonderful set of books I was given as a child (and still have today) that were part of a series called "The World of Fairy Tales" by Froebel-Kan. The tales featured photos of puppets in elaborate sets as a form of storytelling. Some of the puppets had blank stares too (see photos of my Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk books below). Don't the puppet's eyes look like Anne's?



Using puppets to create scenes helped retell classic fairy tales in a unique way in the Froebel-Kan series. Similarly, Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel is a unique retelling of Anne Shirley's story. I especially liked how the graphic novel captured Anne's most over-dramatic moments in spectacular fashion. You can just feel the drama.



Some of the most beautiful and touching pages were the ones without words, like this scene where Anne visits Matthew's grave.



I really enjoyed this retelling of Anne's story and recommend it.

Official Websites:
Andrews McMeel website
Brenna Thummler's website

Image Credits:
Book cover and panels from Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden and Brenna Thummler. Photographs of Froebel-Kan's Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk book covers from "The World of Fairy Tales" series by World of Anne Shirley.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel:



Created May 10, 2024. Last updated June 4, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet (2019)

Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet is a retelling of the story Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery through dance. The ballet was choreographed by Bengt Jörgen, the founder and artistic director of Ballet Jörgen. Jörgen based the production on Anne of Green Gables – The Musical. Alexander Levkovich arranged the ballet score based on Norman Campbell’s original music. A 78-piece symphony orchestra plays the score, and the performance is two hours in length, expanding the one-hour long score of the musical.

In 2019, Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet made its world premiere at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium in Halifax starring Hannah Mae Cruddas as Anne Shirley.


Official Site:
Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet

Image Credit:
Photograph of dancers from Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet.

Reference:
Lyth, Emily. (2024, February 5). Ballet Jörgen brings a beloved Canadian classic to life with Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet. Stir. Retrieved from: https://www.createastir.ca/articles/ballet-jorgen-anne-of-green-gables-the-ballet-massey-theatre

Created May 7, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical (2022)

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical made its world premiere in 2022 at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, Connecticut. It's a reimagined folk-rock musical based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The musical's book and lyrics are by Matte O’Brien, and the music is by Matt Vinson.

The 2022 production featured Juliette Redden as Anne Shirley, Sharon Catherine Brown as Marilla Cuthbert, D.C. Anderson as Matthew Cuthbert, Pierre Marais as Gilbert Blythe, and Michelle Vientimilla as Diana Barry. The musical was directed by Jenn Thompson and choreographed by Jennifer Jancuska.

The musical was initially developed and produced with the title Anne of Green Gables: A New Folk Rock Musical by the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival in 2018.

Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical is described as follows by Goodspeed Musicals:

"Anne Shirley just arrived on Prince Edward Island and she’s already making waves. Adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert, Anne is feisty, smart and eager to find her own place in the world. But is the world ready for her? Fall in love with the spirited redhead of the classic novel, now reimagined as a vibrant folk-rock musical for all generations. With bold choreography, witty humor and a revolutionary spirit, this is Green Gables as you’ve never seen it before!"

The concept album for the musical is available on Spotify.

Official Site:
Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical

Image Credit:
Promotional artwork from Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical (2022).

References:
Anne of Green Gables: A New Musical. Goodspeed Musicals. Retrieved from: https://www.goodspeed.org/shows/anne-of-green-gables

Ashley, Natasha. (2018, July 8). Review: A Bold and Creative ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: A NEW FOLK ROCK MUSICAL Makes History at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse. Broadway World. Retrieved from: https://www.broadwayworld.com/central-new-york/article/BWW-Review-A-Bold-and-Creative-ANNE-OF-GREEN-GABLES-A-NEW-FOLK-ROCK-MUSICAL-Makes-History-at-Merry-Go-Round-Playhouse-20180708.

Created May 4, 2024. Last updated June 5, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

The Grace of Wild Things

The Grace of Wild Things (2023) by Heather Fawcett is a fantasy adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. The story is 368 pages in length, and it is an imaginative re-telling of the classic story. Fawcett's tale is about a magical orphan named Grace who becomes the apprentice of a dangerous witch in the woods.

In an essay at The New York Times, Catherine Hong reviewed several modern adaptations of Anne of Green Gables. Hong describes The Grace of Wild Things as, "The least obvious Anne reboot of all, this middle-grade fantasy is about a hotheaded young sorceress named Grace who persuades a terrifying child-eating witch to take her in as an apprentice. The touchstone scenes are all here. But the truest homage it pays is in conveying a child’s intense connection to home."

Emma Kantor interviewed Heather Fawcett in an article for Publishers Weekly where Fawcett described her bond with Anne Shirley saying, "I felt a strong connection to Anne immediately as someone who also enjoyed making up stories about ordinary things." She described her early experience reading Anne of Green Gables by saying, "My first impression was that it read like a fairy tale—there was a sense of the enchanted in Lucy Maud Montgomery’s descriptions, through Anne, of Prince Edward Island and Green Gables itself."

Fawcett explained her motivation to re-imagine Anne's story saying, "I’ve always wanted to retell Anne of Green Gables as fantasy, because I think the story lends itself well to that sort of thing, with Anne’s imagination adding supernatural flourishes to what is overall a fairly down-to-earth narrative about school and relationships and mishaps with baking and what not."

Although the fantasy re-telling is not a faithful scene-by-scene recreation of Anne's story, Fawcett explained that she aimed "to preserve the heart of the story and the core architecture." She went on to say, "Anne of Green Gables, to me, has always been first and foremost about the idea of home; it’s about an orphan girl who has never known what that is, not only because she’s an orphan but because she’s different." 


Here is the description of the book from HarperCollins Publishers:

An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables—with magic and witches!—that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination, from the acclaimed author of The Language of Ghosts and The School Between Winter and Fairyland. Perfect for readers who loved The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

"A magical, witchy, and thoroughly successful homage to a classic." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Grace has never been good at anything except magic—not that anyone believes her.

While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can’t be that bad.

But the witch is that bad—she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.

But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch’s past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it.

Reviews

"An exuberant tale of belonging and hope."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review) (full review)

"This alternative-universe romp is perfect for those who like their fantasy light and sentimental and enjoy a bit of L. M. Montgomery pastiche."
—The Horn Book

ISBN-13: 978-0063142626


Image credit:
Book cover of The Grace of Wild Things.

References:
Hong, Catherine. (November 4, 2022). Anne of Everywhere: Suddenly, remakes and adaptations of L.M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables” series are proliferating. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/04/books/review/anne-of-green-gables-reboots.html.

Kantor, Emma. (September 1, 2022). Kindred Spirits: Children's Authors Reimagine 'Anne of Green Gables.' Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/90208-kindred-spirits-children-s-authors-reimagine-anne-of-green-gables.html.

Purchase and read The Grace of Wild Things:


Created Feb 25, 2023. Last updated September 18, 2025.
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Anne of Green Gables — The Musical Will No Longer Be Performed Annually in Charlottetown

On November 24, 2022, the Confederation Centre of the Arts announced in a press release that Anne of Green Gables — The Musical would no longer be staged annually in Charlottetown, but instead once every two years. The production will return to the stage in 2024 in commemoration of the 150th birthday of L.M. Montgomery.

The press release states, "Confederation Centre of the Arts is delighted to announce the extension and expansion to its agreement with the show’s rights holders. Starting in 2024, Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ will be playing on the mainstage every two years (biennially) coinciding with the 150th birthday of Lucy Maud Montgomery. The production ran annually for over fifty years from 1965-2019 and was presented in 2022 after a brief hiatus due to COVID-related challenges."

The announcement was met with concern about how the decision may affect tourism on Prince Edward Island.

Image Credit:
Promotional photograph for Anne of Green Gables — The Musical from the Confederation Centre of the Arts website.

References:
Anne of Green Gables–The Musical™ to return to The Charlottetown Festival in 2024. (November 24, 2022). Confederation Centre of the Arts. Retrieved from: https://confederationcentre.com/anne-of-green-gables-the-musical-to-return-to-the-charlottetown-festival-in-2024/.

Austen, Ian. (December 3, 2022). After Half a Century, Prince Edward Island’s Musical Tradition Takes a Break. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/03/world/canada/prince-edward-island-musical.html.

P.E.I.'s long-running 'Anne of Green Gables — The Musical' no longer an annual event. (November 24, 2022). The Canadian Press. Retrieved from: https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/entertainment/p-e-i-s-long-running-anne-of-green-gables-the-musical-no-longer-an/article_fc3d2ee5-929c-5b2f-88fe-96129abda91f.html.


Created November 28, 2022. Last updated December 3, 2022.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of)

Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of) (2022) is a modern adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's story as a graphic novel, written and illustrated by Kathleen Gros. The graphic novel is 304 pages in length, and it re-imagines the story of Anne of Green Gables with an LGBTQ+ spin.

In this retelling, Anne Shirley is a foster child who is taken in by the Cuthberts and find a new home at the Avon-Lea apartments. Anne develops a strong relationship with her neighbor Diana, and her feelings grow to be more than friendship.

Author and illustrator Kathleen Gros previously published a modern retelling of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women in 2020, entitled Jo: An Adaptation of Little Women (Sort Of). In an interview with Emma Kantor for Publishers Weekly, Kathleen Gros reflected on how she approaches her adaptations saying, "My approach is to try and hold on to the heart of the story—the themes, the feelings of the characters, and what resonated with me as a reader. At the same time, I try to find analogous ways to express those ideas that might feel more familiar to readers today."

Kathleen Gros explains why she explored LGBTQ+ themes in her contemporary retelling of Anne's story saying, "In my retelling, I was particularly interested in further exploring Anne and Diana’s friendship. So many of the queer women I know saw their childhood crushes reflected in Anne and Diana’s relationship. I wanted to speak to those feelings and honor them with this adaptation."

In an essay at The New York Times, Catherine Hong reviewed several modern adaptations of Anne of Green Gables. In discussing Kathleen Gros's retelling, Hong writes: "Much has been written about repressed desire in the series at least since 2000, when Laura Robinson’s paper 'Bosom Friends: Lesbian Desire in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Books' sparked a mini-furor at an academic conference. It’s no stretch: Even casual fans have to raise an eyebrow at Anne’s flamboyant passion for Diana and her scornful attitude toward marriage. 'I love Diana so, Marilla,'” Anne declares. 'I cannot ever live without her. But I know very well when we grow up that Diana will get married and go away and leave me. And oh, what shall I do? I hate her husband — I just hate him furiously.'" Catherine Hong says that Gros doesn't shy away from these observations of repressed desire and instead "puts the gay stuff front and center."


Here is the description of the book from Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers:

In this modern graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables from graphic novelist Kathleen Gros, foster kid Anne Shirley finally lands in a loving home and befriends a girl who she may have more-than-friends feelings for.

Anne Shirley has been in foster care her whole life. So when the Cuthberts take her in, she hopes it’s for good. They seem to be hitting it off, but how will they react to the trouble that Anne can sometimes find herself in . . . like accidentally dyeing her hair green or taking a dangerous dare that leaves her in a cast?

Then Anne meets Diana Barry, a girl who lives in her apartment building, the Avon-Lea. The two become fast friends, as Anne finds she can share anything with Diana. As time goes on, though, Anne starts to develop more-than-friends feelings for Diana.

A new foster home, a new school, and a first-time crush—it’s a lot all at once. But if anyone can handle life’s twists and turns, it’s the irrepressible Anne Shirley.

Reviews

"Gird your loins, traditionalists, because the queerification of Anne is in full flower."
—Catherine Hong, The New York Times

"Coupled with easy-to-follow paneling, expressive characters rendered in vibrant hues aptly covey middle school dramas that tug on the heartstrings and provide levity in this cozy jaunt."
—Publishers Weekly

"Gr 6-8-The "Sort Of" in the subtitle is an important clarification for readers expecting a graphic novel of Anne's adventures in Avonlea, who might be startled at the modern take on the beloved novel. In Gros's version, Anne Shirley is a foster kid living with the Cuthbert siblings, who are surprised at the teenaged girl who arrives at their door. The Cuthberts live in an apartment building named Avon-Lea, where Anne Shirley fans will find many recognizable characters. Similar to Montgomery's telling, Anne is headstrong and difficult to get along with, and she has her characteristically recognizable run-ins with the neighbors and classmates. Diana is introduced to Anne as a possible friend, and the girls do form a quick bond, spending lots of time together. Readers will begin to see the graphic novel and original novel diverge when Anne and Diana attend the neighborhood middle school and interact with other seventh graders who have modern-day issues. This is especially showcased when Anne and Diana develop crushes on each other and attend a dance together. As a stand-alone story rather than an adaptation, this graphic novel succeeds on its own, with plenty of realistic plot points for middle grade readers to find compelling and fun. VERDICT A fun story for middle grade readers who enjoy coming-of-age graphic novels and modern adaptations of classics."
—Kim Gardner, School Library Journal

ISBN: 9780063057654


Image credit:
Book cover of Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of).

References:
Hong, Catherine. (November 4, 2022). Anne of Everywhere: Suddenly, remakes and adaptations of L.M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables” series are proliferating. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/04/books/review/anne-of-green-gables-reboots.html.

Kantor, Emma. (September 1, 2022). Kindred Spirits: Children's Authors Reimagine 'Anne of Green Gables.' Publishers Weekly. Retrieved from: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/90208-kindred-spirits-children-s-authors-reimagine-anne-of-green-gables.html.

Purchase and read Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of):


Created October 29, 2022. Last updated May 2, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com