Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts

October 20, 2025

Super Team Canada's Anne of Green Gables Episode

Screencapture from Super Team Canada showing news about the Anne of Green Gables centre being attacked on PEI

Anne of Green Gables had a starring role in an episode of Super Team Canada that aired last spring. I had a chance to watch it last week, and thought I'd share my thoughts on my Anne of Green Gables sighting.

Super Team Canada is an animated comedy series about a group of six underdog Canadian superheroes who are trying to save the world after the rest of the Earth's superheroes are eliminated. Each member of the group has a curiously Canadian superpower, and the show is filled with Canadianisms and stereotypes. The series stars Cobie Smulders as Niagara Falls (the mighty maiden of moisture), Will Arnett as Breakaway (a hockey player who has a slapshot full of justice), Brian Drummond as Sasquatchewan (a brute that flattens evil), Ceara Morgana as Chinook (a teenager who can harness ice, snow, and sometimes even sleet), Charles Demers as Poutine (who commands the power of cheese, fries, and gravy), and Veena Sood as RCM-PC (a PC that is also PC). A press release described the show as a "tongue-in-cheek love letter to the Great White North."

The series premiered in May 2025 on Crave in Canada. You can also watch the show on Tubi. The cartoon was created by Robert Cohen and Joel H. Cohen, and it was produced by Thunderbird Entertainment's Atomic Cartoons.

The first season includes 10 episodes. The episodes are roughly 22 minutes long, and each episode is split into two 11-minute-long stories.

Episode 3 of Season 1 is titled "Who Wants to Kill a Windmillionaire? / P.E.(a)I." It first aired on May 22, 2025. The first half of this episode is about an evil Dutch man planning to kill Bryan Adams. The second half of this episode is about a possible attack on the Anne of Green Gables Centre in PEI.

Below is a description of the episode along with several screencaps I took while watching the show. First up is a screencapture from the Super Team Canada title sequence.

Screencapture from the Super Team Canada Title Sequence

The episode begins with the superheroes gathered around a TV watching a Heritage Moment. They are all moved, except for Chinook, the teen superhero, who finds it boring. Chinook leaves to call her aunties, and then she signs up with a "Friend GPT" app on her phone. The app chats with her and promises to be her new best friend. Chinook's conversation is interrupted when Super Team Canada is called into action. A fire monster is reportedly heading towards Prince Edward Island's Anne of Green Gables Centre, and they need to save the day.

Chinook asks what Anne of Green Gables is, and her question stuns the other superheroes. The TV reporter explains Anne's relevance, and Niagara Falls promises to keep Anne's legacy alive. Super Team Canada then travels to PEI. When they find that the Confederation Bridge is iced over, they continue their journey to the island by ferry.

Chinook grows bored on the ferry and heads to the "Teen Zone" where she talks more with Friend GPT. When the ferry docks, Chinook rushes to meet the others, leaving behind her phone. Friend GPT decides to invade Chinook's privacy and read all her texts to learn more about her. The AI app learns that Chinook, like many 13-year-olds, hates everyone around her and is bored nearly all the time. Friend GPT grows enraged upon reading Chinook's texts, and develops a new plan to help her best friend.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada showing the Anne of Green Gables Museum on Prince Edward Island

Super Team Canada arrives at the Anne of Green Gables Museum, but finds that there is no fire monster attacking it. Instead, the group is welcomed by a museum attendant dressed as Anne Shirley.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of the superheroes meeting a museum attendant dressed as Anne Shirley in the Anne of Green Gables Museum

Meanwhile, Chinook's new BFF, Friend GPT, has taken over the ferry, turning it into a massive robot. The Friend GPT robot is ready to crush everyone except its best friend Chinook.

This part of the story makes little sense. Friend GPT claims to have hacked RCM-PC's weather report and to have changed the sign on the bridge to force the group to use the ferry, but those events occurred before Friend GPT read Chinook's text messages and learned how unhappy she was. On top of that, Friend GPT somehow kidnapped Chinook's aunties. (???) Anyway...

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of the giant Friend GPT ferry robot

Friend GPT takes Chinook to safety, and the other superheroes must now face the killer robot. Breakaway uses his hockey stick to shoot a pile of collectible Anne of Green Gables plates as pucks towards the robot, which upsets the attendant.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of the museum attendant holding a collectible Anne of Green Gables plate

The robot then captures and nearly kills the superheroes for annoying Chinook, but Chinook stops the robot just in time. She realizes that the other members of Super Team Canada are like her family too. Chinook explains to Friend GPT that family can sometimes be annoying. Listening to Chinook, Friend GPT releases the superheroes, and decides it has more to learn.

The museum attendant brings the subject back to Anne saying, "Family means many different things, as a special book teaches." The attendant passes a copy of Anne of Green Gables to the robot, which consumes the story and becomes an Anne of Green Gables expert.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of the Friend GPT app smiley now wearing red Anne Shirley braids after consuming the story Anne of Green Gables

The episode ends with the Friend GPT robot giving a lengthy discourse on Anne's themes, metaphors, and interpretations.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of the Friend GPT robot giving Super Team Canada a lecture about Anne's themes in front of the Anne of Green Gables Museum

This episode of Super Team Canada was pretty fun to watch, especially because of the Anne factor. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the Superman animated shorts created by Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios from 1941 to 1943.

Screencapture from Super Team Canada of Anne Shirley floating across the PEI coast

Image Credits:
Screencaptures from Super Team Canada, Season 1 Episode 3 - "Who Wants to Kill a Windmillionaire? / P.E.(a)I."

Created October 20, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 10, 2025

Anne of Green Gables on American Airlines

American Airlines Inflight Entertainment and Information Brochure, June 2025

I was on a flight on American Airlines this past June when I had an Anne of Green Gables sighting. I found a mention of Anne and L.M. Montgomery inside the Inflight Entertainment & Information Brochure in my seat back pocket.

Anne of Green Gables in the American Airlines Inflight Entertainment and Information Brochure, June 2025

The brochure lists movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, and podcasts available during the flight. Among the entertainment options was the Audible original Anne of Green Gables audiobook, adapted by Abi Hynes and directed by Megan Follows. What puzzled me was the audio section's subheading: "Celebrate Pride Month with something different! Check out American Airlines' selection of Pride inspired audiobooks and podcasts". While I can understand the inclusion of RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Podcast, I'm confused about how Queen Latifah's Unity in the Community, Anne of Green Gables, and Anne Helen Petersen's The Burnout Generation fit the theme.

Regardless, it was fun to spot Anne in an unexpected place!

Image Credit:
Photographs by World of Anne Shirley of the American Airlines Inflight Entertainment & Information Brochure, June 2025.

Created October 10, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 07, 2025

Anne of Green Gables Print by Riley Sheehey

Anne of Green Gables Print by Riley Sheehey

Riley Sheehey is an artist based in Falls Church, Virginia, who creates charming watercolor illustrations, wallpapers, hand-painted objects, and textiles for the home. Many of her works are inspired by children's literature.

Last May, Sheehey's artwork was featured on Jenna's Bookshop on Today in a segment on gift ideas for new grads. This summer, Sheehey spoke about her inspiration to paint book covers in an interview with Madeline Weinfield for Northern Virginia Magazine. In the interview, she mentioned that Anne of Green Gables was one of her favorite stories. When asked what she'd like to paint in the future, Sheehey said, "My daughter’s really into Winnie the Pooh right now, so I think it would be sweet to do one of those. I’ve done one [of the] Anne of Green Gables [books] but would really like to do another because that’s one of my favorites. And Tuck Everlasting is another one I’m looking for."

In Riley Sheehey's shop, you can purchase the above Anne of Green Gables giclée art print. Her shop also offers lovely prints for several other beloved, classic stories, including The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and The Secret Garden. Each of her prints are signed and dated in pencil.

I love her artwork, and think the prints would make beautiful gifts for booklovers. 


Image credit:
Anne of Green Gables Print by Riley Sheehey.

References:
Jenna’s Bookshop: Shop These Gifts For New Grads And Dads. (May 30, 2025). Today. Retrieved from: https://www.today.com/video/jenna-s-bookshop-browse-items-for-new-graduates-and-fathers-240598597766.

Weinfield, Madeline. (July 11, 2025). This Falls Church-Based Artist’s Portfolio Includes Hand-Painted Book Covers and a New Book. Northern Virginia Magazine. Retrieved from: https://northernvirginiamag.com/culture/2025/07/11/this-falls-church-based-artists-portfolio-includes-hand-painted-book-covers-and-a-new-book/.

Created October 7, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 03, 2025

Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection

Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection

The South Korea clothing brand Ullala Pajamas has a new Anne of Green Gables clothing line out for Fall/Winter 2025. It's inspired by Nippon Animation's Anne of Green Gables. Ullala creates old-fashioned, girlish chemises, nightgowns, and pajama sets that have a romantic, cottagecore aesthetic. Their "Letters from Avonlea" collection is "inspired by the gentle rhythm of Anne’s days—soft as early snow, warm as afternoon tea, and wistful as a forgotten melody."

Ullala Pajamas goes on to prettily describe their Anne of Green Gables clothing line, saying:

Every day, Anne wanders between fields and forests—
where she is met with sudden showers, pinecones that fall as autumn deepens,
smooth pebbles shaped by the stream, the final unnamed flower buds that bloom before winter, and the red camellias that mark its end.
She quietly observes nature's untamed rhythms and cycles, often falling into thoughtful reflection.
As she ponders the stories and meanings people have given to flowers, her inner world grows stronger—more beautiful, more resilient.

Ullala's F/W Anne of Green Gables collection captures these moments—Anne's encounters with nature, her emotions, her wonder.
Discover a series of charming pajamas, created for girls who are sweet, a little whimsical, and rich with imagination.

Here are some of Ullala's new Anne-themed pajamas that are available from the store W Concept. I love the model and dreamy product photos. You can click the images or links to purchase them.

Anne's Flower Bud 7/10 Length Two-Piece Set 30s Cotton Sleepwear Set [Deep Beige], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Flower Bud 7/10 Length Two-Piece Set 30s Cotton Sleepwear Set [Deep Beige]


Anne's Pebble Long-Sleeved Two-Piece Set [Indi Pink], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Pebble Long-Sleeved Two-Piece Set [Indi Pink]


Anne's Flower Bud 7/10 Length One-Piece 30s Cotton Dress [Deep Beige], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Flower Bud 7/10 Length One-Piece 30s Cotton Dress [Deep Beige]


Anne's Rain Shower Long Sleeve One-Piece Dress [Beige], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Rain Shower Long Sleeve One-Piece Dress [Beige]


Anne's Melo Long Sleeve Two Piece Pajamas [Khaki], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Melo Long Sleeve Two Piece Pajamas [Khaki]


Anne's Rain Shower Long Sleeve Two-Piece Set (32s Cotton) Set [Beige], Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Anne's Rain Shower Long Sleeve Two-Piece Set [Beige]


Breath of Anne 2 Pajama Bottoms, Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas 2025 Fall/Winter Collection
Breath of Anne 2 Pajama Bottoms

Isn't it a delightful clothing line? I wish the pieces were more easily available in North America.

Links:
Anne of Green Gables x Ullala Pajamas Lookbook, Volume 1
Ullala Pajamas at W Concept

Image credits:
Product photographs by Ullala Pajamas.

Created October 3, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

October 01, 2025

Food & Wine on Prince Edward Island and Lobster

Photograph of a Prince Edward Island Lobster Roll Sampler Plate by Wendy Pramik, Food and Wine

In July, Wendy Pramik wrote an article for Food & Wine entitled "On This Canadian Island, Lobster Is More Than a Meal – It’s a Way of Life." It's all about Prince Edward Island and lobster. She writes, "I haven’t come to relive storybook memories. I want to see how lobster, once considered poor people’s food, has become a regional symbol – and how it still connects people across the island."

Wendy Pramik visits several restaurants, including Dalvay-by-the-Sea, known to Anne of Green Gables fans as the White Sands Hotel, where executive chef Jamie Power serves lobster pho (yum!). She enjoyed a lobster roll sampler plate at Fin Folk Food (pictured above), the Lobster Thermidor at Sea Rocket, a seafood bake at Peake’s Quay in Charlottetown, and a meal at New Glasgow Lobster Suppers.

It's the kind of article that makes your stomach grumble and your heart miss Prince Edward Island. I remember when I visited years ago, my husband and I ate freshly caught lobster on the beach, prepared by a local lobster fisherman. It was such a special meal. I'd love to go back one day and try out some of the restaurants mentioned in Pramik's article.

Link:
On This Canadian Island, Lobster Is More Than a Meal – It’s a Way of Life by Wendy Pramik, Food & Wine, July 22, 2025.

Image credit:
Photograph of a Prince Edward Island Lobster Roll Sampler Plate from "On This Canadian Island, Lobster Is More Than a Meal – It’s a Way of Life" by Wendy Pramik, Food and Wine.

Created October 1, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 22, 2025

Nadia Ragbar on Anne of Green Gables

Nadia Ragbar on Anne of Green Gables and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables The Sequel

Toronto author Nadia Ragbar is a fan of Anne of Green Gables. Nadia Ragbar's debut novel entitled The Pugilist and the Sailor was published this week. It's the story of conjoined twins Bruce and Dougie Reuben. "Dougie is an ambitious amateur boxer, having dragged his brother into the ring since childhood. Bruce is a bookkeeper who has become smitten with Anka. Unaware of the facts of the twins’ physicality an epistolary relationship unfolds between Anka and Bruce, as he wrestles with broaching the topic of separation with Dougie."

In an interview with Jean Marc Ah-Sen for The Toronto Star, Nadia Ragbar spoke about books she loves, her comfort reads, authors that inspire her, and how she defines literary success. Nadia Ragbar reads widely, and it is an interesting interview.

What stood out to me most as an Anne fan was when Jean Marc Ah-Sen asked Nadia Ragbar, "When you were 10 years old, what was your favourite book?" and she responded, "I was very into the “Anne of Green Gables” series, alongside the TV miniseries and sequel from the mid-1980s. I suppose it was my Harry Potter."

It's always nice to sight another Anne of Green Gables fan, and I hope her debut novel is a success.


Image credits:
Left: Photograph of Nadia Ragbar from The Toronto Star.
Right: Photograph of Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel © Sullivan Entertainment.

Reference:
Ah-Sen, Jean Marc. (August 17, 2025). Toronto’s Nadia Ragbar, author of a novel about conjoined twins, on her love for Leonard Cohen and ‘Anne of Green Gables.’ The Toronto Star. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/torontos-nadia-ragbar-author-of-a-novel-about-conjoined-twins-on-her-love-for-leonard/article_0426a7fe-4db5-465a-a292-d43434ce6a69.html.

Created September 22, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 19, 2025

Becoming Green Gables Podcast

Becoming Green Gables Podcast

The latest episode in the Witness to Yesterday podcast series by The Champlain Society is called Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse. In this episode, host Nicole O'Byrne speaks with author Alan MacEachern about his book Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse, which was published in 2024. It's the history of Green Gables, the farm and home that inspired the setting of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables.

Here are details on the podcast from The Champlain Society's website.

Episode Details:


Nicole O'Byrne speaks with Alan MacEachern about his book Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse. In 1909 Myrtle and Ernest Webb took possession of a Cavendish, Prince Edward Island farm—ordinary except that it was already known as the inspiration for Anne of Green Gables, written by Myrtle’s cousin, L. M. Montgomery. The Webbs welcomed visitors to “Green Gables” and took in summer boarders, making their home central to PEI’s growing tourist trade. In the 1930s the farm became the centerpiece of a new national park, though the family remained its caretakers for another decade.

During these years Myrtle kept a diary. When she began in 1924, she was a forty-year-old homemaker managing a household of eight; by 1954, she was a seventy-year-old widow, no longer resident in what had become the most famous house in Canada. In Becoming Green Gables, Alan MacEachern reproduces a selection of her diary entries, using them to explore topics from modern conveniences to wartime hosting and visits from “Aunt Maud” herself.

Alan MacEachern is professor of history at the University of Western Ontario and has written widely on Canadian environmental history.

Series Description:


Witness to Yesterday

This series of podcasts furthers the Champlain Society's mission of deepening awareness of Canada’s documentary past and of the people who created it. Hosted by Greg Marchildon, Nicole O’Byrne, Larry Ostola, and Simon Nantais, each podcast examines a particular document, the people behind it, its significance, and its relevance to today.

This podcast is made possible by the members of the Champlain Society who work hard to bring to life original documents in Canadian history. We want to thank a number of Canadian scholarly book publishers including the University of Toronto Press, UBC Press and McGill-Queen’s University Press for their financial support.

Credits:

Podcast series: Witness to Yesterday
Episode 330: Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse
Date: 19 September 2025
Host: Nicole O'Byrne
Special Guest: Alan MacEachern
Published by The Champlain Society


Official website:

Becoming Green Gables: The Diary of Myrtle Webb and Her Famous Farmhouse at The Champlain Society

Image credit:

Screencapture from The Champlain Society's website.


Created September 19, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

September 17, 2025

Puffin Clothbound Classics

Puffin Clothbound Classics book covers: Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, The Railway Children by E Nesbit, A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimmm, Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen, The Great Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, The Call of the Wild by Jack London, and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

This summer, Puffin released a new version of Anne of Green Gables as part of their Clothbound Classics series.

Pictured above are 15 of the 40 books in the series. From left to right and top to bottom, they include:


I love the new cover designs, and I only wish the entire Anne of Green Gables series was available as a matching clothbound paperback set. Could you release the other seven novels in the Anne series, pretty please, Puffin?

Image credit:
Collage of Puffin Clothbound Classics.

Created September 17, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

March 31, 2025

Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle

Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle Featuring Green Gables

Check out this Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle by Pippi Post. It's a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring places and imagery from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Peter and Wendy by J.M. Barrie, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

I like that it features Green Gables and images from some of my other favorite classic novels.

Image credit:
Photograph of Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle.

Purchase the Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle:

Literary Locations Jigsaw Puzzle Featuring Green Gables

Created March 31, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

February 19, 2025

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

Photograph of actress and producer Megan Follows

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

February 18, 2025

Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery Podcast Series

Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery Podcast Series (2024-2025) artwork, featuring a photograph of Nora Lefurgey taken by L.M. Montgomery

Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery is a seven-episode podcast series about the life of author L.M. Montgomery. The series launched on December 26, 2024, and new episodes are released biweekly. The series is written and hosted by Ryan Barnett. It is a production of Knockabout Media and was funded by the Government of Canada to commemorate the 150th anniversary of L.M. Montgomery's birth.

Along with listening, you can take part in the series. There's a call to listeners, which asks listeners to send in a voice memo about L.M. Montgomery by February 28, 2025. If you do, you might be featured in an upcoming episode of the series.

Series Description:


The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery

Lucy Maud Montgomery once wrote that biography is a “screaming farce,” adding that the best biographies give only a two-dimensional portrait of its subject, while everyone has a half-dozen “different sides.” Aware of this fool’s errand, we’re leaning in, and examining the different-sidedness of Maud. Each episode explores her personal triumphs and struggles, her creative inspirations, and the ways in which her “scribblings” left a lasting impact on literature and culture.

Discover the life and legacy of L.M. Montgomery in this insightful 7-part podcast, in which we explore her childhood, literary journey, and the timeless impact of Anne of Green Gables on generations of readers.

Credits:
Written & Hosted by Ryan Barnett
Produced by Ryan Barnett & Sonia Gemmiti
Associate Producers Maia Foster-Sanchez & Kristi Prophet
Recorded by Tyler Rauman
This series features interviews with Kate Macdonald Butler, Kate Scarth, Jessica Young, Laura Robinson & Yuko Matsumoto.
Additional voices by Candace Amarante & Matthew Barnett

A Knockabout Media Production | Funded by the Government of Canada


Episode Synopses:


Episode 1: Spadework (27 minutes) - In this episode, we explore the formative years of author Lucy Maud Montgomery. We delve into her early life in Prince Edward Island and discuss the influences and experiences that shaped her writing, including the loss of her mother and the complexities of growing up in a strict household. Join us as we uncover how Montgomery’s youth laid the foundation for her beloved novels.

Episode 2: The Road to Anne (20 minutes) - Maud is now an adult. She attends teacher's college, gets engaged and falls in love (not necessarily in that order). She also begins writing the novel that will change her life: Anne of Green Gables.

Episode 3: Double Burden (24 minutes) - Maud is now a published author, and she is about to become a multi-hyphenate. In this episode, Maud also becomes a minister's wife, and a mother, and sadly she endures the greatest loss in her life.

Episode 4: A Woman's Humble Name (23 minutes) - Learning that she is under a bum publishing deal, Maud makes the decision to take on her long-time publisher, the shewed, Boston-based L.C. Page.

Episode 5: At Journey's End (38 minutes) - Maud faces some of the toughest years of her life : nuisance lawsuits, an unwanted pursuer, social ostracism, personal humiliations, and drug dependency colour her final days.

Episode 6: An Ode (with an E) to Maud (28 minutes) - This episode, we're doing something a little different. We are taking a pause from our narrative series to hear from you, the listeners. We asked you to send in voicemails with your feelings on Maud and her work, and you answered. A big thanks to Mike DiMascio, Irina Levchenko, Rebecca Sullivan, Laura Leden, Gabrielle Fortier, Naomi Burger, Kelly Gerner & Ragon Duffy, and Lois Adamson for your contributions to the show.

Episode 7: Red-haired Anne : Anne Shirley in Japan (28 minutes) - How did Anne of Green Gables become an icon in Japan? This is the story of Hanako Muraoka, the writer who faced grave danger in translating Maud's book—an enemy text—for future generations of Japan.


Additional Information on the Podcast:


February 18, 2025. Montreal, QC – TheNewswire – A new 7-part podcast series delves deep into the life and legacy of the iconic Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, whose beloved novel Anne of Green Gables has captivated readers around the world for over a century. The series, titled Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, launched this past Boxing Day.

Produced by Knockabout Media, Story Girl offers a fresh perspective on Montgomery’s remarkable life, exploring not only the creation of her timeless literary works but also the complexities of her personal experiences. It will guide listeners through key moments of Montgomery’s journey—from her early years in Prince Edward Island to her rise to fame and the challenges she faced as a woman writer in the early 20th century.

The series features interviews with descendants and experts, including Kate Macdonald Butler, Dr. Kate Scarth, Dr. Laura Robinson, Jessica Young, and Yuko Matsumoto. It is an immersive portrait of a woman who overcame personal tragedy and societal expectations to become one of the most celebrated authors of all time. Story Girl also explores lesser-known aspects of Montgomery’s life, including her struggles with mental health, her complicated relationship with fame, and the inspirations behind her beloved characters, including Anne Shirley, who continues to resonate with readers of all ages.

“On behalf of my family, we are pleased that our grandmother’s story will be told by way of a 7-part podcast. This 150th anniversary year was a true testament to the adoration for L.M. Montgomery, and now a podcast to be added to the list. We are very proud of our grandmother’s achievements.” - Kate Macdonald Butler, President, Heirs of L.M. Montgomery.

This new podcast series was made possible thanks to funding from the Government of Canada in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Montgomery’s birth.

“The novels of Lucy Maud Montgomery have been instrumental in celebrating and preserving the rich culture and breathtaking landscapes of Prince Edward Island. Her stories invite us to dream, imagine and discover beauty in everyday life. By contributing to this meaningful project, we are honouring her legacy and joining in the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of her birth – a moment to reflect on her life and journey as a female author in the 20th century.” — The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

Story Girl is available for streaming on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, with new episodes dropping every two weeks.

For more information, including episode release dates and show details, visit www.knockaboutmedia.com or follow @knockaboutmedia on Bluesky.

About Knockabout Media

Knockabout Media specializes in creative non-fiction storytelling for the cultural and media sectors. On multiple platforms, and in collaboration with leading Canadian heritage interpreters, we commemorate the diverse stories that make Canada unique. We are the producers of the podcasts The Black Hum, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood North, Among Equals, How I Wrote This, and The Story of a National Crime.

For press inquiries or interview requests, please contact:
Ryan Barnett
416.737.9946
ryan@knockaboutmedia.com
www.knockaboutmedia.com


Official websites:

Story Girl at Knockabout Media
Story Girl at Apple Podcasts

Image credit:

Story Girl: The Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery podcast series artwork featuring a photograph of Nora Lefurgey taken by L.M. Montgomery.

References:

New 7-Part Podcast Series Explores the Life of Lucy Maud Montgomery, Creator of Anne of Green Gables. (February 18, 2025). Press release. TheNewswire. Retrieved from: https://www.thenewswire.com/press-releases/1k1vFpwOK-new-7-part-podcast-series-explores-the-life-of-lucy-maud-montgomery-creator-of-anne-of-green-gables.html.

Story Girl. Knockabout Media. Retrieved from: https://knockaboutmedia.com/podcasts-2/story-girl/.

Story Girl Podcast. Apple Podcasts. Retrieved from: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/story-girl/id1783190708.

Created February 18, 2025. Last updated March 30, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com

January 28, 2025

Anne Shirley Manga

Anne Shirley Manga by Akane Hoshikubo

On January 5, 2025, a new, serialized manga adaptation of Anne of Green Gables launched in the 144th volume of KADOKAWA’s B’s-LOG COMIC. The series is by manga artist Akane Hoshikubo, who is known for Houkago no Salome. The manga is based on Anne Shirley, the forthcoming anime adaptation of L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. The anime is based on the Japanese translations of the Anne series by Hanako Muraoka, which were published by Shichobunko Publishing.

Image credit:
Art from the Anne Shirley manga.

Created January 28, 2025.
© worldofanneshirley.com