Cooking with Anne of Green Gables

Cooking with Anne of Green Gables: Recipes from Edwardian Kitchens is a book by Kevin Sullivan and the producers of Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea that was published by Davenport Press Publishers in 2005. The book features over 100 recipes for appetizers, breads, soups, seafood, main courses, vegetables, salads, desserts, drinks, and preserves. In addition, the 94-page volume presents information on cooking in the early 1900s, planning an authentic Anne of Green Gables meal, turn-of-the-century etiquette, and parlour games. Interspersed throughout the book, there are photographs from Sullivan Entertainment's productions and two paintings by James Hill, but there are no photographs of the recipes themselves.

The book includes the following contents:

Forward by Kevin Sullivan
Introduction
Cooking in the early 1900's
Turn of the Century Etiquette
Planning an Authentic Anne of Green Gables meal

Appetizers

Hot Crab Almond Dip
Croute Bernard
Cheese Straws
Solomon Grundy
Corn Fritters
Baddock Scotch Eggs
Caulcannon
Salmon Caviar Spread
Salmon Paté
Chicken Liver Paté
Marinated Goat Cheese
Bruschetta

Breads

Salmon Loaf
Shediac Brown Bread
Sourdough Bread
100% Whole Wheat Bread
Trapper's Bread
French Bread
Mary's Polish Bread
Oatmeal Brown Bread
Sweet Dough
Icing Sugar Graze
Hot Cross Buns
Maple Syrup Buns
Chelsea Buns
Scones
Tea Biscuits
Salt Pork Buns
Perfect Popovers
Soda Bread

Soups

P.E.I. Potato Soup
Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup
Pumpkin Soup
Cheese Soup
Scottish Broth
Cold Borscht
Clam & Celery Bisque
Fish Chowder
Clam Chowder
Vichyssoise

Seafood

Scalloped Oysters
French Fried Scallops
Fish Cakes
Soused Herring or Mackerel
Broiled Lobster
Haddock Finnan Haddie
Stuffed Halibut Steaks
Hugger-In-Buff
Cod au Gratin
Fish Rolls
Clam Pie
Maritime Quiche
Fisherman's Trout
Creamed Oysters
Grapefruit Crab Cocktail

Main Course

Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables
Beef Birds
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Veal Chops with Mushrooms
German Schnitzel
Stuffed Lamb Shanks
Curried Lamb
Apple Pork Chops
Ham in Milk
Chicken with Ginger & Honey
Coq au Vin
Tourtière
Cabbage Rolls

Vegetables

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes with Leeks
German Style Dumplings
Potato Cakes
Seasoned Carrots
Buttery Tomatoes
Fiddleheads
Turnip Apple Casserole
Glazed Squash Rings
Old-Style Succotash
Quick Succotash
Zucchini Quiche

Salads

Cucumber Yogurt Salad
Leeks Vinaigrette
Dandelion Salad
Green Salad
Carrot Salad
Cabbage Salad
Bean Salad
Mom's Potato Salad
Moulded Beef Salad Ring
Lobster Salad
Fisherman's Delight
Mandarin Orange Salad
Sweet Pickled Beets

Desserts

Flaky Pastry
Old-Fashioned Molasses Tarts
Homespun Pie
Maple Syrup Pie
Apple Cream Pie
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Oatmeal Cake
Rhubarb Cake
Walnut Chocolate Cake
Queen's Cake
Carrot Cake
Apple Cake
Pudding Rayon de Miel
Sauce d'Or
Sauce Floradora
Plum Pudding
Oatmeal Crispies
Old Fashioned Molasses Cookies
Lemon Bars Deluxe

Drinks

Rhubarb Deluxe
Lemonade
Hot Cranberry Punch
Mulled Cider
Plum Gin
Raspberry Cordial
Mint Julep
Newfoundland Blueberry Wine
Dandelion Wine
Red Velvet Punch
Dandelion Coffee

Preserves

Peach Marmalade
Black Cherry & Red Currant Jam
Blueberry Jam
Sunshine Strawberry Jam
Spiced Crabapple Jelly
Wine Jelly
Green Tomato & Green Apple Chutney
Chili Sauce
Corn Relish
Rhubarb Relish
Bread & Butter Pickles
Mustard Pickles
Pickled Mushrooms
Pickled Herring
Pickled Eggs

Victorian Parlour Games


Here is the description of the book from the Shop at Sullivan website:

A cook book filled with over a hundred Edwardian inspired recipes inspired by the world of Anne of Green Gables.

Make the next occasion extra special and dine elegantly with a number of meals, drinks and desserts straight out of the early 1900s.

ISBN-13: 9780973680355

Image credit:
Book cover of Cooking with Anne of Green Gables.

Purchase and read Cooking with Anne of Green Gables:


Created December 10, 2008. Last updated December 18, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables (2009)

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Anne of Green Gables (2007)

Based on L.M. Montgomery's novel, Anne of Green Gables (2007) is a musical featuring a book and lyrics by Gretchen Cryer and music by Nancy Ford. The musical premiered at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and had its off-Broadway run from March 29 to May 5, 2007. It was commissioned by Theatreworks USA.

The musical starred Piper Goodeve as Anne Shirley and was directed by Tyler Marchant. Playbill described the musical according to its press notes, saying that it: "follows the journey of the wildly independent and adventurous red-haired orphan, Anne Shirley, who is mistakenly sent to Green Gables to live with an elderly bachelor and his spinster sister. Soon after her arrival, she quickly turns the entire community upside-down with her indomitable spirit and scope for imagination."


A cast recording was released by Jay Records and includes the following songs:

1. "Around the Bend"
Piper Goodeve, Erick Devine, Bethe B. Austin, Heather Macrae, Michael Mendiola

2. "A Pretty Kettle of Fish"
Bethe B. Austin, Piper Goodeve, Erick Devine

3. "I Can Stay"
Piper Goodeve, Bethe B. Austin, Erick Devine

4. "It's the Strangest Thing"
Heather Macrae, Piper Goodeve, Alison Faircloth, Michael Mendiola

5. "Kindred Spirits"
Piper Goodeve, Erick Devine

6. "Making for Lost Time"
Jessica Grove, Piper Goodeve

7. "The Use of the Colon / Two Weeks"
Michael Mendiola, Piper Goodeve, Drew Gehling, Jessica Grove, Alison Faircloth

8. "It Was Not Because of Gilbert Blythe"
Piper Goodeve, Jessica Grove

9. "Drunk!"
Heather Macrae, Alison Faircloth, Bethe B. Austin, Piper Goodeve, Erick Devine

10. "The Clock Keeps Ticking"
Jessica Grove, Piper Goodeve, Erick Devine, Michael Mendiola

11. "It's the Strangest Thing (Reprise)"
Heather Macrae, Alison Faircloth, Michael Mendiola

12. "First Day At the Academy / It's Nice to Know"
Piper Goodeve, Drew Gehling, Alison Faircloth, Erick Devine, Bethe B. Austin

13. "The Graduation"
Michael Mendiola

14. "Matthew's Death"
Erick Devine, Piper Goodeve

15. "Around the Bend (Reprise)"
Bethe B. Austin, Piper Goodeve, Jessica Grove

16. "Making Up for Lost Time (Reprise) / Finale"
Drew Gehling, Jessica Goodeve

You can listen to the cast recording at YouTube Music, iTunes, and Amazon Music.

Anne of Green Gables is available for license at the Music Theatre International website, which provides the following full synopsis of the show:

Full Synopsis

At an early twentieth-century train station, Anne Shirley, a skinny twelve-year-old, anxiously waits with her baggage, trying to keep up her spirits ("Around the Bend"). Unseen by her, Matthew Cuthbert arrives and converses with the Station Master. When the Station Master tells Matthew that the girl he was expecting has arrived, Matthew protests that he was actually expecting a young orphan boy to help him on his farm, Green Gables. Anne greets Matthew with enthusiasm, however, and he shyly takes her along.

Meanwhile, Matthew's sister, Marilla, is being visited at Green Gables by a nosy neighbor, Rachel Lynde. Rachel warns Marilla that adopting orphans is a risky undertaking.

As Mathew and Anne approach Green Gables, she grows increasingly excited. Matthew explains the mix-up to Marilla – the orphanage has sent them a girl instead of a boy. Upon hearing this, Anne bursts into tears. Marilla consoles her ("A Pretty Kettle of Fish"). Matthew has taken an instant liking to Anne, but Marilla is determined to send her back.

Marilla and Anne ride into town to sort out the mistake but, on the way, Marilla begins to warm to Anne. In the end, it's determined that an attempt will be made to find Anne a home with another local family so that she won't have to go back to the asylum.

That night, Anne shares her history with Marilla: both of her parents died when she was three years old and she passed through a succession of foster families until she was recently sent to the asylum. Her formal education has been limited, but she is an avid reader.

Marilla tells Matthew that Anne can stay with them on a trial basis. Anne overhears this and is delighted ("I Can Stay").

A few days later, Rachel visits for tea and, again, warns of the danger of adoption. Marissa introduces Anne to Rachel. Rachel immediately insults Anne's appearance rudely. Anne is stunned and exclaims that she hates Rachel. Marilla reproaches Rachel and punishes Anne.

Rachel spreads vile rumors around town about Anne ("It's the Strangest Thing").

Anne remains confined to her room until she agrees to apologize to Rachel, which Matthew convinces her to do. Anne does ask Rachel for forgiveness, and Rachel accepts the apology. Anne feels that this act has pleased Marilla ("Kindred Spirits").

As Anne and Matthew are celebrating, a young neighbor, Gilbert Blythe, arrives. He is a self-assured charmer. Gilbert's first meeting with Anne does not go well, as he unintentionally upsets her with his teasing. After Gilbert departs, Matthew assures Anne that the boy meant no harm. Matthew explains that Gilbert's father once courted Marilla.

Not long after, Marissa is preparing to take Anne over to the home of the Barry family, which includes Diana, a girl Anne's age, whom she hopes to befriend. Anne and Diana do indeed hit it off, and Anne asks Diana to vow to be her "bosom friend" ("Making up for Lost Time").

Not long thereafter, the two girls are on their way to school in a downpour and encounter Gilbert, their fellow classmate. Diane accompanies Gilbert, who has an umbrella, but Anne refuses to do the same. As a result, she arrives late (and wet) for class. The teacher, Mr. Phillips, begins class with a lesson on punctuation ("The Use of the Colon"). Gilbert flirts with Anne during the lesson, but she rebuffs him. After class, he again tries to approach her, but she reacts badly to his teasing advances ("Two Weeks").

Marilla is preparing to depart the house for a meeting while Diana is coming to visit Anne. Marilla tells Anne that the girls can have tea and gives her some raspberry cordial (unbeknownst to any of them, it is alcoholic). Unfortunately, because Gilbert had teased Anne about her red hair, she has accidentally dyed it green in an attempt to turn it black. As Marilla departs, Diana arrives and is shocked at Anne's green hair. The two girls enjoy some raspberry cordial and Diana loosens up in short order. She suggests that Gilbert is indeed the reason that Anne tried to dye her hair, but Anne vehemently denies this ("It Was Not Because of Gilbert Blythe"). Diana feels sick as she gets increasingly more drunk.

Later, Rachel accosts Marilla in the kitchen, reporting the claim of Diana's mother that Anne got Diana drunk ("Drunk!"). Anne denies this. Marilla realizes that she gave Anne the wrong cordial. Diana's mother decrees that the girls will no longer see each other. Marilla charges to Anne's defense but is unable to persuade Diana's mother of Anne's innocence.

Six months later, Anne has managed to regrow about three inches of hair after having her green locks sheared. She misses her friend, Diana, and Matthew consoles her. Suddenly, Diana arrives, explaining that her baby sister, Minnie May, is very sick with the croup and she doesn't know what to do. Matthew leaves to fetch the doctor.

Anne is experienced with treating the croup, so the girls hurry over to Diana's house and begin to treat the baby ("The Clock Keeps Ticking"). Matthew and the Doctor arrive, and the Doctor announces that the baby will be saved... thanks to Anne's help.

On her way home that night, Anne falls and injures herself. Fortunately, though, having heard of Anne's heroism, Gilbert arrives and helps her to get home.

Rachel is gossiping about Anne around town again but, this time, she's claiming that she always knew Anne was something special and she can't understand why nobody else recognized Anne's good character. Diana's mother apologizes to Anne.

Anne graduates from school, tied with Gilbert at the top of their class. Anne is accepted at the Teacher's Academy, and Matthew and Marilla proudly present her with a beautiful dress. A private conversation between Matthew and Marilla reveals that Marilla is concealing an illness from Anne, not wanting anything to distract Anne from her studies. Anne departs for the Academy.

Diana is unable to join Anne at the Academy, but Gilbert and several of their other classmates are there, including the vapid Josie Pye, whom Anne loathes. Gilbert and Anne are comforted by each other's presence at the school ("It's Nice to Know").

On graduation day from the Academy, it is announced that both Gilbert and Anne have won academic awards, and that Anne has won a four-year scholarship to Redmond College. When Anne returns home for the summer, Marilla reveals that she and Gilbert's father were once sweethearts, but that the relationship ended badly after an argument. Anne regrets being so stubborn in her attitude towards Gilbert. Matthew suffers a heart attack and collapses, dying. Anne tells him that, if only he had gotten the boy from the orphanage that he had wanted, he wouldn't have overworked himself. Matthew tells Anne that he couldn't be more proud of her.

Gilbert replaces Mr. Phillips as the local schoolteacher. Marilla plans to sell Green Gables, but Anne offers to forego her scholarship and teach locally so that Marilla can keep the farm ("Around the Bend – Reprise"). Gilbert gives his teaching position to Anne. Anne apologizes to Gilbert for her past unkindness to him, and the two acknowledge one another as kindred spirits ("Making Up for Lost Time / Around the Bend – Reprise"). They kiss at the train station as Gilbert departs to seek another teaching position in a neighboring community, promising to return for the weekend. The two look forward to spending the rest of their lives together.

Image Credits:
Poster from Anne of Green Gables from the Internet Off-Broadway Database.
Album artwork for the Anne of Green Gables Original Cast Recording of the Theatreworks USA Production.

Reference:
Gans, Andrew. (2007, March 23). Anne of Green Gables — with Goodeve, Grové and Mac Rae — Begins Off-Broadway Run March 23. Playbill. Retrieved from: https://playbill.com/article/anne-of-green-gables-with-goodeve-grove-and-mac-rae-begins-off-broadway-run-march-23-com-139501

Created November 15, 2008. Last updated May 12, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings

Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings is a biography of L.M. Montgomery by Mary Henley Rubio that was published by Doubleday Canada in October 2008. This biography was the culmination of Mary Henley Rubio's decades of research on L.M. Montgomery's life and writings. The hardback version of the book is 684 pages long.

Here is the book's description:

Mary Henley Rubio has spent over two decades researching Montgomery’s life, and has put together a comprehensive and penetrating picture of this Canadian literary icon, all set in rich social context. Extensive interviews with people who knew Montgomery – her son, maids, friends, relatives, all now deceased – are only part of the material gathered in a journey to understand Montgomery that took Rubio to Poland and the highlands of Scotland.

From Montgomery’s apparently idyllic childhood in Prince Edward Island to her passion-filled adolescence and young adulthood, to her legal fights as world-famous author, to her shattering experiences with motherhood and as wife to a deeply troubled man, this fascinating, intimate narrative of her life will engage and delight.

Reviews

"Rubio deftly paints the portrait of a multitasking modern woman with an amazing work ethic. The biography soars with the energy of its title, but delves even deeper into Montgomery's dark side."
—The Globe and Mail

"A poignant story about a real family...The result of Rubio's research is pure Canadian Gothic: a story of sexual repression, class conflict and family secrets."
—The Gazette (Montreal)

"Absolutely gripping...nothing short of brilliant, an un-put-downable read, and a wonderful examination of this troubled woman's tragic life."
—Ottawa Citizen

Image credit:
Book cover of Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings.

Purchase and read Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings:


Created November 8, 2008. Last updated September 17, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Who is Your Fictional Crush?

Might it be Gilbert Blythe or Anne Shirley?

I read a fun article on literary crushes by Alison Flood at The Guardian today that mentions Gilbert Blythe from Anne of Green Gables. Flood describes a petition that was launched in Japan to legalize marriages between humans and cartoon characters. Flood writes, "it made me wonder which fictional character I'd marry, legal niceties permitting. As a teenager I'd have plumped for any of the Georgette Heyer heroes (particularly the Earl of Rule), or Jilly Cooper's Rupert Campbell-Black, or Rhett Butler. Before those days I had quite a crush on Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables and Laurie from Little Women."

Do you have a fictional crush? If so, who is it? L.M. Montgomery's Gilbert Blythe is surely on my list. And I know from my many years on the Anne of Green Gables Forum that Jonathan Crombie's Gilbert makes many women swoon. We joked for years there about solid chocolate Gilbert dolls.


Reference:
Flood, Alison. (2008, October 30). Who is your literary crush? The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/oct/30/literary-crush-alison-flood

Image credit:
Photograph of Jonathan Crombie as Gilbert Blythe and Megan Follows as Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel © Sullivan Entertainment

Created October 31, 2008. Last updated April 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning

Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning is a book by filmmaker Kevin Sullivan, which was adapted from his original screenplay for the television movie Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning (2008). The movie and book were created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of L.M. Montgomery's novel Anne of Green Gables. Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning was published in hardback in 2008 by Key Porter Books, and a paperback edition of the book was published by Davenport Press in 2009.

In his acknowledgements at the end of the book, Kevin Sullivan writes, "Lastly, to Lucy Maud Montgomery, whose journey through life as a magnificent storyteller provided me with the impetus to begin to question what Anne would have been like had she grown up to become an author like Montgomery herself, and how Anne as a child might have looked had Montgomery delved even deeper into her own personal back story in the creation of her illustrious heroine. With enormous gratitude at having had the privilege of creating a body of work inspired by one of Canada's most pre-eminent and enduring authors."

Here is the book's description from its inner cover:

It's the early 1940s, and the war in Europe is winding down. Anne Shirley—now a successful, middle-aged writer—has returned to Prince Edward Island for an extended visit. On a whim, she's agreed to write a play for theatre producer and friend Gene Armstrong; a play that will be performed as part of the White Sand Hotel's summer stock season.

But Anne is forced to admit that the play is nothing more than a distraction—a way to take her mind off troublesome recent events in her life. Her only son Dominic has yet to return from the war. The play, she reasons, will keep her busy—at least busy enough to not go out of her mind with worry.

But a long-hidden secret discovered under the floorboards at Green Gables provides a distraction of its own. As Anne struggles to complete the play she has promised to Gene, she delves into long-buried memories, reliving the troubled years before she arrived as an orphan at the Cuthberts' farmhouse. Over the course of one remarkable summer, Anne Shirley discovers the truth about her parents, the origins of her quest for "kindred spirits," and the roots of her brilliant, magical imagination.

In celebration of the centennial of the publication of L.M. Montgomery's original novel, and inspired by Montgomery's own creation of Anne, three-time Emmy award-winner and filmmaker Kevin Sullivan gives Anne fans a rare treat: a moving and complex glimpse into the circumstances that created one of the most beloved fictional characters of our time.

Image credit:
Photograph of my copy of Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning.

Purchase and read Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning:


Created October 27, 2008. Last updated December 4, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

Magic Island: The Fictions of L.M. Montgomery

Magic Island: The Fictions of L.M. Montgomery by Elizabeth Waterston was published by Oxford University Press in June 2008. This book examines L.M. Montgomery's novels in chronological order, drawing comparisons between her literary creations and her personal life.

Here is the description of the volume from the Oxford University Press (archived):

L.M. Montgomery grew up in Prince Edward Island, a real place of "politics and potatoes." But it's her fictional island, a richly textured imaginative landscape that has captivated a world of readers since 1908, when Anne of Green Gables became the first of Montgomery's long string of bestsellers.

In this wide-ranging and highly readable book, Elizabeth Waterston uses the term "magic" to suggest that peculiar, indefinable combination of attributes that unpredictably results in creative genius. Montgomery's intelligence, her drive, and her sense of humour are essential components of this success. Waterston also features what Montgomery called her "dream life," a "strange inner life of fancy which had always existed side by side with my outer life." This special ability to look beyond the veil, to access vibrant inner vistas, produced deceptively layered fictions out of a life that saw not just its share of both fame and ill fortune, but also what Waterston calls "dark passions."

A true reader's guide, Magic Island explores the world of L.M. Montgomery in a way never done before. Each chapter of Magic Island discusses a different Montgomery book, following their progression chronologically. Waterston draws parallels between Montgomery's internal "island," her personal life, her professional career, and the characters in her novels. Designed to be read alongside the new biography of Montgomery by Mary Rubio, this is the first book to reinterpret Montgomery's writing in light of important new information about her life. A must-read for any Montgomery fan, Magic Island offers a fresh and insightful look at the world of L.M. Montgomery and the "magic" of artistic creation.

Review

Revisiting the metaphor of the island, one that she first established in a classic essay on Montgomery in 1966, Waterston draws parallels between the island setting of the author's fiction (all but one of her novels take place on an island, and the majority are set on Prince Edward Island) and her internal island of imagination, exploring Montgomery's social relations, her professional career, and the sources for characters in her novels. 

— Kathleen A. Miller, Children's Literature

Image credit:
Book cover of Magic Island: The Fictions of L.M. Montgomery.

Purchase and read Magic Island: The Fictions of L.M. Montgomery:


Created August 2, 2008. Last updated August 19, 2024.
© worldofanneshirley.com

100th Anniversary Anne of Green Gables Coin

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

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

The Anne of Green Gables coin is described as follows:

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

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

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

100th Anniversary Anne of Green Gables Stamps

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

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



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

Issued: June 20, 2008

Article published in

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Created June 30, 2008. Last updated January 20, 2024.
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Anne of Green Gables Diary

Anne of Green Gables Diary features illustrations of Anne Shirley by artist Muriel Wood. Interspersed among the lined pages of the 160-page book are quotes by L.M. Montgomery from Anne of Green Gables. The diary was published in March 2008 by Fitzhenry & Whiteside to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Anne of Green Gables in 1908.

The book would be perfect for an aspiring writer like L.M. Montgomery, who began keeping a diary in her youth and continued writing in it through her entire life.

Here is the description of the book from the publisher:

Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved classic Anne of Green Gables was first published in 1908. Celebrate 100 years of Anne in this diary, where on every page her words will inspire you to record your own private thoughts, observations, and sketches.

ISBN-13: 978-1554550661

Image credit:
Book cover of Anne of Green Gables Diary.

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Created April 6, 2008. Last updated December 28, 2024.
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Imagining Anne: L.M. Montgomery's Island Scrapbooks

Imagining Anne by Elizabeth Rollins Epperly presents L.M. Montgomery's Prince Edward Island scrapbooks, which she created from 1893 to 1910. Montgomery's scrapbooks present memories from a joyful time in her life during which she created Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables. The book presents full-page images from two scrapbooks owned by the Lucy Maud Montgomery Birthplace and maintained by the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Epperly provides explanatory notes throughout to provide insight into Montgomery's life and interpret her scrapbook presentations.

This book was first published in February 2008 as Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks of L.M. Montgomery by Penguin Canada as part of the "100 Years of Anne" celebration.

In July 2019, a second edition of the book entitled Imagining Anne: L.M. Montgomery's Island Scrapbooks was released by Nimbus Publishing.

Here is the description of the book from Nimbus Publishing:

L. M. Montgomery’s beautiful Island scrapbooks, covering a period from 1893 to mid-1910, are finally back in print. Reflecting Montgomery’s youth and optimism, these full-colour pages are filled with meaningful insight into the life of a young writer’s inspiration during the period when she would create the beloved character of Anne Shirley, who would win the hearts of readers worldwide with the publication of Anne of Green Gables in 1908. With annotations and notes from Montgomery scholar Elizabeth Epperly, Imagining Anne allows fans a revealing look inside the mind of one of the most cherished writers of the twentieth century.

Image credit:
Book covers of Imagining Anne: L.M. Montgomery's Island Scrapbooks and Imagining Anne: The Island Scrapbooks of L.M. Montgomery.

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Created February 20, 2008. Last updated September 20, 2024.
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Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Official Website:
100 Years of Anne at Penguin Books

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Created February 5, 2008. Last updated December 16, 2024.
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