Charming “retelling” of Anne of Green Gables meets Hansel and Gretel! This was a cute, middle grade read! I was in the market for an adorable palette cleanser and this was just the thing. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Is Anne of Green Gables the original found family story? After reading The Grace of Wild Things, I’m saying yes. This book is a magical retelling of Anne, with a young, orphaned witch who pretty forces herself on a witch who lives in the forest. After striking a deal with the witch, Grace explores her magic and her new home. The writing is stunning (makes me so excited to read this author’s adult work) and so heartwarming. The magic is like a classic fairy tale, full of flowers and clouds and talking birds. I adored it.

Like its inspiration, this has a lot of heart. There are several likable characters and the witch is surprisingly layered for a middle grade story. Grace’s friends are wonderful, and it’s really special to see finally be cared about and find her people after being so lonely. The choice to make Gilbert into a mischievous fairy is so wonderful and so funny. And yes, I did tear up several times. I love headstrong girls, I love magic and I love forests that come alive. This was great and I’m eager to get it for our library.

Cute story, but I wanted more of the witch and Grace’s relationship! I saw some similarities to Anne of Green Gables, but would’ve loved more. The addition of Cordelia and the men confused me—what was their purpose?

I've seen The Grace of Wild Things described as Anne of Gables meets Grimm fairytales, and I would echo that sentiment!

The Grace of Wild Things is like a twist on the beloved story, Anne of Green Gables. Grace is an orphan, just like Anne, looking for imagination and beauty. However, Grace has a magic that Anne never had! This is where the slightly darker vibes come in. Grace is a young girl just trying to navigate her supernatural world.

This story is still written in that wonderful writing style of the authors as seen in other books of hers. I would definitely recommend this for youth and older children.

The Grace of Wild Things is a middle grade magical Anne of Green Gables reimagining. I enjoyed Grace's dreamy outlook on life and liked seeing how she endears herself to and befriends mostly everyone she meets. She was such a charming character, and I adored seeing her whimsy and interactions with others play out.

For me, a lot of the Anne of Green Gables references felt unnaturally shoehorned in. I think I would have enjoyed this more if the character of Grace had kept her personality as inspired by Anne, but without it following certain story beats. The one exception is the part with the cordial and later how Grace helps the little sister and wins her friend's mom over to her side.

Overall, I did really enjoy this book, and I think it's perfect for middle grade readers looking for a lighthearted magic book.

I’ve been a fan of Anne of Green Gables ever since I saw the wonderful miniseries with Megan Follows. She is the definitive Anne for me. So any new Anne has some big shoes to fill. I think this book does a lovely job of it.

This is not your usual Anne of Green Gables, although the story lines will be familiar to fans of the book or tv show there is enough different to make this book feel fresh and new. It does an excellent job of hitting the right narrative notes. Found family, found friends, imagination. Focusing on a clever, brave heroine who experiences the world around her with unbounded charm and delight. The book was easy to read and to fall into, and it was a page turner. I am sharing it with my daughter, who never got into the original book series. I hope she likes it as much as I did.

This book was an adorable read and would do well for students in middle school. It is easy to get into and follow even if you never read Anne of Green Gables.. Grace is a fun narrator to follow along and watch as she finally gets friends and a family for the first time. I love how strong willed Grace is and how comes up with her own way to do things. The layout of the chapters make it really easy to follow and get through since they are like small tales themselves. The only issue I had with the story itself is that the ending felt a little rushed, but otherwise I would recommend this book.
I was permitted to review both an e-book copy and an audiobook copy of this story. The audiobook was also easy to follow along and listen to. It wasn't the final narrator so I can't comment too much on the voices themselves, but I think it has a lot of potential as an audiobook as well. The chapters don't drop you off in the middle of a scene or anything, so it is easy to drop-off and pick-up wherever you need to.

It has been a while since I read Anne of green gables, but I remember loving it. So once I found out there was a retelling with magic I was intrigued.
The story follows young Orphan Grace who wishes nothing more than having a place to finally belong. After she escapes the Orphanage, she goes in search of a house in the woods where it’s rumored a witch is living. Grace being a witch herself hopes of finding someone who understands her.
The witch however doesn’t seem to want anything to do with Grace. After getting the witch to a agree to a bet in exchange for becoming her apprentice. Grace has one year to complete all the spells from the witches Grimoire. On her journey she finds some friends and maybe begins to soften the witches heart towards her.

I really enjoyed this one, not only as a retelling but as a story on its own. You can definitely tell what the author was retelling in the way our main character spoke and her whimsical nature.
There are some things that didn’t work aswell for me.
- Somtimes there were parts that moved to fast. Especially the ending felt rushed.
- the character that is the main villain in the end felt a bit unnecessary and wasn’t fleshed out enough.
I still think if you liked Anne of green gables but wished it had magic this book would be for you.

I received a E- Arc of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Growing up Anne of Green Gables was a book I reread yearly. When I saw this was a new twist on my favorite childhood story I was so excited to be given an advanced reader copy. I must admit I was a little worried that the new story would change Anne in a way that she was no longer the same character but I was worried for nothing. Our Anne is still the same imaginative and lovable girl, just in a whole new setting.

I think this is a great book that can introduce children to some of the classics their parents grew up on.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this lovely book!

The Grace of Wild Things is a lovely reimagining of Anne of Green Gables that captures the spirit of the classic and essence of “Anne” while becoming something that stands fantastically on its own.

In this book, Anne is Grace, Marilla is a witch, Matthew is a cloud and Gilbert a fairy. And each one is perfectly suited to both the tale and world crafted by Heather Fawcett.

Grace is the girl/witch you want to root for. She’s bright and inquisitive and wonderfully flawed. The witch is dark and crusty and nuanced. And as Grace forges friendships, supporting characters help to fully flesh things out. Each of the children have specific quirks that really make them stand out.

The best things about The Grace of Wild Things are the feelings it evokes. Picking it up is like visiting with an old friend. Fawcett’s writing is warm and inviting, full of wit and emotion. The Grace of Wild Things is a fine update to a beloved classic.

This story was so cute and informative for young readers. Not only an almost retelling of “Anne of Green Gables” with an added twitch of magic, friendship, and grief.

Almost immediately I personally fell in love with the characters and what they brought to the story. I appreciated that the topic of grief and losing a loved one. These topics of friendships, not fitting in, grief and so many more important ideas that children need to know!

Highly recommend for middle school aged children and younger, if their reading level is higher.

Take Anne of Green Gables and add witchcraft and BAM.. you’ve got a book.

Grace has never been good at anything except magic. While other children are adopted from the orphanage, Grace has nobody wanting her. So she runs away. Who better to teach her about magic than another witch.

This story was an imaginative and unique in its own spin. There’s definitely a main character struggling with identity. I appreciated the take the story was trying to weave, but she’s a massive honker for kids to read.

The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett is a magical, witchy, and resoundingly successful homage to a classic. With its captivating narrative and enchanting characters, this novel is sure to leave readers spellbound. Fawcett's writing is a masterful blend of the whimsical and the profound, creating a unique and unforgettable experience.

This is the best retelling I've read! I am completely entrantsed with this. A must read for the year.
I just reviewed The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett. #TheGraceofWildThings #NetGalley
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Such a delight! This is a retelling of Anne of Green Gables, and Heather Fawcett did an excellent job of encompassing the spirit of it. If Anne were a witch, this is exactly how she would be! I can't even get over it! You get the fun parts that happened in Anne of Green Gables, but put into this story of magic and reality. You get slates being broken over heads, and a pest of a preteen boy (Gilbert, who is Rum in the story) Anne is one of my all time favorite fictional characters and this book showcased her perfectly!

In a Nutshell: A witchy retelling of ‘Anne of Green Gables’! Good for middle graders who don’t get scared easily. Knowing the original tale isn’t necessary, though it helps. If you are an adult fan of Anne and also like fantasy, you might wanna add this to your agenda.

Story Synopsis:
Grace is a young orphan who has run away from the children’s home with just one aim in mind: she is going to convince the witch who lives in the nearby woods to take her on as an apprentice. After all, she knows she can do a little magic; so what if she can’t control it? What Grace doesn’t realise is that the witch is as bad as the locals say. However, a she doesn’t want to return to the dreary orphanage, she makes a deal with the witch. Grace now has to learn all the 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire within the next 7-8 months, or else she has to surrender her magic to the witch. Will Grace be able to save herself and her magic?

Where the book worked for me:
👻 I love it when retellings don’t just rehash the original story but take it as the foundation to create a whole new experience. In many ways, this book is like Anne of Green Gables, and yet it is not. There are subtle nods to the key scenes from the original such as the slate scene or the raspberry cordial scene, but nothing is replicated outright. You will also find an equivalent of all the key characters such as Marilla, Matthew, Gilbert, Diana and even Rachel Lynde. However, none of them are called by the same or even a similar name in this book, thus making this story a fresh experience and allowing the new characters to stand tall without the shadow of their predecessors covering them.
(Funnily, many story elements also reminded me of Hansel and Gretel.)

👻 Grace’s character lives up to the high expectations set by Anne Shirley. Grace is just as curious, loquacious, vivacious, and audacious as Anne was. She is a wonderful character to have as the main protagonist. There are many other characters I liked, but my favourite of these was Windweaver the poetry-loving crow.

👻 The book begins on a somewhat slow pace but soon picks up the momentum. It is almost episodic at times, just as the original was, but reading the adventures in this style was better, especially as it is kinda long (at 368 pages) for its target age group of 8-12 years.

👻 Kids will surely enjoy reading about the bizarre ingredients Grace requires to carry out the spells from the grimoire. The magical elements and the spells are fun.

👻 This is not just a story of found family but also a tale of friendship, determination and loyalty. As a children’s book, this has many lessons to offer along with the entertaining bits. There are some really beautiful quotes too.

👻 The worldbuilding needs to be spot on for a fantasy to work, and this book doesn’t fail us. Prince Edward Island is transformed into a magical place, what with mysterious woods and fairy realms intermingled with the regular village people.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
☠ There were a few elements that go unexplained, and a few scenes that are too hurried. The ending is especially abrupt. (There’s no cliffhanger though.)

☠ The character who is introduces towards the final section doesn’t add much to the story. I get why her track was required, but it felt superfluous. Only if there’s a sequel planned of which I know nothing right now, her appearance is justified.


You don’t need to know the original at all to enjoy this story; it stands perfectly well on its own. But knowing the original will certainly help you see how well the author has transposed the children’s classic into this fantastical version.

Overall, this is a nice book for middle graders who have a preference for the fantastical and would like to read a story of friendship and courage.

4 stars. (I’d have happily gone with a higher rating had the final few chapters been written better.)

Note: There are a few scary elements in here, so if your child is sensitive about ghosts or nightmares or evil witches who eat children, do proceed with care.


My thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Grace of Wild Things”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

If you love Anne of Green Gables, this beautiful and charming retelling is for you. Grace, an orphan, is sure she’s a witch. She’s run away from the orphanage in search of a witch who might adopt her and teach her the art of witchcraft. She meets Mrs. Puddle stone, a witch who is sickly and makes Grace a bet. Learn to cast all the spells (100 1/2) in her grimoire and Grace can stay, otherwise, the witch gets all of Grace’s magic. Easy? Not so much.

This book is a delight. The writing is beautiful. I love the characters, especially the witch. Even though she’s pretty wicked, she and Grace manage to form a relationship. Fawcett does a tremendous job with the character of Grace. She’s captured Anne Shirley’s spirit and freedom, but added her own twist. Then we have Grace’s friend Sareena Khalil and her fairy servant Rum - beautiful characters. The world building is amazing - the descriptions are gorgeous. I wouldn’t mind living in this book.

I highly recommend this book, especially if your a Green Gables fan. You won’t be disappointed. Let me know if you read - I’d love to discuss!

This novel is absolutely enchanting. If you loved Anne of Green Gables, but really wished that it was set in a world where magic was real, this is the book that you have been looking for for your entire life.
Grace absolutely embodies the spirit of Anne, and a few of the scenarios from the original novels are presented with a magical twist here. This retelling captures the same spirit that L. M. Montgomery created in the original tales, spinning a marvelous tale of a young orphan witch who sets out to seek her fortune by attempting to apprentice herself to a witch in a wood.
This is the coziest tale, and you root for Grace the entire way through. The ending was the only one that really made sense in the story, even though I was not expecting it. My only concerns are the intricacies of the magic system, which was silly and preposterous and charming and probably made sense for this story but would likely leave a more experienced fantasy reader wanting. And while I do love tales that re-spin original stories, there were some moments here that felt slightly too derivative of their inspired tales. That said, I absolutely adored the story and the style. Heather Fawcett has such a delightful authorial voice and I will never not be excited for something she writes.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy
Age: Middle Grade (and Adults)

As soon as I saw this book was inspired by Anne of Green Gables, I had to read it. And I love books with witches, so I was completely in. And nervous that it wouldn't live up to my expectations.

I adored it!

Grace is wonderful. A chatterbox, full of angst because of being an orphan, and even loves poetry. The other characters also fit in with the cast of the original Anne of Green Gables.

Outside of the Canadian landscape, emotions, and cast of characters, The Grace of Wild Things is a new story. Grace wants love and acceptance—a home. She loves the witch's cottage for its spookiness and the surrounding forest. Accidentally, Grace saves a boy fairy from being trapped in a tree. Oh, they have a tempestuous relationship—and since he's a fairy, Grace never knows when he's going to pop up.

Grace is tasked to complete one hundred and a half spells to stay with the witch. And she only has until the cherry tree blossoms again. She's sleepy. And then she's rushing to complete the task.

But then another danger appears. One that threatens the forest, the creatures within it, the witch, and the cottage.

I highly recommend this delightful story! Adults are going to love it for the Anne of Green Gables Easter eggs. Kids will love it because it's highly entertaining. And we all know what it's like to feel like an outcaste at some time in our lives. This book is also a gentle way of helping a child understand themselves and others better. But truly, the kids will read it because it's funny and a tiny bit spooky. (More humor than horror, so you don't need to worry.)

Happy reading!

3.75 stars

This is a wonderfully whimsical and witchy reimagining of Anne of Green Gables (with Hansel and Gretel, and some other fairytales thrown in for good measure) with enough inventiveness to break free from its source material. I became a Heather Fawcett fan after loving The Encyclopedia of Faeries earlier this year, and her strengths are present in this story too (a flair for language, vivid imagination, characters with flaws but easy to root for), though I found it too long for a middle-grade read (yet too short and rushed for everything the story tried to take on). There are enough loose ends to build a sequel, if the author so wished. Even without it, this is quite the charming story with a very well-rounded and compelling protagonist.