Last August I read the first book in this series, Anne Arrives, a beautifully illustrated adaptation of Anne of Green Gables aimed at early readers.

I have checked periodically to see if the second book was available, and I was fortunate to be given a copy.

As in the first book, there is a valuable lesson learned, perhaps by more than one person. Anne continues to be her spirited self, while at the same time she is nervous about meeting Diana. She wants to make a good impression because she is sure they will be the best of friends, her ”kindred spirit,” making her Anne’s first real friend in this new place. Anne is even more excited when she finds out that there will be a picnic, and – best of all – Diana’s mother says she “reads too much.” Clearly, they are two friends whom destiny has brought together.

With vivid, colourful and charming illustrations, this was an absolute delight to read.



Pub Date: 07 May 2019


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Penguin Random House Canada / Tundra Books

What a sweet book! As a huge lifelong fan of Anne of Green Gables, I really enjoyed this. The art is adorable, and the story is laid out in such age appropriate language that modern kids of 2019 who might struggle with the original text can still enjoy such a timeless, classic Anne story.

This is very cute. I read the original Anne of Green Gables back when I was around eight, and one thing I remember was getting bogged down by some of the vocabulary. If these books had been around back then, they might have been a better option until I was old enough to read Montgomery's novels without needing to look so much up in the dictionary!

This particular story tells the tale of the missing amethyst brooch and Anne's "confession". The author manages to capture the personalities and spirit of the characters quite well. And the illustrations add some more interest. Anne looks just like one would imagine: fiery red hair, lack of puffed sleeves, and freckles galore.

This is a strong early chapter book. I haven't had a chance to read the first one in the series yet, but as I was already familiar with the characters and the story, I didn't really need to. Still, if this is your first introduction to Anne, you'll probably want to read the books in order.

I am a big fan of L.M. Montgomery and Anne of Green Gables—the book and the miniseries. I have read all the sequels and even worked on an archives project to scan first edition covers. But I know that the full-length novel isn’t as appealing to very young readers (I didn’t even enjoy it when I was in elementary school). This retelling of the “affair of the brooch” is a nice introduction to the story. It condenses it without taking away from the language and the magic. I especially loved the classic illustrations!