I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great introduction to Anne of Green Gables for readers who are too young to begin that series. Loved the story and the illustrations. Well done.

If I couldn't be Anne // by Kallie George // illustrated by Genevieve Godbout

I didn't grow up with Anne but actually just read the books maybe a year or two ago. I loved them immediately though and was excited to see this little gem come out. The illustrations are beautiful and give the book such a fun and sweet feel, and the writing feels so... Anne! I was transported right back into the story. What a fun way to introduce young kids to this little girl's adventures!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. The illustrations were really nice. Great for introducing children to Anne or for fans like me.

A beautiful celebration of the delightful imagination of sweet Anne Shirley, this book will thrill fans of Anne-with-an-E, and is a perfect introduction to her stories. The artwork is soft and whimsical and brilliantly captures Anne and her flights of fancy.

Oh, Anne with an E, I will always be a fan of your imagination and your heart. I'm adding this book to my teacher wishlist--the whimsical pictures and poetic language provide such a sweet introduction to one of my favorite characters of all time. I'm also hoping to use this book as a mentor text with my high school students in future months. I can't wait!

Wonderful illustrations throughout; very cute and charming. As an adult reader, it was fun to pick up on the events or things from the Anne books.

My one complaint is that the verses didn't rhyme. Sometimes that doesn't bother me, but sometimes it does. It definitely did in this case, as the book, the atmosphere, everything about it seemed like it should have proper rhyming verses. It felt somehow slightly clunky without.

Absolutely lovely!!!

"...if I must be Anne, I want to be Anne with an e. And I want to live here--at Green Gables."

The images and story in this book really capture the playful, imaginative, nature-loving spirit of the young Anne from one of my all-time favorite stories, the beloved classic "Anne of Green Gables" series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Also, the illustrations in this book are absolutely stunning and really make this a beautiful piece of art. I believe "If I Couldn't Be Anne" would be a wonderful gift for any young girl. I undoubtedly would have had a difficult time putting this book down if I had it in my youth.

Note: Thank you NetGalley and Tundra Books for sending me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is a cute, lighter take on Anne of Green gables for children. The illustrations are lovely, and I’m always happy to be able to share Anne with a younger generation.

This was a cute picture book for fans of the original!
I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very cute and such a good keepsake for fans of Anne of Green Gables/LM Montgomery. The illustrations are gorgeous

Since Anne of Green Gables came out of copyright and into the public domain there has been a multitude of children's books and 'inspired by' texts to peruse. I have yet to find one that I feel embodies or moves the Anne of Green Gables legacy forward in a meaningful manner.

As a born and raised Canadian, whose got family members buried not 15km away from Anne's house on Prince Edward Island (although I live in the West), I have a bit of a protective 'mama bear' attitude towards L.M. Montgomery and Anne. I totally understand that like so many classic children's/middle grade books many of us have fond memories of Anne and her travels. But we weren't five years old when those memories began; and yet they keep publishing board/children's books about Anne even though it's much too young for full exposure.

Let's face it, the nostalgia factor for the parent means nothing to a small child. This story abut Anne could be about any girl of any name and it would still be: boring, insignificant, and underwhelming. At the age group this is targeted at we are much better off having books about animals, social responsibility, morals, etc. We are deluding ourselves if we think any children under 7 think some random redheaded girl is important (unless her name is Merida).
I think we should preserve Anne for the middle-grade group of children. Allow them to peruse the novel(s) the same as we did at the age. I do not believe there is a need for an introduction to Anne earlier than that. This book is just fluff.

While the illustrations are gorgeous, and the verse kind of cute, this just doesn't do it for me. Funny enough my middle name is Ann (without an E) and I remember telling my Mom how disappointed I was in her choice of spelling (I'm told my relatives didn't have an E on their name). It's funny now, but I can't even imagine if I had been obsessed with Anne at an earlier age than 8 as I might not have understood that how you spell a name is irrelevant at the end of the day. So I recommend you don't give any girls named Ann (without an E) a complex and find something a little more educational for your little ones for story time. Provide Anne at the right age so they can love her like we all do.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

'If I Couldn't Be Anne' takes you back to Green Gables. This is a beautifully illustrated option for those too young to delve into the novels. But, don't be surprised if you enjoy the references and nostalgia more than your children.

I think I liked this book more than either of my grandchildren. It uses ideas from the Anne of Green Gables books to showcase all the things that Anne loves about Green Gables and the community. It was a whimsical story with absolutely gorgeous illustrations. It is a good introduction to the Anne stories. Having said all that, neither of my grandchildren were impressed with the book and it was one that they did not ask for again, in fact, they didn't even want me to finish it. Perhaps they are too young for it.

A beautiful introduction to one of my personal favorite literary characters. The story follows a young Anne as she imagines who she could be if she wasn't Anne with an E. It alludes to the original story (which will likely not have as much impact on the audience, but will definitely resonate with adult readers), but can easily stand alone as a tribute to the wonder of your imagination. Highly recommend!!

This had very lovely art, and as someone who adores Anne of Green Gables, I really enjoyed it. It would be a great introduction to a younger child who can't read Anne yet, but hopefully will someday.

I am a book daredevil most of the time and don't even decide to read summaries or descriptions unless something completely bores me or drives me nuts with books after I start to read them. But by that time if the book hasn't charmed me with something about its title or cover I have moved on. And yet sometimes it is amazing what I end up tripping over such as this particular book.

It has been forever and a day since I have read "Anne of Green Gables" but I can still pick-up her tone and mannerisms even now, which definitely has me giving kudos to Kallie George for keeping the character as such. The story is beautifully done - descriptive, light and fun - while allowing the reader to get to know this lively little redhead, especially if they haven't yet read her books while it reminds me that I need to re-read her book.

The illustrations are wonderfully done - beautiful, classy and magical all at the same time. They are truly the perfect match to this particular book.

I would recommend this book to fans of the modern book but also to those who are thinking of introducing their own little ones to the original Classic to gauge whether they may be ready or not for the actual longer telling.

**Please note I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review**

Inspired by Anne of Green Gables, If I Couldn’t Be Anne by @Kallie.George and @genevievegodboutillustration is a beautiful read-aloud picture book about the power of the imagination. “In this whimsical and magical picture book, Anne's boundless imagination takes flight! She imagines being all the things she loves so dearly.” from @goodreads.

I love Anne and I love this beautifully illustrated picture book.

#bookreview ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley @penguinrandomca for the advanced copy of #ificouldntbeanne.

I have been a fan of Anne since before I could read. I am always nervous when someone new does anything to this character but I am so happy I read this book! I found out this author has several other Anne related books and they are all being brought home! Perfect for anyone who even kinda likes Anne (which is silly because how could anyone not love Anne)!

This book is stunning. The illustrations are beautiful. While I love Anne of Green Gables, I recognize that not everyone is familiar with the original classic. This book would be a great way to get younger students interested in the series. I also think the vocabulary in this book would make it a great instructional text as well.

This book brought me right back to my childhood. Growing up, I read all of the Anne series... loved them... and quite enjoyed going to Green Gables in PEI with my family on unforgettable vacations. Thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book. The author is to be commended for writing such a delightful book for readers of all ages. The illustrator did a remarkable job on brining the story to life. Imagination runs wild in this book - from the wind tickling the lake to the lily maid "drifting dreamily through summer." What a fun, delightful book for all ages!