Anne Arrives

Gr 1–4—Told in eight short, illustrated chapters, this introduction to the rambunctious Anne Shirley, the Cuthberts, and their beloved Green Gables adapts Lucy Maud Montgomery's best-known work for younger readers. Orphan Anne is mistakenly sent to the elderly brother and sister instead of the boy they requested. The accident-prone, hot tempered, and outspoken tween has already fallen in love with her new home, but is abruptly shaken out of her reverie by the realization that she might have to return to the orphanage. George adeptly crafts a new, age-appropriate narrative while working in some of the original work's famous lines, never losing sight of the long-cherished characterizations. Halpin's nostalgia-tinged illustrations add an extra layer of charm and liveliness. The mixed-media art—rendered in graphite, watercolor and colored pencil, and completed digitally—is interspersed throughout the vignettes as spot art, full pages, or spreads. The engaging design and trim size will draw burgeoning readers in and make this a good choice for classroom read-alouds. This installment leaves off at a hopeful note, just as Marilla decides to keep Anne, hinting at more volumes to come.