I’m pretty sure I read at least the first volume of Anne of Green Gables. I certainly caught much of the PBS series. But while I was growing up, the dreamy red-headed girl was part of pop culture, even if she was a classic when I read her. I wonder if today’s young girls know of her… perhaps this adaptation would change that.

Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel
By Mariah Marsden. Brenna Thummler
amp! comics for kids. 2017. ISBN 9781449479602
PBK, $10.99. 231pp.
Grades 4 and up

The story stays faithful to the book. Anne is an orphan and is mistakenly sent to the Cuthbert farm instead of a boy. Matthew immediately is enraptured by the dreamy young red-head and urges his sister Marilla to keep her. And they do. Marilla is always quick with a sharp remark or discipline, while Matthew is the easy going one.

There’s also Gilbert Blythe, the boy who teases Anne and gets a slate broken over his head for it. The young romance blossoms much like it does in the original.

Though the artist makes Anne really ugly, the artwork does capture the picturesque town and the quirky array of characters. Readers will enjoy this series and perhaps some will want to delve into the original work. A win-win either way!

This review is based on a complimentary copy supplied by the publisher. All images copyright © amp! Comics for Kids.