Customer Reviews

Anne of Green Gables My First Classics

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Don't be fooled by the promise of illustrations by Mary Engelbreit. This is one of my favorite childhood books, and I bought this edition expecting illustrations by Mary Engelbreit throughout the book. The only illustration is the front cover. Do not buy this book expecting an illustrated volume.

Why would they call this book "Mary Englebriet's Classic Library"? If Mary Englebriet's name is on the book then I expect pictures inside. There are no pictures except the cover which all books have cover pictures so having one picture doesn't make this book any different than the paperback version. How is it possible that someone who is as prolific as Mary Englebriet couldn't even create one single picture for the inside of the book?

I loved that this was an unabridged version of the classic!

Often when a well known artist releases a new version of a beloved book it is highly condensed. This is the original full text of a charming book and the talented Mary Englebreit created a beautiful cover while leaving the integrity of the book in tact.

This is a MUST HAVE for Anne fans, and just in time for her centennial celebration too!

I bought my own copy and I'm looking forward to adding copies of this to my school library as well as the other books in this new series.

Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert have always been content with their lives. While neither of them ever married, the elderly brother and sister have always made the best of their situation, keeping one another company, and getting the chores done around the sprawling Green Gables, where they reside. But as Matthew nears sixty, Marilla can't help but feel that he needs someone to assist him with the daily chores that have begun to grow stressful on his aging bones. Taking this into consideration, they decide to bring an orphan boy into their home. An individual who will have the opportunity to leave the asylum they have spent much of their life in, and have a true place to call home, as long as they agree to lend a helping hand to both Marilla and Matthew. But upon reaching the train station, Matthew is darned to find out that the little boy they were expecting to take home is actually a little girl.

Red-haired and freckle-faced, eleven-year-old Anne Shirley has always been a talkative individual who has spent much time strengthening her imagination by indulging in daydreams and fantasies. Her number one daydream, of course, is to have a home, and a family to call her own; which is why she's thrilled at the prospect of living at the lush, beautiful Green Gables. When she realizes that Marilla and Matthew were expecting a boy, however, Anne can't help but feel as if her one true hope in life is quickly being taken from her. She can't imagine going back to the asylum where there was "no scope for the imagination," and leaving the wonderful food, delightful people, and beautiful property of Green Gables behind. Luckily, with a dose of her non-stop talking, Matthew and Marilla realize that they can't possibly live without the wonderful Anne Shirley, and decide to keep her. Little did they know, however, is that with little Anne Shirley in residence, Green Gables will never be the same!

No matter how many times I have been to the bookstore, I feel as if L.M. Montgomery's ANNE OF GREEN GABLES has been gazing at me, yet never, in all these years have I ever read the classic story. It wasn't until I discovered Mary Engelbreit's edition that I decided to delve in to the world of Green Gables. Now I don't know how I ever survived all these years without being introduced to the lovely Anne Shirley. From the moment she arrives on the scene, Anne is a captivating character who you can't pull your eyes away from. Her wild imagination, stubbornness, and strong-willed personality make her absolutely irresistible; and the fact that she is so determined to hold grudges, do well academically, and give back to the compassionate Marilla and Matthew only makes you love her more. The fact that Montgomery has managed to create an assortment of supporting characters who you can't help but adore - from Marilla to Matthew, and Diana to Gilbert Blythe - only adds another delightful dimension to the tale. An enchanting story no one should miss!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

I bought this as a present for my grand-daughter. I plan to collect all of Mary Engelbreit's Classic Library. These are the books that many generations have shared for years only illustrated by one of my favorite contempory artist!