Anne of Green Gables

About the story

Elderly siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert asked for a boy to help on their farm, but the orphanage sends Anne Shirley — red-haired, talkative, and full of imagination. On Prince Edward Island, Anne finds a best friend, a rival, and a home.

Before reading

• What does it feel like to arrive somewhere new?
• Why might imagination help someone through hard times?

Discussion questions

1. How does Anne change Matthew and Marilla's lives?
2. Why is Anne so sensitive about her red hair?
3. What makes Anne and Diana such good friends?
4. Anne and Gilbert start as rivals. How does their relationship change?
5. Anne gives places new names, like the "White Way of Delight." Why?
6. How do the pictures show Anne's imagination?

Words to know

• Orphan — a child whose parents have died.
• Kindred spirit — Anne's phrase for someone who thinks and feels like you.
• Scrape — a difficult situation you got yourself into.
• Imagination — the ability to picture things that aren't there.
• Rival — someone you compete with.

Activities

• Rename your world. Like Anne, give new, beautiful names to three ordinary places near you.
• Anne's mistakes. List three of Anne's scrapes. What did she learn from each one?