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This book is based on Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.
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Description edit
A must-read for generations of book lovers. This remarkable, and heart-warming prequel to the classic Anne of Green Gables was specially authorized by L.M. Montgomery's heirs to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of the original novel. Before Green Gables is the story... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters edit
- Anne Shirley: Anne is a feisty girl with more enthusiasm and imagination than anybody in her village. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a real family - her parents die when she is very young. Struggling through her first years of life, she manages to find a few true friends, though. Her life will change only when she is sent from the orphanage to a farm on Prince Edward Island. I loved Anne for her kindness and wild being, imagination and enthusiasm. She always held her head high and hoped for the best in each day.
- Bertha Shirley: Mother of Anne, much loved English teacher who was required to quit her job when she married Walter Shirley
- Walter Shirley: Father of Anne Shirley, beloved math teacher at Bolingbroke High School, husband of Bertha Shirley
- Mrs. Johanna Thomas: 32 year old who comes to help the Shirley's when Anne is born. Married to often drunk Bert Thomas, with a houseful of her own kids. Ever pregnant, and downtrodden.
- Lochinvar: Anne's cat
- Jesse Gleeson: Befriends Bertha Shirley after her marriage - has a number of children, and though she wanted to take in Anne, had no room
- Bert Thomas: Handsome, hard drinking, dancing man who married Johanna. Alcoholic who, when he falls off the wagon is an abusive brute. Has a strange softness for orphaned Anne whom they've taken in.
- Eliza Thomas: Eldest daughter of Johanna and Bert Thomas, is the one to care for infant Anne when she joins their household. Promises to always keep Anne with her, but leaves her behind when she marries Roger Emerson
- Mrs. Hammond: married to a lumberman, lives in the middle of a forest in a huge house he built surrounded by 24 stumps of trees, has two daughters, two sets of twins, all under four and is pregnant with another set when Anne goes to help them at age 9. Her mother had been well educated, and there is a big box of books in the cellar that Anne reads one at a time
- Katie Maurice: The name of an old school friend of Eliza's. Anne uses the name to talk to her imaginary friend (reflection) in the glass of Anne's parents' old China Cabinet - her only early confidant
- Mr. Johnson: The Egg Man who becomes Anne's Word Man - disappointed in love, he withdrew from the world and teaching to his cabin filled with books. Her thirst for knowledge brings him out of his shell renews his love of teaching. Anne introduces him to Miss Henderson.
- Noah Thomas: The 4th son and 7th child of the Thomas - quiet, funny looking with an odd cast in his left eye, becomes 5 year old Anne's love and joy - unlike his noisy, rowdy, quarrelsome older brothers who are closer to her age
- Miss Henderson: Young teacher in Marysville, Nova Scotia who works to help Anne catch up, and feeds her thirst for knowledge and beauty, stories, poetry and art
- Mrs. Spencer: Comes from Prince Edward Island to select a 5 year old girl for herself and a sturdy and useful 11 year old to help in a farmer's family
- Mrs. Archibald: Aunt of Miss Henderson, she befriends little Anne near the end of her mile long walks through all weather to fetch eggs from the Egg Man - gives Anne tea and cookies, and ribbons for her "Beautiful hair"
- Miss Haggerty: Aged midwife - a confirmed spinster after growing up in a household of screaming children. She befriends Anne in short spurts. Lives in a cottage near the stream near the mill
- Edna: an orphan at the orphanage, with pretty looks and a bad personality
- Roger: Marries Eliza.
- Mr. McDougall: Teacher in the forest who tells Anne and the class of Prince Edward Island, and gives her a framed picture of the beach and sea grass there, after she secretly returns the picture of the island cottages she'd stolen from him
- Mrs. Larsen: Add a description of this character.
- Sadie: Orphan
- Mildred
- Horace: One of Mrs. Thomas's sons.
- Hugo: One of the twins
- George
- Julie Anna: One of Mrs. Hammond's twins. Roderick's twin sister.
- Roderick: One of Mrs. Hammond's twins. Julie Anna's twin brother.
- Randolph
- Jenny
- Violetta: Anne's new imaginary friend - an echo in the field in the valley in the middle of the forest near the Hammond's house
- Dr. Bates
- Gerald
- Trudy
- Mrs. Hepworth
- Tessa: an orphan at the orphanage, friendly but not bright
- Harry
- Kendrick
Quotes edit
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“I've been worried and bothered lots of times, and it didn't kill me.”
Anne Shirley
Setting & Locations edit
First Sentence edit
Bertha Shirley stood at the door of their little yellow house and waved good-bye to Walter as he turned onto the road that would eventually take him to the Bolingbroke High School.
Table of Contents edit
1. Walter Leaves For Work
2. Jessie's Revelation
3. Walter Returns
4. Tea With Jessie
5. Waiting For March
6. Mrs. Thomas Comes
7. Anne Shirley
8. First Weeks
9. Fever and Fears
10. A Small World
11. Four Days
12. What To Do?
13. Moving Out
14. Moving In
15. Difficult Times
16. Eliza's News
17. Changes
18. Heartbreak
19. Eliza's Wedding Day
20. Katie Maurice
21. Katie and Anne
22. Mr. Thomas and Anne
23. Disaster
24. The Fruits of Disaster
25. Preparing to Leave
26. Leaving and Arriving
27. Marysville
28. Mats, Education and Eggs
29. A Long Walk
30. The Egg Man
31. Words
32. Anger and Fear
33. On The Way
34. First Day of School
35. Recess
36. A Talk With Mr. Johnson
37. Anne Receives A Dictionary
38. A Blizzard of Surprises
39. A Journey
40. A Terrible Shock
41. A Hardened Heart
42. A Surprise Visit
43. A Magic Day
44. A Long Fall
45. Winter
46. A Surprise Visit
47. School and Other Things
48. Terror
49. Birthday Presents
50. Disaster
51. The Downside of Death
52. A Sad Conversation
53. Mrs. Hammond Comes
54. Good-byes
55. The Journey
56. Discoveries
57. Violetta and Miss Haggerty
58. More Discoveries
59. Daffodils and Other Things
60. Afterward
61. Time Passes
62. Another Year, Another Time
63. Endings
64. Another Departure
65. Another Journey
66. Another Arrival
67. New Beginnings
68. A Friend!
69. A Revelation
70. Mrs. Spencer Arrives
71. On The Way
Acknowledgments
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Country: Canada
Publication Date: 2008
ISBN: 0670067210
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Penguin Canada
Country: Canada
Publication Date: 2008
ISBN: 0670067210
Page Count: 320
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: PR9199.3.W4982 B44 2008b
- Dewey: 813.52
Subjects edit
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