Feeling wistful for the small town life of Avonlea? Whether you’re still drying your eyes after the finale of Anne with an E or simply yearning for more of that windswept, poetic charm, CCPL has you covered. From headstrong heroines and found families to pastoral landscapes and coming-of-age journeys full of heart, these books capture the spirit of Anne Shirley’s world in all its hopeful, rebellious, and imaginative glory. So grab your slate (preferably unbroken), find a cozy spot by the window, and prepare to fall in love all over again.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Sisters who fight, dream big, and challenge societal norms? Sounds familiar. Little Women is brimming with the same emotional highs, personal growth, and fierce feminist spirit that makes Anne with an E so beloved. Anne Shirley would fully get Amy March’s rash actions in anger, and Jo March and Anne could be kindred spirits—both stubborn, imaginative, and never quite what the world expects them to be.
“Meg – the sweet-tempered one. Jo – the smart one. Beth – the shy one. Amy – the sassy one.
Together they’re the March sisters. Their father is away at war and times are difficult, but the bond between the sisters is strong. Through sisterly squabbles, happy times and sad, their four lives follow different paths, and they discover that growing up is sometimes very hard to do. . .”
-Amazon
This modern, graphic novel remix of Anne of Green Gables drops our favorite redhead into a contemporary cityscape full of code-switching, school drama, and vibrant community life. The heart of this remake is still pure Anne: bold, big-dreaming, and full of fierce loyalty and poetic passion—even when it gets our girl into trouble.
“In this modern retelling, Anne is fostered into the West Philly home of siblings Marilla and Matthew, and while she initially has a hard time at school, she ends up joining the robotics team and competes for a spot in an elite STEM program.”
Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery
If you love Anne with an E’s dreamy visuals and emotional depth, Emily will sweep you off your feet. Written by the original author of Anne of Green Gables, this series dives even deeper into themes of grief and ambition but with an added supernatural flare. Emily’s got Anne’s fire and imagination, but she’s moodier, more intuitive, and maybe just a little bit witchy.
“When Emily’s father dies, leaving her an orphan, she is sent to live with a stern aunt on Prince Edward Island, where her resourcefulness and love of writing help her adjust to a new way of life.”
The Secret Garden adapted by Mariah Marsden
Hidden rooms. Lonely children. Wild nature and emotional healing. This graphic novel adaptation captures the same bittersweet nostalgia and transformation that makes Anne with an E so unforgettable. Fans of the show’s moody, lush landscapes and evolving friendships will feel right at home within these ivy-covered walls.
“Locked doors. Unseen magic. The most contrary of friends. Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder. But as she begins to explore her new home alongside ragtag companions–a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals–Mary uncovers long-buried family secrets and learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil.”
-Back Cover
Flygirl by Sherri Smith
Hidden rooms. Lonely children. Wild nature and emotional healing. This graphic novel adaptation captures the same bittersweet nostalgia and transformation that makes Anne with an E so unforgettable. Fans of the show’s moody, lush landscapes and evolving friendships will feel right at home within these ivy-covered walls.
“Locked doors. Unseen magic. The most contrary of friends. Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at her uncle’s secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder. But as she begins to explore her new home alongside ragtag companions–a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals–Mary uncovers long-buried family secrets and learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil.”
-Back Cover
Between Shades of Gray: The Graphic Novel written by Ruta Sepetys and adapted by Andrew Donkin
Like Anne, Lina uses art and memory to filter her trauma, often revising or imagining events – creating an unreliable narration fans of the show are all too familiar with. Lin’s narration softens certain horrors in a way that reflects Anne’s early coping mechanisms. This graphic adaptation makes the emotional impact even more immediate. Perfect for fans who like their coming-of-age stories tangled with dark history and heartbreak.
“In 1941, fifteen-year-old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her family and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. Based on the author’s family, includes a historical note.”
Anne: an adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (sort of) by Kathleen Gros
Imagine Anne with a sketchbook instead of a pen, and Green Gables with Wi-Fi. This gentle and inclusive graphic novel is perfect for fans who prefer a more modern setting and who couldn’t help but be an Anne and Diana shipper. With themes of identity, family, and first crushes, this reimagining is just as witty, warm, and wildly dramatic (in the best way) as the original.
“Anne Shirley has been in foster care her whole life. So when the Cuthberts take her in, she hopes it’s for good. They seem to be hitting it off, but how will they react to the trouble that Anne can sometimes find herself in . . . like accidentally dyeing her hair green or taking a dangerous dare that leaves her in a cast? Then Anne meets Diana Barry, a girl who lives in her apartment building, the Avon-Lea. The two become fast friends, as Anne finds she can share anything with Diana. As time goes on, though, Anne starts to develop more-than-friends feelings for Diana. A new foster home, a new school, and a first-time crush–it’s a lot all at once. But if anyone can handle life’s twists and turns, it’s the irrepressible Anne Shirley.”
The Hired Girl by Laura Schlitz
If you loved Anne’s hustle to prove herself in Avonlea, you’ll be hooked by Joan’s journey from farm girl to housemaid in early 1900s Baltimore. With her journal entries full of charm, humor, and ambition, Joan’s voice feels like Anne’s long-lost pen pal—plucky, dreamy, and determined to find a bigger life.
“Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself–because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of–a woman with a future.”
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
If you loved Anne’s hustle to prove herself in Avonlea, you’ll be hooked by Joan’s journey from farm girl to housemaid in early 1900s Baltimore. With her journal entries full of charm, humor, and ambition, Joan’s voice feels like Anne’s long-lost pen pal—plucky, dreamy, and determined to find a bigger life.
“Fourteen-year-old Joan Skraggs, just like the heroines in her beloved novels, yearns for real life and true love. But what hope is there for adventure, beauty, or art on a hardscrabble farm in Pennsylvania where the work never ends? Over the summer of 1911, Joan pours her heart out into her diary as she seeks a new, better life for herself–because maybe, just maybe, a hired girl cleaning and cooking for six dollars a week can become what a farm girl could only dream of–a woman with a future.”
Dan in Green Gables by Rey Terciero
What if Anne were a boy—and a runaway, no less? This heartwarming and funny graphic novel reimagines the Green Gables story with a fresh take on gender roles, foster care, and found family. Dan has Anne’s fire and imagination, and Marilla and Matthew are just as lovable as ever. Fans of the show’s modern sensibility will adore this twist.
“In this modern reimagining of Anne of Green Gables, effervescent extrovert Dan Stewart-Álvarez is surprised to find home and community in rural Tennessee. Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always wanted to settle down. He just didn’t think it’d be like this: with his mother abandoning him in rural Tennessee with two strangers—his gentle grandmother and conservative, rough-around-the-edges grandfather. Here, he is forced to adjust to working the farm, entering high school, and hardest yet—reckoning with his queerness in a severe Southern Baptist community. But even as Dan grows closer to his mawmaw, befriends fellow outsiders at school, and tries to make a new life for himself in Green Gables, he has to discover whether he can contend with intolerance and adapt to change without losing himself in the process.”
Bonus Book!:
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Don’t forget to check out where Anne’s story all began! While Anne with an E only had three seasons, L. M. Montgomery wrote eight books in the Anne of Green Gables series!
“As soon as Anne Shirley arrived at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she knew she wanted to stay forever. But would the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she’s not what they expected — a skinny girl with decidedly red hair and a temper to match. If only she could convince them to let her stay, she’d try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes or blurting out the very first thing she had to say. Anne was not like anybody else, everyone at Green Gables agreed; she was special — a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreamed of the day when she could call herself Anne of Green Gables.”
