Gr 5-8-Anne never fit in at any of the foster homes she was sent to after her parents' deaths. When she is mistakenly sent to the Cuthbert's farmhouse, Green Gables, she is overjoyed. Although the foster parents wanted a boy, this mischievous, talkative, imaginative girl eventually gets under their skin. Kate Burton, an incredible vocal artist, provides superb narration for L. M. Montgomery's classic. She creates an irresistibly vivacious and breathless voice for Anne. She also provides an excellent voice for the repressed and proper Marilla Cuthbert, slowly allowing the woman's increasing affection for her charge to blossom. Shy Matthew Cuthbert is voiced quietly but firmly. Listeners will fall in love with Burton's performance as well as the spunky, exceptional Anne Shirley. A must-have for all libraries-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, Santa Barbara, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Nova Scotia-born children's author Wilson gives us the backstory to a classic, imagining little orphan Anne of Green Gables before she found her new family. Look for the 100th-anniversary edition of L.M. Montgomery's beloved work (ISBN 978-0-399-15478-2. $19.95). (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Two beloved Canadian classics lose much of their charm by being adapted for younger readers. While the most memorable events of each story remain true to the spirit of the originals, entire chapters were sacrificed and many richly descriptive passages were pared back in the dumbing down of these books. Both of the stories, in their unadapted form, make great read alouds for kids not yet able to tackle them on their own. From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 6-8. An orphan girl finds happiness and security on a Nova Scotia farm when she is taken in by a kindly bachelor and his crusty sister. Beautifully filmed for television.