Anne of Green Gables Books

Anne of Green Gables Stories 

Join Anne Shirley as she is adopted by siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert to live on their farm in the fictional Canadian town of Avonlea. Follow Anne as she gets to know the locals and make this town her home. Anne’s narration is imaginative, dramatic and endearing throughout making you fall in love with her and with her friends. There are a total of eight books in the series, which follows Anne as she grows into an adult. L. M. Montgomery’s revolutionary children’s classics span over the life of Anne Shirley, starting when Anne is eleven years old and then ending when she reaches fifty-three. Take a look at our breakdown of all the Anne of Green Gables books in order, below. 

Anne of Green Gables introduces the reader to Anne and her adoption by the Cuthberts. She quickly makes friends with Diana Barry and Ruby Gillis and does well in school. She soon finds herself with a school rival, Gilbert Blythe. 

Anne of Avonlea sees a sixteen-year-old Anne as she is about to start her first year of teaching at Avonlea School. Her romantic relationship with Gilbert is starting to blossom as they both teach and continue their studies. 

Anne of the Island starts as Anne is preparing to move away from Avonlea and enrol in college. Anne is getting older and is thinking about potentially settling down. She receives multiple proposals and must make a decision, tragedy also hits Anne and she must grow up very quickly and make a decision about her future.

Anne of Windy Poplars is written in a series of letters and follows Anne as she is now the headteacher of a high school and is due to be married. She continues to visit Marilla in Avonlea whilst trying to win the affection of the residents of Summerside, the town she lives in. 

Anne's House of Dreams starts with Anne’s wedding. As the title suggests, she moves into her dream house with her husband and they begin their family. Anne continues to make friends and help people out as much as she can, however, tragedy hits their family once again and Anne must turn to Marilla and Anne’s new friend Leslie Moore for support. 

Anne of Ingleside is the sixth book in the series and is set seven years after Anne’s House of Dreams and spans over six years. Anne and her husband have a large family, the book follows their children as they grow and show similarities to their parents. 

Rainbow Valley mainly focuses on Anne’s six children and their adventures with another group of siblings. They often find themselves playing in a hollow called Rainbow Valley. Anne and her husband have been married for fifteen years at the start of this instalment and are continuing to help their neighbours the best they can. 

Rilla of Ingleside is the final book in the Anne of Green Gables series and mainly focuses on Anne’s youngest daughter Bertha Marilla "Rilla" Blythe. This story follows a different theme as it is set during WW1, Anne’s three sons, Rilla’s sweetheart and two of the children’s playmates go off to fight in Europe with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Set almost a decade after Rainbow Valley, Rilla is a fifteen-year-old girl who has to come to terms with the cruel reality of war. 

Since its publication, Anne of Green Gables has been translated into over 36 languages and has sold more than 50 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books worldwide. Take a look at our selection of Anne of Green Gables books, all with unique designs and beautiful covers. 

Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE was a Canadian author who wrote novels, essays, short stories and poetry over the course of her life. 

Suitable for all ages 

Whether you are reading them to your child as a bedtime story or if you’re reading them for the first time as an adult, Anne of Green Gables is a series enjoyed by many. Perfect for fans of wild landscapes like the Secret Garden and strong female characters like Matilda or Alice in Wonderland.