Review - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery Radio Theater

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 blurt 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.

It's not often that I find a story that both of my girls are interested in reading or listening to. I thought this, too, would be a futile effort as they rarely like listening to books on CD. I was wrong. Hallelujah I was wrong! They LOVE Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I started to read it, but then found it at the library on CD as a radio theater version (and I can't for the life of me find the version I'm listening to on Amazon or Goodreads, so the link is back to the book itself). They ask me to take them to school instead of riding the bus just so they can listen to what happens next.

It's fantastic. I do have to say it was quite a different experience than watching the movie. I'd grown so accustomed to Megan Follows as Anne that hearing a different person give life to her voice was weird at first. It was a little like she was over-acting at first, but then I guess given Anne's personality, that's not far off from the truth.

Every time I read or watch (or now listen to) this story, it's like I'd never heard it before. I find myself listening like I don't know what's going to happen. That's what makes it such a wonderful story. Every time it's like it's new and exciting. I love it. And I love that my girls love it.

The movies and TV shows that they watch now a days are so dumbed down that they don't require any cognitive or intelligent thought what-so-ever. I think it's amazing that they looked forward to finishing the CDs even more than I did. Anne is bright and full of a fire for life and has an incredible imagination. THIS is the type of thing I wish they'd bury themselves in more often.

Obviously it's something I'd recommend to anyone. Read the book, listen to it, watch the movies. Just... meet Anne Shirley if you haven't already. And if you have, say hello to her again.