Anne of Avonlea
Anne of Avonlea
by Lucy Maud Montgomery
256 pages
Ages 9-12
Sterling (October 7, 2008)
first published in 1909
The second book in the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Mud Montgomery, was just as spectacular and worthy of its classic status as the first. I am not a big believer in sequels, I know there are few occasions on which sequels work, but to me it seems they have more of a cult following than actual talent. Of course there are exceptions, but generally the story that needed to be told was told and people move on (or should move on) to different character entrancements. Anne of Green Gables left me no where near done learning about Anne Shirley nor Gilbert Blythe, I guess I am a cult member of the Anne club now. I love those two youngins!
In this book Anne starts out at 16 years old and she takes on the local school, she is just as hazardous as always and while she has grown out of the vain mischief that so surrounded her actions in Anne of Green Gables, she will still find ways to cause damage to property, people and well, just some good 'ol time confusion. Oh, yes it is always an accident, and always more than entertaining to watch her try and fix the problems that she has caused.
In this book I never felt a pinch of annoyance with Anne as I did in the first one, she is much more mature and less dreamy and chattery. I did expect things to move quicker between her and Gilbert though, and was a little disappointed that it didn't progress more rapidly. That is just the romantic in me though, the rest of me loves that they held off, I mean they are still really young when this book ends and it wouldn't make any sense to move so fast, but still I wanted to gush.
Yes, this is another stellar performance by Anne Shirley, Gilbert Blythe and of course author Lucy Maud Montgomery! I loved the whole world of Green Gables and beyond that she created for me to inhabit as I read through Anne of Avonlea. I will no doubt pick up the next one when I go to the library. Yes this book takes the cake as a five star "On the Lowest Shelf Children's Book Reviews" feature. Well worth the read! Careful though, you'll get sucked in!
I have been interested in watching it on the screen, but I am a little confused with all the different versions out there. Can anyone help me who is a Anne fan? I would like to watch Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea on DVD or if possible online. Any hints or ideas? Are there good versions and bad ones?
The Milly-Molly-Mandy Books
by Joyce Lankster Brisley
first published in 1928 and 1929
Children's Classic chapter books
The Milly-Molly-Mandy Storybook and More Milly-Molly-Mandy are the first two books in a series of chapter books written by Joyce Lankester Brisley. She wrote her first one in 1928 and then continued on to complete a total of 4 Milly-Molly-Mandy books.
The main character Milly-Molly-Mandy is a girl who is practical, clever and sweet as well as exuding the qualities that are admirable in children. She lives in a nice white cottage with a thatched roof along with Father, Mother, Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle and Aunty. She has several friends, but Billy Blunt and Little Friend Susan are her every day companions. Sure they get into things, as all kids do, but they are ultimately honest, caring, kind and gentle to all those around them.
At our house, with our little boys (3 and 5 years old) we sit in the middle of the day and read a chapter from one of these two Milly-Molly-Mandy classics. The boys love the smart ink drawings and learning about Milly-Molly-Mandy. She has enough adventures to make even two little boys very interested. The book was written during a time when children played outside, made things with rocks, sticks and enjoyed themselves creating adventures and living in their imaginations. I love reading these books to my two boys because I want that to be inside them as well. That they would dream, imagine and just be kids.
Milly-Molly-Mandy is that they are extremely well written, as Joyce Lankester Brisley does not dumb down and do child speech, she says words such as "presently" and responds to adults as "Yes, sir" and "Yes, mam". The pages are filled with delightful illustrations. Not hasty low-quality art, but black and white drawings that hold vast amounts of vintage style charm. I have not one complaint about either of these books in any of the stories that we have read and my children don't either.
What do the kids say from On the Lowest Shelf?
An Interview with my 5 year old son, Jackson about Milly-Molly-Mandy
b: Do you like reading the Milly-Molly-Mandy books?
j: Yes!
b: Why? Can you tell me what you like about them?
j: Everything. They do fun things.
b: What is your favourite thing that they did?
j: When they made a tree house. Oh and the stamps story! (story in which M-M-M becomes pen pals with a relative her age in America and collects the stamps)
b:Should we get the next book now that we have finished the two we have?
j: Well, um I don't know. You have so many books already. Maybe for my birthday or something.
b: hahaha! Yes, maybe.
I think every kid needs this one on their own shelf. Extremely recommended.
What are your kids' favourite classic chapter books? Do you read these oldies, or would you rather go a-la-modern? No right or wrong answers, I just like to chat books :)
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