Anne of Greenville
by Mariko Tamaki
Realistic Fiction
(modern retelling of Anne of Green Gables)
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
Anne and her two moms (Lucy & Millie) move to small town Greenville when Lucy gets what she hopes will be her dream job at the local high school (assistant principal). Unfortunately, a lot of the people in Greenville are small-minded and they object to newcomers of any stripe. Some are particularly vehement and outspoken about Anne and her moms (their sexuality, and progressive”/dangerous ideas). It doesn’t help that Anne is loud and colorful and has a big personality. She immediately catches the attention of the popular kids who do whatever they can to make her life hell. Anne does make one bosom friend, however – Berry – who just gets her and loves her for exactly who she is. Although she tries to keep a low profile for her mom’s sake, when Anne tries out for the school play and gets the lead role, the whole town completely loses it. Accusations and protests fly and Anne and her family have to decide whether all of the sacrifices they are making are worth the effort. A modern retelling of Anne of Green Gables with lots of nods to the original characters, who appear in some curiously new iterations. Anne overcomes countless obstacles and injustices (and finds romance!) with a satisfying conclusion. For high school teens.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
