Review - If I Couldn't Be Anne

If I Couldn't Be Anne
by Kallie George
illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
Date: 2020
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A beautiful read-aloud picture book about the power of the imagination, inspired by the best-selling Anne of Green Gables.

In this whimsical and magical picture book, Anne's boundless imagination takes flight! She imagines being all the things she loves so dearly. If I Couldn't Be Anne, Anne with an e, what would I be . . . Anne wonders what it would be like to be the wind dancing round the treetops. A tightrope walker, breathless and brave. A princess in a palace made of apple blossoms. A magical frost fairy or a plain little wood elf. . . . But even as Anne's imagination soars far and wide, she comes back down to earth, recognizing that some things - like friendship! - are even better than the imagination.

With adorable illustrations, and a heartfelt message, this picture book is a perfect read-aloud introduction to L.M. Montgomery's beloved Anne and will delight her brand-new fans and lifelong readers alike.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

From the team that brought us Goodnight, Anne comes this sweet little book that perfectly captures the spirit of Anne Shirley with evocative text and dreamy pictures.

Anne muses on what she would be if she weren't herself. For those familiar with the character, it's easy to see how her ideas are in perfect sync with Montgomery's original themes. Even Anne's dislike of her red hair is mentioned (although it's emphasized that red is far better than green, a nod to an incident in Anne of Green Gables).

The illustrations by Geneviève Godbout are soft and magical, yet somehow still manage to capture Anne's somewhat (often unintentionally) mischievous spirit. They're in the same style as those in Goodnight, Anne, and they're simply lovely.

I would definitely recommend this to fans of Anne, as well as to those looking for books about imagination and self-esteem.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books (NY) for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Anne's Alphabet

Anne's Alphabet
by Kelly Hill
Date: 2019
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 28
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A must-have board book for Anne of Green Gables fans, with charming, hand-embroidered illustrations.

Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes of the most recognizable moments from Anne of Green Gables, including nosy neighbor, freckles, kindred spirits and imagination.

Each letter of the alphabet is brought to life through a memorable Anne scene, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Part of a series of Anne concept books, Anne's Alphabet is a perfect way to introduce future fans to this winning character.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Alphabet books can be tricky in English, especially with certain letters (I'm looking at you, X). This alphabet book is no exception. While it works as an homage to Anne of Green Gables, it's not really a book that should be used for teaching the alphabet. Sticklers for accuracy are probably going to have problems with "E is for Anne-with-an-E", "Q is for Snow Queen", "X is for exhibition", and "Z is for zzzzzz". Yes, all of those things tie into the original story, but since this is a board book, I'm going to assume that the intended audience is too young to know the original story. As such, this is an alphabet book that's more suited to older readers... which is a little odd.

Aside from that, the selection of words and phrases for the other letters is charming. "G is for Gilbert", "K is for kindred spirit", and "P is for puffed sleeves", of course. The embroidered illustrations are just as cute here as they are in Anne's Feelings. I really like the aesthetic of these books.

Overall, this is a decent alphabet book... but it might require some explanation for some of the entries, especially once the child notices that "Anne-with-an-E" does not actually start with the letter E!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books (NY) for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Anne's Feelings

Anne's Feelings
by Kelly Hill
Date: 2019
Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 22
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

A must-have board book for Anne of Green Gables fans, with charming, hand-embroidered illustrations.

Iconic moments from the beloved L.M. Montgomery classic are celebrated in this adorable concept book. Artist Kelly Hill creates vignettes that showcase Anne's wide array of feelings, including happy, brave and, of course, the depths of despair.

Each feeling is brought to life through a memorable Anne scene, with simple text and tactile, gorgeous works of art created from cut fabric and embroidery.

Part of a series of Anne concept books, Anne's Feelings is a perfect way to introduce future fans to this winning character.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This little board book is simple, but absolutely adorable. It runs through various feelings, everything from "the depths of despair" to "full of wonder", and shows iconic moments from the original Anne of Green Gables novel through unique embroidered illustrations.

Parents reading through this book with their children are likely to get a little more out of it than the kids at this point. Or maybe they'll just get something different out of it. For kids, the takeaway is the various feelings that can be discussed. For parents, the fun part is likely to be the nostalgia about the original story. But this book could be a great way to introduce kids to the character and spark interest in reading her story (perhaps when they're a little older).

The illustrations are very cute. Anne and other characters are stitched with bright threads and fabrics. Each "feeling" word is also embroidered. The whole book is very appealing to look at.

At first glance, this appears to be a basic board book about feelings for very young readers. But adults are likely to enjoy having a look through this one, too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tundra Books (NY) for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.83 out of 5

Review - Goodnight, Anne

Goodnight, Anne
by Kallie George
illustrated by Geneviève Godbout
Date: 2018
Publisher: Tundra Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A beautiful bedtime picture book based on the best-selling Anne of Green Gables, introducing the irrepressible and beloved Anne to younger readers. It's time for Anne to go to bed, but not before she wishes goodnight to everyone and everything she loves!

Under the watchful eye of her adoptive mother Marilla, Anne has come to cherish life at Green Gables -- the dearest, loveliest spot in the world, and her true home. Every night before she goes to bed, she thinks of all the people and places she loves: her family, her bosom friend Diana, her splendid teacher Miss Stacy, beloved tree Snow Queen, the Lake of Shining Waters and the brilliant sky above. Anne even wishes goodnight -- or good riddance! -- to pesky classmate Gilbert and nosy neighbor Mrs. Lynde. And through it all, Anne's imagination takes flight on a whimsical journey through Avonlea.

This sweet and heartfelt picture book is a perfect read-aloud introduction to L.M. Montgomery's beloved Anne and will delight her brand-new fans and lifelong readers alike.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one. The cover looked adorable, but I'm a bit wary of books that attempt to retell classic novels (especially when those books aren't that old to begin with). But Goodnight, Anne is less of a retelling and more of an introduction to the character, making her accessible to children who might still be a bit young for Anne of Green Gables.

In this book, Anne says goodnight to all the people, things, and places she loves (including Gilbert, though she says she can never forgive him for calling her Carrots). It's a nice introduction to all of these things that are mentioned in the novel: her bosom friend, Diana; her teacher, Miss Stacy; the Lake of Shining Waters; the tree she's named Snow Queen; and even her potted geranium, Bonny. It's sweet and simple, and a perfect reflection of the character fans of the book have cherished for decades.

The illustrations are quite pretty. They're not exactly realistic, but the clear facial expressions on the characters provide just the right amount of life to the pictures. The gentle colour palette would make it a nice book to look at while winding down before bed.

For those who are old enough to read the novel, I would recommend doing that. But for younger children--or even older readers who simply enjoy beautiful illustrations--I would recommend Goodnight, Anne.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5