Maud by Melanie Fishbane
Fourteen-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery dreams of attending college and becoming a writer, but her grandfather does not believe in higher education for women. Worse, when she finally goes out west to be with her father again, her new stepmother treats her as nothing more than a nanny. Will Maud ever find a way to follow her dreams? Or will she grow old feeling that her world has grown increasingly smaller?
Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
Emily Webster longs to go to college with all of her friends, but has to stay home to care for her grandfather. As she watches her former crowd move on without her, she begins to lose interest in life and to struggle with finding her place in the world. Only when she stops feeling sorry for herself and decides to take control of her future does she realize that her home of Deep Valley has a lot to offer. Emily decides to keep up her studies and to help her immigrant neighbors transition into their new life. Her new sense of identity also brings her her first encounter with love. A companion to the Betsy-Tacy books.
The Alpine Path: The Story of My Career by L. M. Montgomery
L. M. Montgomery’s autobiography depicts her as a kindred spirit with Anne and Emily as she pursues her writing career.
Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery
With her father dead, Emily Byrd Starr has been taken in by her mother’s people, Aunts Elizabeth and Laura, and Cousin Jimmy, whom she’s never met before. Aunt Elizabeth, however, seems very harsh. But as the days go by, Emily learns to love her home at New Moon and to make friends from the artistic Teddy Kent to the wild Ilse Burnley. And all the while she’s perfecting her craft of poetry as she prepares to be a writer.
“The Highway Man” by Alfred Noyes
This narrative poem first published in 1906 tells the story of a highwayman who meets his lover in the moonlight, but is betrayed by a jealous ostler. The cadence and repetition make it a memorable selection, especially for our girl Anne to recite.
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter
Elnora Comstock longs to get an education and to play the violin. Her mother, however, treats her harshly at home and does everything possible to keep Elnora from following her dreams. Determined to pay her way through school anyway, Elnora begins collecting and selling butterflies from Limberlost Swamp.
“The Lady of Shalott” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Who can forget Anne’s mishap in the lake while playing the Lady of Shalott? Experience the full romance of story by reading the original ballad.
When Patty Went to College by Jean Webster
Jean Webster’s first novel follows the escapades of Patty Wyatt, a senior at an all-girls college. Popular with her peers and fond of pranks, Patty ultimately must learn how to balance her love of fun with a sense of responsibility.
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Rebecca Randall arrives to live with her aunts Miranda and Jane in Riverboro, expecting that they will “be the making of her”. Someone, after all, needs to gain an education so that her mother can lift the mortgage from their farm and raise the six other children. But Aunt Miranda is severe and strict, and completely unready to cope with the imaginative child who has just landed on her doorstep. Can Rebecca bring light and life back to the Riverboro house?
I love Emily of Deep Valley! I remember not really wanting to read it at first since it wasn’t about Betsy, Tacy, or Tib (although Betsy does make an appearance in the book). It’s actually become a favourite book of mine 🙂
I’ve seen Maud around, but haven’t picked it up yet. I’m a little shy of books like this. Interesting that it seems to be about her younger years.
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I’ve read most of the Betsy-Tacy books, but I don’t think I ever really connected with Betsy. She’s such a flirt and I just don’t relate! Emily of Deep Valley seemed like a quieter type of book and I enjoyed that.
I actually enjoyed Maud a lot. It’s not perfectly written–I think the pacing is inconsistent. But it feels a little Anne-ish and I think readers get a good sense of how Montgomery found happy moments even though her life was rather hard.
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I am thinking of revisiting Anne and LM Montgomery’s work again this year or next (dependinging) on time. Slightly off topic, but which of her books outside of the Anne of Green Gables series are your favorites?
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The Pat books are my favorite! I love Jingle and his dog McGinty! And Pat’s a sweetheart. 🙂
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Ok, thank you so much Krysta 🖤 I am hoping to explore more of her work outside of Anne.
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I think most people prefer Emily and she is really interesting as it feels like she represents Montgomery to some degree, at least in her struggle to have a career as a writer. But Pat is interesting to me precisely because she’s so ordinary. She doesn’t really have a special talent. She doesn’t have a personality that’s unforgettable like Anne. She’s just a girl growing up.
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That sounds like a character I can relate to! So I will definitely keep Pat in mind because I love being able to connect on a more personal level and that is part of what appealed to me with Anne as a child 💗
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I like Pat too! And A Tangled Web.
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Thanks so much! You guys are awesome 💕
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Aw, you’re awesome, too!
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Surprisingly, I wasn’t a fan of the Emily books. Maybe I’m just too attached to Anne’s character, haha. xD I’ll definitely check out the others! 🙂
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Anne is a rather memorable character! I like the slightly darker feel to Emily’s books, too, though. 😀
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For sure! And yes, I loved that about the books. They seemed a little more realistic and less romantic, I guess?
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Great list! I love Emily of New Moon almost as much as Anne. Have you read Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat? Those are also good recs for fans of Anne.
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The Pat books are my favorite Montgomery books. 🙂
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This is a lovely list! I read the full Anne series last year and absolutely loved it! I am hoping to read Emily of New Moon this year (sometime) and loved all your ideas for more Anne inspired reading 🙂
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The Emily books are great, as well! They have a slightly darker feel, which I enjoy.
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I’ll have to move them up on my TBR 🙂
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