This play is an excellent view in the wonderful world of Anne. I fell in love with the movie at a VERY young age, so was extatic to find out that it also had it's own musical! This play is impecably written... perfectly portraying the spunk of Anne, critical nature of Marila, and kind heart of Matthew! It even lets you into the world of a few minor characters, such as Lucilla Harris the shopkeeper, whom we all know for selling Matthew Cuthburt the dress with 'puffy sleeves'. It has the perfect balance of emotion and comedy. After reading this play, I actually brought it too my local theater company. It is in the works, and will be performed this fall! The lines are wity, and the songs catchy... what else could you ask for when looking for a musical with substance?! Whether you are looking for a future theatrical project, or simply a fun read, I know that you will find this play to be VERY rewarding!

"I'll try and do anything and be anything you want if only you'll keep me." This is how "Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery begins.
Anne Shirley is a twelve-year-old girl who is brought to Green Gables only to find they were expecting a boy. The Cuthberts however, are one over by this queer, imaginative girl with bright, red hair and decide to allow her to stay.
Green Gables is a lovely, little farm just outside of a small town on Prince Edward Island called Avonlea. It is surrounded by fields and forests, which hold many surprises for adventurous Anne.
Throughout this book Anne's fierce temper and wild imagination often get the better of her, but she usually manages to squeeze out of these scrapes.
Anne's melodramatic nature and fiery temper keeps you interested as you read this marvelous book.
Montgomery's humorous writing style gives life to the characters so that you feel like you are meeting them in person.
I think that this was a wonderful book filled with humor, drama and tears. I would recommend this book to anyone that has ever had a dream and loves a good book.

first of all, let me begin with I LOVE THIS BOOK! I have read this book more times than I can remember...easily more than a dozen...thus, I am going to set my mind to write a glowing review of it.

This book portrays a stunning sketch of Canadian History and Culture in the late 1800s to early 1900s. The character personalities are so real and so amazingly "human" that one cannot help but fall in love with them. You really get a taste of PEI in its glory.

This story is set in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island (Canada), a fictional settlement which is really Cavendish, Prince Edward Island, the place where Lucy Maud Montgomery, the author grew up.

The main character is Anne Shirley...and eleven year old, enigmatic, imaginative, sparkling, highly intelligent orphan who is sent to Green Gables, a farmhouse in Avonlea, under the impression that she was to be adopted by a pair of elderly siblings, Matthew and Marilla Cuthburt. But, apon arrival to Green Gables, Anne discovers that there had been a horrible mistake...the Cuthburts never wanted a girl...they wanted a boy who could do the chores and help Matthew with the farm. Anne was was in the "depths of dispair". Matthew, on the drive home from the train station had taken a great shine to Anne and had his heart set on keeping her, regardless of any mistake. Marilla, however, was not so easily enchanted. She agreed to let Anne stay at Green Gables on trial, to see if she would behave herself and lend a helpful hand to Marilla. After the trial, Anne is welcomed to Green Gables and flourishes under the love of the Cuthburts and all Avonlea folk. Anne, however, has one big problem. Her Hair. It is a hopeless shade of carrotty red and Anne felt that it was the ugliest hair anyone could imagine. She was extremely sensitive about it and she was horribly embarrassed about it. On her first day of school, Anne's hair was made fun of by Gilbert Blythe, the smartest and handsomest boy in school. "Carrots! Carrots!" he said. Anne's temper got the better of her and she was so angry she broke a slate over his head. After that, for many years, she snubbed Gilbert every time he spoke to her and he developed a boyhood crush on her.

Ah, but to keep this review interesting and the book mysterious, I will stop telling you the story and begin reviewing. The characters in the book are so well-defined that it seems to you that you know every character personally, like an old friend or neighbour.

And by all means, don't let the age recommendation fool you either...this book can be read by all ages alike...and I have no doubt that this book will still be my avid favorite at the age of 85.

The book is not boring, contrary to many opinions of those who read the first chapter of small print and historical settings. The discriptions will place you right into the heart of the story and you find you will laugh and cry while reading this story. Every time I read it I cry at a certain part which I'm not sure if I should reveal to you for fear of spoiling the good parts in the story, but it is dreadfully sad. If you read the book, then you will know what part I am talking about. The one saddest part in the whole story.

Although this book has some old ideas and ways of expressing them, you will learn a great deal of Canadian history through them and there's no doubt in my mind that this book will still be popular decades and most likely even centuries to come.

Anne of Green Gables is one of my all-time favorite books. Anne is a person almost everyone can relate to in some way or another. Anne is launched into the "depths of despair" as soon as she finds out the horrible truth that the Mathew and Marilla really sent for a boy from the orphanage. Her fiery temper gets the better of her at some of the worst possible times. Such as when she vows that she will never forgive Gilbert Blythe for calling her carrots, as if smashing a slate over his head is not enough. This is a wonderful book that L. M. Montgomery has really shown her skill as a writer and novelist in. I have read the entire Anne of Green Gables Series and am also, like another reader, saving them all for my daughter some day. If you want a book that you can thoroughly enjoy, this is the one, although I have one warning that you may have a hard time putting it down.

When four English siblings (Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy) are sent to the country to avoid the air raids in London, they find a secret passageway in a wardrobe that leads them to an imaginary land called Narnia. Here the four young children meet a few interesting characters: Tumnus the Faun, a half-goat/half-man that befriends Lucy when she's lost; the Beaver family who help the children elude the White Witch and her dangerous allies; and, lastly, the White Witch herself, who has laid claim over Narnia with her year-round winter spell and her self-proclaimed title: "Queen of Narnia". She is also the one who lures Edmund to her side with endless supplies of Turkish Delight and subtle hints of him becoming King.

During their adventures, the four children ultimately meet Aslan, the rightful king of Narnia who has returned, at last, to reclaim his land from the evil queen. Together they--along with the help of several other mystical beings--aim to defeat the White Witch and return Narnia to its original state and ownership.

After reading "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", you'll definitely want to read the following books in this series: "Prince Caspian" (#2), "The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader'" (#3), "The Silver Chair" (#4), "The Horse and His Boy" (#5), "The Magician's Nephew" (#6), and "The Last Battle" (#7). Although "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" is geared for children age 8 to 12, I consider it appropriate for all ages and encourage everyone to read it.

I received the entire Narnia collection from one of my aunts when I was a kid, either for my birthday or some other holiday--I don't remember. Anyway, this book/series has been one of my all-time favorites ever since. It's a wonderful fantasy meant for children, but will inspire adults as well. Highly recommended. It also makes a wonderful gift. ;)

There are some Christian undertones in this book, such as the terms "Daughter of Eve" and "Son of Adam" for humans in Narnia, as well as Aslan's sacrifice for Edmund; however, I don't really regard The Chronicles of Narnia as a religious series. You can expect a wholesome story, but not to worry--it isn't preachy or overly self-righteous.

Several years after it was published, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" was made into a TV series in the late 60s, which I never saw because I wasn't born yet. Plus it only aired in the UK. About ten years later, in 1979 (the year I was born), a cartoon movie was made, but I didn't see that one either. The only movie I vaguely recall watching was the 1988 movie starring Richard Dempsey, Sophie Cook, Jonathan R. Scott, and Sophie Wilcox. I remember that even then I wasn't too impressed with it, not as much as I was with the book.

So, for those who love children's fantasies, or are just C. S. Lewis fans, then I highly recommend this book and series. It's well worth your time.

Wow! I just listened to a copy of the radio theater version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and was VERY impressed with the quality of the production. It's very different from just a "book on tape." It takes your imagination away with it. I felt as though I was there crunching through the snow in the wood on the other side of the wardrobe and there through the tea in the beaver's house, etc., etc. I was listening in my car and sat in the driveway for 15 minutes to hear the end of the first tape!

I wanted to hear the production before I sent it to my neices for Christmas. I've read the books several times and was concerned with whether or not the radio theatre would accurately represent the books. I was not disappointed. I got them for my neices and will most likely end up purchasing copies for myself of the whole series once they are available.

Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this radio theater series to lovers of Lewis's books and especially to parents(even if they don't know Lewis's writings all that well). It's an adventure! Oh, it also would be great on long car trips for both children and adults.

CS Lewis is perhaps best-known for his Chronicles of Narnia series of children's books, of which this was the first written. In fact, the book is second in chronological order, but this was the first book Lewis wrote and published, and I consider it to be the first of the series. This is a story about four children who are staying at an enormous house in the country with an old Professor. One day, Lucy (the youngest) finds a door (inside a wardrobe) to the magical world of Narnia. This leads to a whole series of adventures, in which they join forces with a magical lion named Aslan to combat a wicked witch.

This is a wonderful fairy-tale type story for children, but there is a lot of religious symbolism here as well. Above all, Lewis was a master Christian apologist, and many Christian symbols and values appear in this book. Aslan is a Christ figure, a selfless being who sacrifices himself for another, and who rises again and brings about a sort of "resurrection" of other animals when he restores to life various creatures who have been turned to stone. Edmund, the youngest brother, is a symbol of a lost and selfish soul who goes seeking for evil, finds it, is enthralled by it, and finally redeems himself by practicing virtue. Throughout the book there are numerous Christian references, no doubt an attempt by Lewis to make these stories teach children the right kind of values.

I am certain that one of Lewis's aims in writing this story was to inspire good moral living among children, to show what sort of behavior is acceptable, and what is not. Note also his many jabs against the school system, especially those made by the Professor. In fact, it is the new school Edmund attended which was the cause of his nastiness and selfish attitude. There are many hints of Lewis's philosophy and theology here, and readers of his other works (for example, his books Miracles and the Abolition of Man) will find the values he advocates in those books put into practice here.

These books serve a dual purpose. They are very entertaining for children, and they also provide some very essential lessons. This is what has made the Chronicles of Narnia constantly popular, both among children and among adults.

E.B. White has written a wonderful children's book that is very entertaining and equally educational. The length and level of comprehension needed makes it appropriate for ages seven to nine. There are several life lessons the reader can learn throughout the story, which also reflect lessons that the Bible teaches, such as humility and servanthood. While children are being greatly amuzed at this humorous storyline, they are also learning valuable lessons about life, which is why it is unforgettable. The use of personification of the barn animals is the most effective source of humor: the goose cheers for "Wilbur", who is the pig trying to escape from the barn; the sheep talk as if the farmers are "plotting a murder" to kill "Wilbur"; "Wilbur" does a back twist in the air; and "Charlotte", who is the talking spider, states that, "People are not as smart as bugs!" It is hillarious! The barn animals are also experiencing human emotions, which help children to relate to them, such as loneliness, anger, satisfaction, joy, and love. It is a roller coaster storyline that keeps children very attentive! Also, equally impressing are the life lessons that White implements throughout the animals' lives. "Wilbur" realizes that what is truly important in life is not that he is the most popular, talented, or best looking, it is the satisfaction of having one true friend to share his life with, who is "Charlotte". "Wilbur" and "Charlotte's" humility and servanthood create a wonderful friendship. This definitely will teach children to be humble and to treat others as they would want to be treated, while not being too proud or self-seeking like "Templeton", who is the selfish rat. This is also taught in the Bible, when Jesus states, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11). Through "Wilbur" not viewing himself as "terrific", but still becoming famous and "Charlotte" saving "Wilbur's" life without due recognition, children will learn that being humble and serving others is not always the way the world desires us to act, but it is the most rewarding way to live. White is also very informative about spiders: the seven sections of their legs and how they spin a web, which is very educational. It is very interesting when "Dr. Dorian" states that just a spider's web, even without words inscribed in it, is a miracle. God created every animal and insect, which are true miracles, and it is great that E.B. White points that out. I found no weaknesses throughout this story. This is a book I highly recommend for young children. Through the use of much humor and implementation of valuable character traits that reflect who God wants His children to be, this story is one that children will treasure forever.

I am an English major at a private liberal arts college who spends her time reading many of the world's greatest pieces of literature and, still, this remains my favorite book.
Any hopeful writer should attempt to craft their work at E.B. White's level. For an author to be able to touch the lives of both children and adults through a passage of fifty years shows talent.
The book covers wonderful ideas such as friendship, sad facts such as death, but even contains many touches of humor (Check out the chapter entitled, "The Miracle": Charlotte has just written "some pig" in her web. Mr. Zuckerman quickly believes that Wilbur is no ordinary pig. His wife responds to his quick belief in the unusualness of the pig, by stating," 'It seems to me you're a little off. It seems to me we have no ordinary spider,'" to which Mr. Zuckerman responds, " 'Oh, no. It's the pig that's unusual. It says so, right there in the middle of the web.'").
So, stop waiting for kids to show up in your life and just sit down and read the book. You'll giggle, you'll cry, and at the end you'll agree that, "it's not often that someone comes along who is a good writer and a true friend. Charlotte was both."

As we all know, there are those certain books in the world that literally every single child in the world should read, and "Charlotte's Web" is a perfect example of must-read literature. It's such a classic story, not to mention a beautiful one. E.B. White creates such memorable characters and describes them very well. When a little girl named Fern hears that some baby pigs have been born in the barn, she is terrified to hear that her father plans to kill the littlest one, the useless "runt." Fern talks her father into letting her adopt the pig. She names it Wilbur and treats it as her own. Then the time comes for the pig to be more on its own, so Fern is forced to sell him to her uncle, who owns a farm. Wilbur feels lonely and out of place until he meets Charlotte, a kind spider who befriends him and, eventually, saves his life. Beautiful, beautiful story of friendship and courage. It contains characters and a fun plot that any child can enjoy. I read this book for the first time when I was in fourth grade, and I recently helped a little second-grader that I baby-sit for with her "Charlotte's Web" comprehension questions. It brought memories back. This is one of those books that you remember for the rest of your life once you've read it. It's excellent, and well worth the money.

The story of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves in the jungles of 19th century India, charmed me when I was young no less than it does today. Kipling wrote this to celebrate his love of India and it's wild animals as well as to show again some of his frequent themes of honor, loyalty, and perserverance. While his writing may seem 'dated' to some, to others the truths he includes rise above politics and 'current correctness'. Baloo the Bear, Shere Khan the Tiger, Bagheera the Panther, Kaa the Python were all childhood friends of mine, and reading these Jungle Book stories to your own children today will result in their exposure to such old fashioned concepts as sticking by your friends in adversity, helping your family, relying on yourself. Good lessons then, good lessons now. Mowgli learns the value of 'good manners' early on, learns that 'all play and no work' leads to unexpected troubles, learns that thoughtless actions can have devasting consequences. By showing Mowgli in an often dangerous 'all animal' world, we see reflections of modern human problems presented in a more subtle light. Kipling leads children down the jungle path into adventures beyond their day to day imagining and along the way, he weaves subtle points in and out of the stories, he shows the value of 'doing for yourself', of 'learning who to trust'. All of this in a tale of childhood adventure that's never been equaled. The book is over 100 years old now, and there are terms & concepts from the age of Empire that aren't 'correct' today. Parents can edit as needed as they read bedtime stories, but I've found that children learn early on that the world changes, and that some ideas that were popular long ago did not prove to be correct. Explaining this, too, is a part of parenting. Some of our current popular ideas may not stand the test of time, but I suspect that 100 years from now parents will still read the Jungle Book to their children. And the children will still be charmed, thrilled and instructed in valuable life-lessons.

This was probably one of my most favorite books as a young child if not my favorite. The way Kipling shows the struggle of this young boy in the jungle is amazing. He fails to leave out any detail and throughout the whole story your totally caught up in it without one point of boredom. I recommend this to any parent looking for a good book to read to their children or to have their kids read. Kipling is a great author and after doing a report on him and reading some of his other works I recommend those as well, especially A White Man's Burden. If your looking for books by a author who mixes fiction with truth, action and adventure with tales that bring in more serious aspects Kipling is the author for you.

The Jungle Books are usually marketed as juvenile fiction. True, this is essential reading for children, but it's even deeper when you read it as an adult.

Although "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi" and "The White Seal" are just as good as the least of the Mowgli stories, it is the various tales of the boy raised in the jungles of India that are - and justifiably - the heart of the collection.

As a baby, Mowgli is found and raised by a clan of wolves and three godfatherly mentors who each teach him about life in different ways - Baloo the Bear, who teaches him the technical laws he'll need to survive; Kaa the Python, the nearly archtypal figure who teaches him even deeper lessons; and Bagheera the Panther, who perhaps loves Mowgli most of all but understands all too well the implications of the ambiguous humanity of the boy he's come to care for.

The stories have it all, from the alternately humorous and frightening "Kaa's Hunting", where Mowgli learns an important lesson about friendship and it's responsibility, to the epic "Red Dog" that reads like something out of Homer, to "Letting in the Jungle" which, without giving anything away contains a disturbing paragraph that's both glaring and a long time in coming if you've read between the lines in the previous Mowgli stories and yet at the same time so subtle you can almost miss it's importance.

If you didn't read it as a child, read it now. If you did, read it again as an adult.

I just reread it in a collection of Nobel Prize winning authors--their acceptance speeches etc., and this story and "As I Lay Dying" were chosen as examples of his work. This story!!! It's such a mundane little macabre "gotcha" story, over-anthologized for high school students (along with other tired stories like "The Most Dangerous Game"). Faulkner is such an incredible writer--I'm reading Fury in the Dust right now, and his sentences--the Nobel Prize committee described them as being "as powerful as Atlantic rollers". What was he thinking when he wrote "A Rose for Emily"? Obviously not much. Read anything else by him, you'll have a better time.

This is one of those books that are force on you at school. The basic story is of a Southern belle driven mad by isolation and her ties to the past. If this is your first reading of something representative of Faulkner this is the best example, as it is short and the story is intriguing. You can enjoy reading it for what it is and not have to analyze the thing to death. Even if you do not particularly cotton to Faulkner's style or subject matter, this book will transcend both. In 1982 they made this story into a movie with John Houseman and Anjelica Huston.

this book is about a very good short story on the changes of the south during a very representative period!