Anne of West Philly by Ivy Weir and Myisha Haynes (Illustrator)
Reviewed by: Deb Alig, Circulation Assistant
Genre: Middle Grade Graphic Novel
Suggested Age: Middle school (11-14)
What is the book about? Anne of West Philly, by Ivy Weir, is a graphic novel retelling of L. M. Montgomery’s classic children’s novel Anne of Green Gables. If you’re familiar with Montgomery’s plot, you will find similarities in Weir’s adaptation. The characters’ names in the retelling are like the names in the original story, but the characters’ ethnicities are different. The characters in Anne of West Philly are mostly Black and Hispanic instead of White like in Anne of Green Gables. The setting is different too. Montgomery’s story takes place on Prince Edward Island in Canada during the late nineteenth century, and Weir’s retelling takes place in the city of West Philadelphia in Pennsylvania during modern time. Just like Montgomery’s Anne, Weir’s Anne is curious, energetic, competitive, imaginative, sensitive, and smart. But she also has a tendency to get into trouble which makes Marilla, her foster mom, question whether she and her brother Matthew should keep her. In both stories, Anne is good friends with Diana Barry, and she dislikes a popular boy named Gilbert Blythe who competes with her academically. In Montgomery’s telling, Anne eventually develops a crush on Gilbert, but in Weir’s adaptation, Anne develops a crush on a female character. In West Philly, Weir’s Anne attends a school with a STEM program and a robotics club which is very different than the one room school house on Prince Edward Island that Montgomery’s Anne attends. In both stories, the Cuthberts grow quite fond of Anne and choose to keep her as their own.
My Review: I am a fan of the original Anne of Green Gables, so naturally I enjoyed Weir and Hayne’s graphic retelling. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and bright, and they clearly capture the action that is taking place. The retelling is cleverly based on the original story with the main differences being the setting and the race of the characters. Children who are Black or Hispanic and who live in a modern day city may identify more with the characters in Anne of West Philly than with the characters in Anne of Green Gables. But regardless, the authors of both books, through their stories, encourage young readers to have good values, respectful behavior, kind attitudes, accepting mindsets, and loving hearts.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Surprising, Clever, and Entertaining
Give This a Try if You Like…The Secret Garden on 81t Street, also a graphic novel by Ivy Weir or Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden. The original Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery has been made into musicals, plays, animation, films, and live action TV programs.
Rating: 4.5/5
