Anne's Colors: Inspired By Anne of Green Gables

Anne

by Kelly Hill (Illustrator)

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 scenes from Anne of Green Gables, including Anne and Diana's first meeting, Gilbert pulling Anne's hair, Anne's puffed-sleeve dress and even Anne and Diana sharing raspberry cordial!
Each scene has its own color, 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 Colors is a perfect way to introduce future fans to this winning character.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Classics, Canada

20 pages, Board book

First published May 1, 2018

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like its companion book, Anne's Numbers, Anne’s Colors, with its pretty water-color illustrations, will appear more to mothers who adored Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables than their children; however, in this case, the illustrations seem a little less forced than in Anne’s Numbers, making it a bit more appealing to youngsters with no knowledge of Anne Shirley. For that reason, I gave this boardbook an extra star.

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne's Colors gets off to a rough start by calling Anne's braids orange. A slate over Hill's head for such blasphemy! But overall, it's quite fun, and Hill gets the color of Anne's Puffed Sleeve™ dress right. I would have preferred the colors being in rainbow order, but that's just personal preference.

[منال الندابي · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading and rereading this book with Hind.

[QNPoohBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adaptation of Anne of Green Gables for toddlers focuses on colors, like orange for Anne's braids. Each color relates to a scene in the story. The real stand out of this book is the illustrations. They depict iconic scenes in the novel like Gilbert pulling Anne's braids, Anne's puffed-sleeve dress and Anne and Diana sharing raspberry cordial (red). The standout for me is the fabric applique pictures that so sweetly and accurately depict my favorite novel. The adult can fill in the story while reading to the child if they so choose and slowly introduce words and concepts so they'll be ready for the real novel when they are older. A whole extra star for the illustrations.

My cousin says I got this for her daughter but I don't remember reading it. Perhaps my mom bought it as a baby gift from me?

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this board book a bit more than Anne's Alphabet: Inspired by Anne of Green Gables because it can actually be used to teach colors. Though toddlers (like mine) don't know what Green Gables is (yet), they can still grasp what green is based on the illustration. I usually buy board books like this for my own amusement, but I do like it when they have discernible value for my kids as well. My toddler has been loving having this book in bed with her at naptime.

[Laura (Book Scrounger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne's Colors is the second Anne-themed book I've come across recently, the first being Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel (which I also enjoyed very much).

This adorable book uses very simple text, as well as illustrations made of fabric and embroidery, to perfectly encapsulate the charm of Anne of Green Gables in a way that's friendly for babies and toddlers. Each scene will be familiar to fans of the book, and highlights one item and its color (green for green gables, of course!). To be honest, I couldn't tell you off hand whether anything was made up for this book, because I have no idea whether, for example, Anne's puffed-sleeve dress was really brown or not! Not that it makes any difference to me.

Anne's braids are referred to here as "orange" which, while it may not match the book exactly ("red hair"), more accurately portrays that misnomer so as not to confuse children.

Some "items" are less concrete, such as "pink cheeks" which shows Anne angry at Gilbert grabbing her braid. But I don't think any of these selections were too contrived, and each manages to recreate a memorable scene or concept from the story, whether it's Anne and Matthew in the carriage, or the fateful party with Diana and the cordial.

(Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.)

[Damaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like its partner in numbers, Anne's Colors is a beautiful introduction for young minds to not only vivid, colourful landscapes, but also the world of Green Gables and Anne Shirley. Anne's Colors paints a brilliant landscape of Prince Edward Island through the introduction of orange braids, white blossoms, black hair, pink cheeks, red cordial, blue sky, brown dress, yellow scarf, purple twilight, and green gables. The illustrations are gorgeous throughout the book, capturing the attention of any young reader, and the mother or father who might accompany their child on the journey throughout Anne's Colors pages will be thrilled with the references to the true Anne of Green Gables story. Not only is Anne's Colors a great starting point for any young person to become interested in Anne, it's also a great reminder for older readers of why we know and love Anne Shirley so much.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Anne of Green Gables and I love how the author took the story and very quickly summarized it using colours. Each page used the story such as orange - Orange Braids to illustrate the colour. It also had many other orange things on the page. The illustrations, done in thread, material and wool gave this book an added interest for young children who love anything tactile. A wonderful idea for a board book for toddlers to teach colours as well as introduce them to a classic story. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Elley Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute illustrations that look like something Poppy from Trolls would have made. Sadly the text is just super symplistic “brown dress” and “yellow scarf”. Would love to see some more engaging text to go with the amazing art.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful color book, I love the way that it is formatted. It won my heart with "red is for cordial"!!!
This board book is designed for our youngest readers! Introduce Anne to the next generation!

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rather simplistic story (obviously) but I really like how the author did the illustrations. It really pulled the story together for me.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Orange braids/ white blossoms/ black hair/ pink cheeks

Premise/plot: This color concept book is inspired by L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. It stars Anne, Matthew, Marilla, Diana, and Gilbert. Each spread just has two words. Yet the illustrations capture moments from the novel quite well--all things considered. (I mean two words are TWO words.)

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I wanted to find a kindred spirit in this one. And I did--mostly. But I think it would be better if the colors were arranged differently. The current presentation is sequential--for the most part--except for one spread. They end the book dramatically with GREEN GABLES. Anne is bringing a bouquet of flowers to Marilla AND Matthew. I can see why--for the drama--they'd want to end with that. But. It would have been truer to the book if they'd ended with Anne and Gilbert's PURPLE TWILIGHT. So my preferred order: orange, white, green, black, pink, red, blue, brown, yellow, purple.

The illustrations are PRECIOUS.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant idea for a book this is! I have a young daughter and she was completely engrossed in the book, the pictures are nice, bright and I love the whole concept. 5 stars from me!

[Becky - Pug and Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne's Colors by Kelly Hill

Star Rating: ★★★★★ 5/5 stars

Format: ebook galley

Summary: A color primer board book using Anne of Green Gables characters to explain colors.

Review: I received an ebook galley copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

I normally don't request children's books to review. I do read plenty because of my daughter, but I feel like I wouldn't have enough to say about one. Not to mention, most are ebook format and my daughter would rather use snapchat on my phone than listen to me read a book. However, when I saw this one I couldn't resist. My favorite books to read to her have been baby primers that use classic literature to explain these simple concepts.

I really liked this book. The writing is simple and age appropriate, it's hard to get kids at this age to sit still for much more. The illustrations were beautiful, they are bright and made to look like it was quilted. I liked them a lot.

I like being able to read books like this to my daughter, introducing important concepts and also to beloved characters from classic literature. I hope one day when she's old enough to read Anne of Green Gables that having read these will make her already feel familiar with these characters. This is definitely a book I plan to buy for her library.

Recommendation: If you like Anne of Green Gables, this is a book you can read to your young child and share that story with them.



BOOK DEPOSITORY

[Lara Maynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The late, great Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery and her creation Anne Shirley (aka Anne of Green Gables) are having a moment. Beloved character Anne never really went away, but she seems to be extra popular right now, with two recent screen series adaptations. "Anne's Colors" is also part of a book trend where publishers are putting kidlit spins on beloved classics. Ideally, such books go beyond a clever marketing tactic and end up appealing equally to children and adult readers.

Small children to whom this board book is read will likely be unaware of the beloved Canadian character icon and industry that is Anne. But they might appreciate Kelly Hill's colourful textile illustrations using fabric, yarn and embroidery, which give this book and its series companion "Anne's Numbers" a sense of texture and makes them quite charming.

My favourite scene in "Anne's Colors" is the one showing the colour red. Bosom friends Anne and Diana are depicted having red cordial to drink, illustrating a favourite memorable episode of "Anne of Green Gables" involving a bit of intoxication and trouble. This is the sort of thing that grown folk Anne fans will like, while a four year-old will see only a pretty picture and hopefully learn a bit about colours. And they will also likely have to have the word 'cordial' explained to them. Another scene shows Anne doing her Lady of Shalott impression. Again, a beloved Anne moment to me, but just a pretty picture of a girl draped in yellow lying in a boat to a small child.

I read advance review digital copies of #AnnesNumbers and #AnnesColors from the publisher Tundra Books/Penguin Random House Canada via #NetGalley. And I have passed on to them this peeve: In Canadian spelling the word 'colours' has a u in it. If this book is based on a Canadian icon and is being published in Canada by an imprint of Random House Canada, then "Anne's Colors" ought to be "Anne's Colours."

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

These sturdy board books were created as a celebration for "Anne of Green Gable" fans. They depict iconic scenarios from the mind and heart of L. M. Montgomery the talented author of the "Anne of Green Gable" book series.

In "Anne's Colors" there are familiar scenes, to those who have read the original classics, highlighting the first time Anne and her best friend Diana meet, catching Gilbert (Anne's classmate) yanking on her pigtail at school, her over-the-moon reaction to a new puff-sleeve dress that she always dreamed of having and we witness when Anne and Diana toast several glasses of raspberry cordial unaware of that there would be consequences to their indulgence.


In "Anne's Numbers" the author invites you to stroll along with Anne as she enjoys a lovely nature walk counting trees, flowers, clouds and even friends. The path that Anne walks along is based on the route she takes to school each day.

The most beautiful and special part of both books? The illustrations are beautiful crafted. They are created from fabric and are hand-embroidered by the author... a true labor of love for her readers to enjoy. The text is simple and the illustrations interactive tactile. These books are a perfect precursor to introducing the classic "Anne of Green Gables" series later on. I highly recommend them.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find the full review here: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfic...

This board book features lovely images made out of hand embroidery that feature scenes from the classic, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. The images of the embroidery are gorgeous, and it brings adults back into the novels. The colors are vividly portrayed with not only the described item but other colors in the images complementing. A delightful introduction to Anne and her life, this book is fun for toddlers and their parents.

What I loved: From the scenes portrayed to the lovely embroidered fabrics and colors, this book is absolutely a joy to read and explore with young toddlers. Anne is such an iconic character, and the most memorable scenes (including raspberry cordials, her brown dress, and the trip through the blossoming trees) are shown. This is a great book for adults to share with future fans.

What left me wanting more: As a small point, I would have elected to skip the hair pulling scene (which shows Anne’s pink cheeks), due to the potential consequences of imitation. However, this could potentially also start a dialogue about appropriate behaviors.

Final verdict: ANNE’S COLORS is a lovely and fun exploration of colors and scenes from the classic novel. Fans of Anne, old and young, will delight in this fantastic board book.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book takes the colors from all the best parts in Anne of Green Gables, and gives them the cutest illustrations ever (in cloth and thread). Super simple, which is a must for board books, and perfectly faithful to the book, which will please parents who are fans of Anne. I'll admit that while I'm about ten times the target age, I still enjoyed it.

[Richelle Zirkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet book is exactly what I expect from a title associated with Anne of Green Gables. The book is sweet and will work well for introducing colors to older babies and toddlers. I really enjoyed the use of fabric and needle art to design the illustrations. The images tell a story all by themselves.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sewn and embroidered fabric illustrations are what make this a 5 star book. My boys kept reaching out to touch the pages because Anne’s braids and other embellishments look 3D. The iconic scenes from Anne of Green Gables and minimal text are perfect for introducing kids to Anne.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from Tundra Books

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving all four books in the series to my niece for her birthday. I wanted a short explanation on some of the pages for adults who haven't read the original. For example, some people might not know why Anne is lying down in a boat with her eyes closed. I also wanted the artwork to have the texture that it looks like.

[Jessalyn Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

We borrowed this book from the public library. I like this book a lot. The fabric illustrations are really pretty and cute. I am a fan of Anne of Green Gables, so I enjoyed the references throughout the book. I also liked how simple the descriptions were along with the artwork. It held my toddler's attention and I enjoy it too.

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet mixed media illustrations; I loved the sewn aspect of them. I wish there'd been more explanation of a few items, though, like: gables and cordial which are words most kids (and probably many adults) aren't very likely to have encountered.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those board books that uses a work of classic literature to teach a concept. In this case, the book is L.M. Montgomery's "Anne of Green Gables" and the concept is colors. It uses hand-embroidered illustrations of events from the This is sure to be a

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darling hand-embroidered illustrations with scenes from Anne of Green Gables, from red cordial, to orange braids, to green gables.

*age introduced: 20 months, but very appropriate for much younger readers too

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

For: Anne of Green Gables fans; readers looking for a sweet and colorful introductory book about colors.

Possible red flags: readers who aren't Anne fans may find the illustrations confusing, as they are nods to the book and aren't explained; hair pulling.

[Stefanie Foard · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I read a digital ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If, like me, you love Anne of Green Gables, this is hands down the best board book about colors.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just gotta say I am so glad Anne’s puffed sleeve dress is brown, the right colour. 🙂

[Chinook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this! It’s fun to narrate the story to my kids or to just have them identify the colours and talk about the pictures.