Anne of West Philly: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Anne of Green Gables (Classic Graphic Remix)

ANNE OF WEST PHILLY is an exceptional middle grade graphic novel that transports the essence of Anne-with-an-E to modern day Philadelphia. Anne is 13 years old and in the foster care system. Although they usually only host younger boys, siblings Matthew and Marilla are willing to give the young girl Anne a try. Anne is thrilled and full of enthusiasm over the new placement, but her vociferous nature is tough for the siblings at first - but they are soon won over by her spirit and heart.

As Anne meets her BFF Diana and learns from her mistakes and missteps at school and at home, she begins to thrive, particularly excelling in coding and STEM lessons. As she joins the robotics club, she finds herself frequently butting heads with Gilbert. When they get a chance to compete as a team for a scholarship to a prestigious STEM high school, their only chance of winning is to work together.

What I loved: This was a really excellent read on its own, but will definitely hold great appeal for fans of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES. Anne's spirit, happiness, and enthusiasm is all beautifully captured as well as the magic of her connection with Matthew and Marilla, who also come to life in this telling. The characters were all so compelling and fully constructed, leaping off the pages, including Gilbert, Diana, and Diana's family. The key events in the original story are transformed into something more modern here, but still so full of life, mistakes, and lessons (even the cordials scene). This retelling manages to stay true to the essence of the original while creating something fresh, unique, and just as wonderful.

There are some really fantastic themes in the story around friendship, competition, creativity (and when to be creative), familial love, making mistakes and learning from them, the values of integrity and honesty, the burden of healthcare costs, prejudices around foster kids, generosity, and the awesomeness of coding and STEM. There is a lot to consider and unpack in this fabulous story, making it a great choice for book clubs or classrooms. Heavier and lighter topics will all resonate with readers and echo those timeless themes of the past books along with important updates for the modern world. While great for middle grade audiences, I also think this will work for a wide range of ages and could be great for older readers as well.

The graphic novel format is really well done here. The characters are beautifully drawn and captured, with emotions that come off the page and the right amount of background detail to keep the reader in the story. Vivid colors and clever paneling make this a consuming read. The dialogue was also easy to read and follow throughout, ensuring that the reader is never lost or confused as to the direction of the story or which characters are speaking. While Anne can be wordy in places, this remains balanced across panels, not having anything seeming too much - it is really just right and conveys it all beautifully.

Final verdict: An exceptional graphic novel with thought-provoking themes and timeless characters, ANNE OF WEST PHILLY is a brilliant middle grade retelling that is sure to charm readers. Highly recommend picking up this gem whether already a fan of Anne-with-an-E or new to the characters!