Anne of Greenville by Mariko Tamaki

A spirited, colorful reimagining of Anne of Green Gables as a queer, half-Japanese girl.

When Anne's family moves to Greenville, aka the most boring place on earth, Anne is not impressed. She's a disco-loving, rollerskating, queer Japanese American girl, and the small-minded folk of Greenville don't take kindly to her at first. But soon Anne meets Berry, her new best friend, who helps keep her head up when her other classmates attack her with homophobic and racist comments. She also meets Gilly, a really cute girl...who happens to be friends with the kids who bully Anne.

Through a series of misadventures involving a school play, some very creative fashion choices, and various lawn-related disasters, Anne begins to realize that if Greenville doesn't have a place for her, she's going to have to make room herself. After all, this is Anne Shirley; a few close-minded jerks are not going to make her hide who she truly is. Not only that, but Greenville may have the potential to surprise her after all.

Anne of Green Gables is my absolute favorite classic, so as a mixed Japanese American, I was absolutely stunned to find a YA adaptation with half-Japanese Anne. And it did not disappoint! This novel is hilarious, but still doesn't shy away from hard topics such as racism and homophobia. There's just enough of the original novel to satisfy any Anne of Green Gables fan, but plenty of new twists to keep readers on their toes. And what ties it all together is Anne herself: she embodies the original Anne's spirit, but with an explosion of glitter and a disco soundtrack to accompany her as she roller-skates through Greenville. This book was absolutely stunning, and I highly recommend to anyone who loves the original novel but wishes it were more modern and diverse. Even if you haven't read the original, this book is just wonderful on its own. 

If you're looking for more Anne of Green Gables adaptations, check out my Best Anne of Green Gables Covers & Adaptations post!