Anne of Green Gables Fun Facts – 15 Things You Didn't Know

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery has sold over 50 million copies, been translated into more than 40 languages, and never once gone out of print since 1908. The facts behind the book are as surprising as the story itself - from the forbidden romance Montgomery kept secret for decades, to an abandoned Anne theme park slowly decaying in rural Japan.

👉 Prefer to listen? We cover all of this (and more!) in our full Anne of Green Gables podcast episode.

What is Anne of Green Gables?

Anne of Green Gables is a 1908 novel by Canadian author L.M. Montgomery. It follows Anne Shirley, an imaginative red-haired orphan who is mistakenly sent to live with elderly siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island, who wanted a boy to help on their farm.

It's best known for its warmth, wit, and one of the most beloved heroines in children's literature. Less well known: the story behind it is far more complicated than the book lets on.

L.M. Montgomery: The Woman Behind Anne

L.M. stands for Lucy Maud Montgomery. She was born in 1874 on Prince Edward Island. Her mother died of tuberculosis when Lucy was less than two years old, and her father moved west, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents.

By her own account, it was a lonely childhood, one she coped with by inventing imaginary friends, including one named Katie Maurice. Anne does exactly the same thing in the novel.

Montgomery published her first piece (a poem), in a local newspaper at age 15. She trained as a teacher but kept writing. She had multiple suitors, rejected at least two marriage proposals outright, and eventually accepted one she almost immediately regretted.

She began writing Anne of Green Gables while living with her grandmother on Prince Edward Island. The manuscript was rejected multiple times. She stuffed it in a hatbox for a year before submitting it one final time. That submission became a global classic.

15 Anne of Green Gables Fun Facts You Didn't Know

1. The idea for Anne came from a single line in Montgomery's journal

Montgomery didn't invent the premise from scratch. She found a brief note she'd made years earlier — about a couple who wanted to adopt a boy to help on their farm but were accidentally sent a girl instead. That throwaway idea became the entire novel.

2. Montgomery based Anne's appearance on a real person

She kept a photograph of Evelyn Nesbit — a famous model and actress of the era — and used her as a visual reference for Anne. Nesbit had a dreamy, slightly whimsical quality that Montgomery felt suited the character.

3. Nobody knows why Anne has red hair

There's no clear record of Montgomery explaining the choice. The leading theory is that red hair was considered undesirable at the time, making it a deliberate signal that Anne sees herself as different — out of place, and not quite what anyone wanted.

4. Montgomery had a secret forbidden romance while writing the book

While still engaged to a man she disliked (Edwin Simpson, who she described as self-centred and vain to the point of nausea), Montgomery fell into an intense emotional relationship with a local man named Herman Leard. She later described him as the man she loved most. She ended it under family pressure, broke off the engagement to Edwin, and then Herman died. She never fully got over it.

5. Montgomery's husband suffered from severe religious delusions

She eventually married Ewen Macdonald, a Presbyterian minister, in 1911. Behind the respectable exterior, Ewen suffered from serious mental illness — including bouts of depression so severe he believed he was destined for hell. Montgomery managed the household, her career, and her husband's illness largely alone.

6. She lost a son to stillbirth

In 1914, Montgomery's second son Hugh was stillborn. Stillbirth was not openly discussed at the time. She was expected to carry on quietly, and did, having a third son the following year. She carried that grief privately for the rest of her life.

7. The circumstances of Montgomery's death remain unresolved

On April 24, 1942, Montgomery was found dead in her Toronto home. The official cause was recorded as coronary thrombosis. Decades later, her granddaughter revealed the family believed she had died by suicide, citing a note found by her bedside describing a loss of control over her mind. It has never been definitively proven either way.

8. The book sold 19,000 copies in its first five months

For 1908, that was a remarkable figure. It brought Montgomery international fame almost overnight and launched a series of eight books written over the following 31 years.

9. Anne of Green Gables became required reading in Japanese schools

From the 1950s onwards, the book was part of the Japanese school curriculum. A hugely popular anime adaptation followed in 1979, introducing Anne to an even wider audience — and the book has been beloved in Japan ever since.

10. Japan built an entire Anne of Green Gables theme park

In the 1990s, a full replica of Avonlea was constructed in Hokkaido — complete with a Green Gables house, actors, performances, and themed buildings. It was called Canadian World. It went bankrupt and now sits largely abandoned: a quiet, slightly eerie Anne village in the middle of northern Japan.

11. There's a nursing school in Japan nicknamed the School of Green Gables

The University of Prince Edward Island's School of Nursing has a sister school in Japan that goes by the nickname — a direct result of how deeply the book is embedded in Japanese culture.

12. Anne has appeared on Canadian postage stamps

The book is so embedded in Canadian national identity that Anne Shirley has been commemorated on official stamps — alongside the Green Gables farmhouse, which is now a major tourist attraction on Prince Edward Island.

13. The 1919 silent film adaptation is considered lost — and Montgomery hated it

The very first screen adaptation of Anne of Green Gables was a 1919 silent film. No copies exist today. Montgomery was reportedly furious: she felt Anne had been made too sweet, and the film had been set in America instead of Prince Edward Island.

14. Katharine Hepburn was approached to play Marilla in the 1985 miniseries

She declined — but suggested her great-niece, Schuyler Grant, for the role of Anne. Grant auditioned and was cast as Diana Barry instead. The role of Anne ultimately went to Megan Follows, who beat out over 3,000 girls for the part.

15. The 1985 production sparked a long-running legal dispute

The heirs of L.M. Montgomery pursued legal action against producer Kevin Sullivan, alleging he had withheld contractually promised profits from the first two films. Canadian courts sided with the heirs. Sullivan's $55 million defamation counter-suit against them was found to be groundless.

Anne of Green Gables Adaptations — Fast Facts

Adaptation	Year	Notes
Silent film	1919	The original film has since been lost. Which is probably a good thing, because Montgomery reportedly hated it.
Film	1934	The actress who played Anne (Dawn Evelyeen Paris), who had been performing as Dawn O'Day, loved the role so much she changed her name to Anne Shirley and kept it for the rest of her career.
TV miniseries	1985	The most iconic adaptation by a significant margin - Megan Follows beat out over 3,000 girls for the role of Anne. Katharine Hepburn had been approached to play Marilla and declined. The production became one of the highest-rated programs ever to air on a Canadian television network, and later sparked a long-running legal dispute between producer Kevin Sullivan and the Montgomery estate.
Anime	1979	A hugely popular Japanese adaptation that introduced Anne to an entirely new audience. It remains beloved in Japan today and is widely credited with deepening the country's obsession with the book which had already been part of the school curriculum since the 1950s.
Anne with an E	2017–2019	Netflix's darker, more modern retelling that introduced Anne to a new generation. It ran for three seasons before being cancelled — a decision that prompted significant fan backlash.
Musical	1965–present	Canada's longest-running musical, performed continuously since 1965 and seen by more than 2 million people. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met with cast members during their 2011 visit to Charlottetown.

FAQ

What are the best Anne of Green Gables fun facts?

The most surprising include Montgomery's secret forbidden romance while writing the book, the abandoned Anne theme park in Japan, the fact that Katharine Hepburn was approached to play Marilla, and the unresolved circumstances of Montgomery's death in 1942.

Is Anne of Green Gables based on a true story?

Not directly — but it draws heavily from Montgomery's own life. Her lonely childhood, her imaginary friends, her experience as a teacher, and the personalities of people she knew all shaped the characters and world of Avonlea.

Why is Anne of Green Gables so popular in Japan?

The book entered the Japanese school curriculum in the 1950s, meaning generations of students grew up reading it. A beloved 1979 anime adaptation cemented its place in Japanese culture. Many Japanese fans travel to Prince Edward Island specifically to visit Green Gables.

Who played Anne in the 1985 miniseries?

Megan Follows, who beat out over 3,000 girls for the role. Her mother also appears in the film — playing the orphanage director, Mrs. Cadbury.

Did L.M. Montgomery die by suicide?

The official cause of death was recorded as coronary thrombosis, but Montgomery's granddaughter later revealed the family believed she died by suicide, based on a note found at her bedside. It has never been definitively confirmed.

How many books are in the Anne of Green Gables series?

Eight books in total, written by Montgomery over 31 years.

Conclusion

Anne of Green Gables is 118 years old and still the book people return to at every stage of their life. The story is warm and funny and quietly radical. The facts behind it — the secret romance, the grief, the mental illness, the abandoned theme park in Hokkaido — are something else entirely.

👉 Get the full story — listen to our Anne of Green Gables podcast episode.