Story order is the simplest first-read route

Some middle instalments were written after books set later in Anne’s life. For a first read, follow the numbered sequence below rather than sorting by publication date. It keeps the stages of her life in sequence and makes it easier to recognise when the focus begins to move towards her children.

A note for UK readers

Anne of Windy Poplars is also known as Anne of Windy Willows in the UK. They occupy the same place in the sequence; do not buy both expecting two separate adventures. There are textual differences between versions, so readers collecting editions may still want to compare them. For simply following the story, either title belongs in the fourth slot.

The series changes as Anne grows

Do not expect eight repetitions of the opening book. Later volumes give more space to other characters and different stages of life. The final main novel, Rilla of Ingleside, concerns Anne’s daughter during the First World War. If what you want is exclusively Anne’s childhood, begin with the first book rather than buying the entire set on that assumption.

Check a boxed set’s contents

An eight-book set should identify all eight main titles. A smaller set may still be a legitimate selection, but it is not the whole main sequence. The original novels also coexist with abridgements, illustrated adaptations and retellings. Check the author, contents and whether the text is unabridged; an attractive cover alone does not tell you which version you are purchasing.

A thoughtful approach to family reading

A childhood protagonist does not mean every later volume has the same tone or suits the same moment. The books contain sorrow as well as humour, and the wider sequence moves into adult life and war. For a child, sample the language and check the particular book’s content. Reading together also gives you space to discuss unfamiliar historical attitudes.

When to read the companion collections

Finish the main sequence first if you want the clearest route through Anne’s life. Then use the collections as visits to the wider fictional world. They are not three more conventional Anne-centred novels, and some stories place Anne and her family at the edges rather than in the foreground.

The eight main novels, in story order

Companion collections from the wider Anne world