What to Read Next Based on Your Favorite Anne Of Green Gables Character

But there was a passenger dropped off for you—a little girl. She's sitting out there on the shingles. I asked her to go into the ladies' waiting room, but she informed me gravely that she preferred to stay outside. 'There was more scope for the imagination,' she said. She's a case, I should say.

This is our introduction to the spirited orphan (accidentally a girl!) who comes to live at Green Gables transforming the lives of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, the brother and sister pair who adopt her. She quickly becomes an integral figure in the quaint, pastoral community of Avonlea on Prince Edward Island.

Nature-loving Anne appreciates every season, but she is especially fond of autumn, famously saying, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn't it?" We can only agree! So we're celebrating Anne's favored month with a roundup of contemporary book picks for the beloved characters who populate the world of Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery. 

Anne Shirley

Precocious, effusive, and fiercely intelligent, our flame-haired heroine makes a powerful impression on everyone she meets. With her fiery temper, fanciful ways, and stubborn nature, it's not always a good one. Yet, somehow, she generally wins people over in the end. Anne is drawn to stories filled with beauty and romantic love, but she is also a pioneering feminist.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Sensitive and intelligent Kya has survived for years alone in the marsh. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya's life begins to change. At once a coming-of-age story, a murder mystery, and a celebration of nature, this poignant novel offers romance, intrigue, and plenty of drama.

Gilbert Blythe

Handsome, smart Gilbert becomes Anne's sworn enemy when, in their first meeting, he commits the cardinal sin of teasing her about her hair. Both top scholars, the two become fierce competitors even as it becomes clear that Gil harbors a crush on Anne and pursues her affections. He eventually succeeds and the two become friends.

Better than the Movies by Lynn Painter

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum has long held a torch for the cool, aloof Michael. Now that he's back in town, she's making her move, even if it means enlisting the help of her annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor Wes whose constant teasing has been a pain in LIz's butt since they were kids. Sound familiar?

Marilla Cuthbert

The never-married Marilla is sensible and practical above all else. She struggles to understand Anne's whimsical ways and endeavors to raise her to be more disciplined and prudent. But Anne's liveliness brings energy and color to Marilla's staid world and the child ends up changing her perspective as much, if not more, than the other way around.

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

The unforgettable curmudgeon at the center of these linked stories could very well be a "kindred spirit" to Marilla. Ruthlessly honest, yet deeply empathetic, retired schoolteacher Olive struggles to understand her own behavior, as well as those of her family and fellow community members in Crosby, Maine.

Matthew Cuthbert

Sixty-year-old bachelor Matthew is painfully shy and resolutely taciturn. Although he is generally terrified of women and girls, he takes a liking to Anne. After the initial shock of finding a girl, instead of a boy, orphan at the train station, he has no choice but to bring her back to Green Gables and he is surprised to find that he enjoys her company, i.e., nonstop chatter, during the long drive.

Norwegian by Night by Derek B. Miller

We think that Matthew would enjoy this quirky thriller about Sheldon, an elderly former Marine who leaves New York to live with his granddaughter and her husband in Norway. When violence erupts in his new apartment building, Sheldon rescues a neighbor boy and the two flee into the Norwegian wilderness.

Diana Barry

Diana is a pretty, kind girl who lives near Green Gables. Anne and Diana become best friends immediately upon meeting even though Diana finds Anne to be every bit as "queer" as the townspeople have been saying. This friendship sustains them through many difficulties and life changes, much like the relationship featured in Diana's book pick.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

This acclaimed novel is the first installment of the sweeping Neapolitan quartet tracing the lives of two best friends in post-war Italy. After meeting as ten-year-old girls, the fiery and unforgettable Lila and the bookish narrator, Elena, become women, wives, mothers, and leaders, while maintaining a complex friendship.

Mrs. Rachel Lynde

The town busybody, Mrs. Rachel Lynde keeps a close eye on the comings and goings around her. Eager to offer her advice (even when it is unsolicited), she lives next door to Green Gables with her meek husband. She and Marilla maintain a somewhat quarrelsome friendship and the outspoken Mrs. Rachel never fails to share her thoughts about how Marilla should raise Anne.

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong spends her days spying on her Gen-Z son on the internet. But when she finds a dead man in her tea shop one morning, she coolly swipes the evidence and sets about solving the crime on her own—because nobody sniffs out wrongdoing like a Chinese mother with time on her hands.

Miss Muriel Stacy

After the departure of the stern, unpopular Mr. Phillips, Miss Stacey arrives like a breath of fresh air. Her unorthodox, liberal teaching methods raise eyebrows amongst the more conservative Avonlea stalwarts, but her students adore her and flourish under her creative tutelage. She becomes an important role model for Anne, who eventually becomes a teacher herself.

Tisha: The Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness by Robert Specht

Anne Hobbs was only nineteen in 1927 when she came to harsh and beautiful Alaska to teach in a ramshackle schoolhouse. We think Miss Stacy would love this true story about an adventurous young woman (who shares Anne's name!) braving the Alaskan wilderness where she found purpose and love.

Aunt Josephine

Diana's elderly aunt is wealthy and imperious. She lives alone in a mansion in the nearby town of Charlottesville. She commands respect, but is bored by most people. When Anne stands up to her, she is charmed by Anne's bold vivacity and obvious intelligence. It turns out that what she wants most in life is to be amused and entertained. We think she would be charmed by this novel.

Like a Mule Bringing Ice Cream to the Sun by Sarah Ladipo Manyika

Morayo Da Silva is a cosmopolitan Nigerian woman living in San Francisco. Almost seventy-five, she has a zest for life and enjoys road trips in her vintage Porsche. But when Morayo has an accident, crushing her independence, she is prompted to reassess her relationships and recollect her past life and loves.

Ruby Gillis

Ruby learns a lot from her several older sisters and enjoys lording her knowledge over Anne and the other girls of Avonlea. Ruby is a bit of a drama queen and likes to make a scene. She's somewhat vain and is very focused on boys. When she joins Anne and Diana's story club, Anne's critique is that her stories have "too much love-making" in them.

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Brothers Jeremiah and Conrad are the boys that Belly has known from summers at the beach her whole life. They have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, everything changes. Is this the way it was always meant to be?

Josie Pye

A member of the notorious Pye family, Josie has a hard time fitting in with her classmates. Anne and Josie don't get along well throughout most of the book. Josie's jealousy and insecurity causes her to lash out at Anne and, consequently, Anne frequently speaks ill of Josie. But eventually the two are able to put their animosity behind them.

Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

Josie would benefit from the escapism of this epic fantasy involving a variety of powerful, complicated women. From Arya Stark to Cersei Lannister to Daenerys Targaryen, these are women making the best of tough situations. And the future of their world may very well depend on their survival and success.

We've certainly enjoyed this deep dive on the personality traits of some of the key characters in this cherished novel. And it's been fun to try and imagine the contemporary reads they would choose. Let us know if you have any thoughts or additional character comparisons to add.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon