Growing up in the shadow of the Great War, Anne finds comfort in her neighbourhood library, where she loses herself in books, often imagining herself as part of the story. She particularly loves the books of LM Montgomery — and her imagination really takes off when she learns her beloved author is in town.

Author Catherine Little was inspired to write this book after discovering, from the journals of L.M.Montgomery, that Montgomery had once visited her Toronto neighbourhood.

Catherine Little's profile page

Sae Kimura's profile page

CATHERINE LITTLE is an educator, consultant, and writer with a love of children's picture books. She especially enjoys reading her stories to families and has shared her work at schools, libraries and special venues such as the Ontario Science Centre, Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Royal Ontario Museum. Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill is Catherine's fourth picture book. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her husband and son.

SAE KIMURA is an artist and illustrator originally from Odawara, Japan, now working and exhibiting her art in Toronto and elsewhere. Her artwork can be found in many galleries and private collections. Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill is her third collaboration with Catherine Little following Dragon's Dilemma and Twelve in a Race.

"Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill is an engaging tribute to L.M. Montgomery. The narrative imaginatively recounts a young girl coming to terms with a great loss through her love of reading. Devoted to the Wychwood Library, or the “Library-on-the-Hill, as she calls it, Anne allows her imagination to soar as she enters the world of books, especially her cherished L.M. Montgomery books. Readers will be swept away by the moving story and evocative details of a special time in history. Skillfully written by Catherine Little and beautifully illustrated by Sae Kimura, Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill will quickly become a favourite of adults and children alike.”

Isobel Lang, Librarian

"A brilliant little tale with scope for the imagination! Inspired by the Ontario diaries of L.M. Montgomery. Catherine Little weaves a tapestry of fiction and historical events. Book-loving Anne-of-the-library-on-the-Hill surmounts her sorrow after an encounter with Anne of Green Gables and Anne's creator. Beautifully depicted by Sae Kimura's gentle & imaginative illustrations, this Anne surely would be one of your kindred spirits."

Yuka Kajihara, Honorary Chair of Lucy Maud Montgomery Society in Ontario

Catherine Little’s delightful story shares her love for Anne and L.M. Montgomery with young readers. It’s obvious Anne of Green Gables and the other worlds of L.M. Montgomery hold a place dear to her heart through reading the lovely text. I love how interspersed with the narrative are quotes from many of L.M. Montgomery’s beloved stories to intrigue readers and perhaps send them searching for the stories of P.E.I...Sae Kimura’s illustrations are so perfect for this story. They are very evocative of the descriptions in L.M. Montgomery’s books and add beauty to the text. I love how colourful and vibrant they are with the feeling of being transported back in time through watercolour and pencil crayon drawings.

Stephanie Lamb, Storytime with Stephanie

Catherine Little intersperses her story with known experiences from Montgomery's life including her friendship with Mary Beal and attending an event that included Nellie McClung. By borrowing elements of Anne of Green Gables to feed her story of Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill, Catherine Little pays homage to the much beloved story while giving us a whole new story. If you didn't know about Anne of Green Gables –though Catherine Little provides plenty of background information about Anne and L. M. Montgomery to get you caught up–this Anne and her library and her life would still captivate.

The art of Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill has been created by Sae Kimura, who also illustrated Catherine Little's earlier books, Twelve in a Race and Dragon's Dilemma. Using a variety of media, including acrylic, gouache, watercolour, and pencil crayon, Toronto's Sae Kimura gives an ethereal sense to Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill, which works well for a story set in the mid-late 1910s to early 1920s. The reality of Anne's life is never in question but the richness of her imagination and passion for life is always evident, in the colours of her surroundings, in the brightness of her reading, and the joy she derives from being with her father, visiting the library, and more.

Celebrate Anne of Green Gables and Lucy Maud Montgomery by reading a picture book that honours both while creating something that is wholly its own. With Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill, Catherine Little and Sae Kimura remind us of the anchor that reading can be in a child's life and also the pillar that Anne of Green Gables is in both the CanLit world and internationally.

Helen Kubiw, Canlit for Little Canadians

“As a self-professed Anne of Green Gables “super fan” it takes a special kind of “Anne” book to meet the true essence of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne. This book has met the high standard I had set for it.

This story takes place at the time of the Great War. The Anne of this story finds comfort in her beloved neighbourhood library, especially after the loss she experiences. Her life becomes a little more difficult after the loss, but she finds her imagination carries her through. Her greatest joy comes when she learns that her beloved author, L.M. Montgomery is in town. A chance meeting and her heart soars. “Anne barely felt the driving rain as she walked down the hill. Her heart felt a little lighter and she felt more hopeful than she had in a long time. Her thoughts drifted to what Anne Shirley said - ‘Life is worth living as long as ther’s a laugh in it…and perhaps kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think’.”

This book is both visually and textually beautiful. Soft, warm colours and attention to tiny details give the reader the cue to sit quietly with the story. The text is evocative of the time being written about. I gently told story of the power of books to bring solace through a time of loss. And can I just say there is a map of Anne’s town at the back of the book - I love a book with a map.Written in celebration of L.M. Montgomery’s 150th Birthday.”

- Atlantic Book Reviews