Judge a Book By Its Cover!This week it's all about judging books by their covers! Pick a book--any book, really--and search out multiple book cover images for that book. They could span a decade or two (or more)...Or they could span several countries. Which cover is your favorite? Which one is your least favorite? Which one best 'captures' what the book is about?
I decided to look at Anne of Green Gables' covers. When a book has been in publication for over 100 years, you know there will be many different covers. Plus, wouldn't you have been disappointed if I hadn't chosen Anne?
The original cover from 1908
This is the cover on the edition I have. It's pretty bland, but it is the one I am most used to. The next couple in the series are the same type of drawing, but in different colours for the edges.
This is the most recent popular edition I have seen, the ones that are mostly in the stores around here.
After the success of the Sullivan movies starring Megan Follows, she appeared on the cover of the Anne books. The movies were so well done and Megan is really the face of Anne. The casting in the original movie was so perfect that in my mind, Colleen Dewhurst and Richard Farnsworth will always be Matthew and Marilla to me.Some editions from around the world:
I like this one a lot, with Anne and Matthew and Marilla and Green Gables, plus the colours are appealing. And can read the French title.
Some of the more unusual covers I've seen:
Doesn't really hint at the Anne part, but it is definitely a PEI beach. However, Anne doesn't spend a lot of time on the beach.
Doesn't really hint at the Anne part, but it is definitely a PEI beach. However, Anne doesn't spend a lot of time on the beach. 
Focusing on the Green Gables aspect of the title. The house itself is part of the National Park at Cavendish and a mecca for visitors to PEI. If you come to PEI, you would want to visit the house
Must be an early edition, looks rather 1920s or 1930s to me. Probably more how LM pictured Anne but really wouldn't work today.
This one is so very different but I like it. It hints at the exuberance of Anne and the country living. Which is your favourite cover? Which one do you own?
My comment disappeared. :( I'll try again:
ReplyDeleteWow, two posts (in the first 12 WG posts) about Anne of Green Gables, I love it! It's fun, especially, since you hardly overlap in the covers you each posted. The cover of the one I own isn't in your post. The beach one is interesting, definitely. And the one with the chicken? It cracks me up!!
So many covers. Difficult to decide which one I liked!
ReplyDelete:D
Covered!
I agree that Megan Follows is Anne. I still get a jolt whenever I see her in any other role.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite books/series of all time. All this reminiscing about covers makes me think it is time to revisit them!
I have the same one as you do, and then I also have one like the more popular cover, but it's a different colour. I have the boxed set, so they all match. Green wouldn't work well with the set.
ReplyDeletewordlily - I did my post before I saw any ohter ones. If I had seen Becky's on Anne, I might not have done this one, so I am glad I didnt' see it first!
ReplyDeleteChickens crack you up? groan
gautami - there are so many. It has been around so long and probably continuously in print.
michelle - I know I like to see Megan Follows in other shows, but it still feels like Anne gone somewhere else. She was so perfect in that role.
kailana - I have the box set of the first 3 in the series. My other ones don't match, and my Rainbow Valley book is really old - just a hard red cover. I found it in my uncle's attic and he let me keep it.
I love seeing the older covers for these popular books. Makes me want to get out and collect them. Now that would be a fun pursuit.
ReplyDeleteFabulous! I have the same book you do, and it is the Anne books edition for me. I love them. I also saw the Megan Follows series, and you're right, Colleen is Marilla and Richard is Matthew! Oh gosh, I might have to go reread these again soon!
ReplyDeleteAll those other editions too, so many countries have published this book. Very fun post!
I love the very first cover, and also the second one that you have. Also the painting of the house in PEI. :)
ReplyDeleteI love this book and the series. I have a different cover from the ones you've posted. It's in Becky's post though - the one with a very freckled Anne with her arms held up to a crown of flowers on her head.
ReplyDeleteThe copy that looks the most like the one I own is the third one. Love this book and its been so long since I read it too...
ReplyDeleteMy favorite ones are the second movie one, the Green Gables house and the last one.
I love the last one you posted!! this weeks Weekly Geeks looks like fun..I should get started on my post!!
ReplyDeleteI think the one I read is the 3rd cover. And the book was one I inherited from my mother!
ReplyDeleteI own the third one and for that reason it will always be my favorite. But I also really like the one with Megan Follows.
ReplyDeleteThey are all neat. I still remember a different one from years back where she was sitting under a tree reading. I linked to a picture on amazon on becky's post. There must be jillions of covers for this book now. Great job.
ReplyDeleteMine is finally up now.
Happy Reading.
I was so excited to see the 100 yr anniversary book because I own a 1910 copy of Anne which I inherited from my grandma and it has the same beautiful portrait of Anne on the cover. I discovered Anne in college during a bout w/ mono and found a bosom friend! Thanks for sharing the covers. However, I don't see the one I remember from the 80's - perhaps an American publisher.
ReplyDeleteI like the original 1903 cover out of all of these choices. It's simple and beautiful.
ReplyDeleteOops, I mistyped...1908!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Anne of Green Gables! When I saw this week's WG topic, it's what I immediately though of. :) My copy is a Penguin with a picture of Anne trying to walk the roof, while Diana and the rest of the girls look on in horror. It's so cute-I love it!
ReplyDeleteI just picked up a copy from the library today and I'm amazed it's not here. On mine she's walking across a roof.
ReplyDeleteI like the one with just the house on it. I wrote in my post that I don't care for most books with an artist's rendition of the main character, it's something I'd rather imagine myself. There are some great covers there though!
ReplyDeleteI like the movie cover version. It is always how i pictured Anne.
ReplyDeleteFun to see all the different Anne covers. I quite like the one with the house on it. I have my old box set which have a little different covers. If you're curious there's a picture of them on my blog here.
ReplyDeleteI think for this story beautiful and simplistic does honor to this classic, so I choose the first. I definitely hate the chicken cover!
ReplyDeleteWow, so many covers for the Anne book. The chicken cover is really starting to grow on me :)
ReplyDeleteHELLO EVERYONE!
ReplyDeleteAny help would be greatly appreciated. For years I've been searching for the set of Anne books with Megan Follows on the covers - the whole series. I've only ever found the first book but if ANYONE know where to find the series or would be willing to sell them, an pointers would be fabulous!
Thankyou!