L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon: A ­Children’s Classic at 100

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Emily of New Moon” series turned 100 years old in 2023, and this academic work was published in celebration. Not as well-known as the Canadian author’s classic Anne of Green Gables, the trilogy follows the life of a sensitive orphan who aspires to be a writer and must navigate the trauma and drama she undergoes with relatives who don’t ­appreciate her pursuits. Montgomery began writing the first volume while in the middle of a legal battle with the U.S. publisher of Anne and as her family life started to deteriorate. “Emily represented to ­Montgomery a chance to renegotiate her childhood, professional career, and personal relationships,” say the editors in the introduction to this work. ­Montgomery shared that Emily’s story was more autobiographical than Anne’s, and scholars have found that it is the more melancholic and mature of the two series. Du and Sanders divided the work into four parts—Literary ­Resonances, Emily’s Things, Gender, and Time. In 12 essays, approximately 15 pages each, academics ­analyze gender roles in the novels, the book’s reception, how “mothering” plays out in the books, and more. Yoshiko ­Akamatsu’s ­offering compares how the “Emily” books were ­received in Japan where the “Anne” s­eries is super popular. Kate Lawson’s ­entry places Emily of New Moon within the context of ­Victorian history, when the novels most likely are set. ­Every ­chapter is followed by notes and works ­cited. ­