Anne of Green Gables Gets Racy Update

Anne of Green Gables sure had one heck of a ride through puberty.

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The title character of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s novels of the same name has been transformed into an older, blue-eyed blonde on the cover of a new three-volume edition.

Now that Anne of Green Gables is in the public domain, it is open to any cover art a publisher  sees fit. 

But whoever designed this most recent photo -- the publisher is listed on Amazon as CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform -- must not have read the books, as Anne is described as a redheaded, freckly pre-teen who lives on a farm.

See the full cover here.

The news sparked a flurry of reaction from fans on social media.  Rachel Held Evans tweeted, “Tell me this blond Anne of Green Gables thing is an April Fool's joke sent out too early. Please.”

At Amazon, user, Amy1228 commented, “This book is supposed to be Anne of Green Gables NOT Anne Does Green Gables!”

Somehow, the plaid shirt and bale of hay just isn’t convincing enough for many.