Before Green Gables

At the end of the 19th century in southeastern Canada, Anne Shirley is orphaned after her parents die of typhoid fever. She is taken in by the Shirleys' former housekeeper, Mrs. Thomas, who brings her to her village. The large Thomas family already has five children, and Anne, as one more mouth to feed, is hardly welcome. The family matriarch, Joanna, has no fondness for the girl, loading her down with housework and scolding her constantly. However, the Thomases' eldest daughter, Eliza, shows Anne kindness, helping her adjust to village life and find comfort in nature.

Over the years that follow, Anne will go through many trials. But thanks to her strong spirit, her irrepressibly cheerful nature and her vivid imagination, she will overcome every difficulty and eventually make her way to the farm of Green Gables. This is a story about how, even in the hardest circumstances, one can find strength and hope for a better future.