Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story "Anne of Green Gables" and its 1987 sequel "Anne of Avonlea", the screenplay was not based upon Montgomery's works, but instead used Montgomery's characters in a largely original World War I story by Sullivan and Laurie Pearson. Montgomery had written an Anne novel set in that same period, "Rilla of Ingleside", a story focusing on Anne's youngest daughter, and in which Anne was a mother whose three sons were fighting in Europe. The chronology of Sullivan's "Anne of Green Gables" films is not in synch with the LM Montgomery novels, largely because of the spin-off series "Road to Avonlea". Over
Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning that was seen as low compared to Sullivan's earlier "Anne" productions. The film was not well received by critics or fans. "The Globe and Mail"'s Kate Taylor said the film, "never justifies its presumption in inventing a new creation story for a Canadian literary icon." Bill Brioux felt that "maybe Anne just doesn't age all that well. Maybe she is supposed to stay in freckles and pigtails, locked in that perfect P.E.I. prism Montgomery authored and Sullivan so artfully adapted when they both were in their 20s." Anne of Green Gables: A New Beginning Anne of Green Gables: A New