House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery
CCBC Review:
A fascinating account of the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery (Maud) chronicles her difficult childhood and far more difficult adulthood. Raised by stern grandparents, Maud, unlike her literary hero Anne of Green Gables, was not openly cherished, although her grandmother quietly defied her grandfather and supported Maud’s education. As an adult, Maud was much admired by a number of suitors, but the man she fell passionately in love with was engaged to someone else. She was already a published author, caring for her aging grandmother, when she met the minister whom she would marry—a man she liked but did not love. Maud struggled with depression. Her husband suffered from mental illness that became incapacitating. Maud endured, raising their children while also taking her original publisher to court when she discovered he’d been cheating her—a protracted battle she eventually won. Occasional, judicious parallels between people in Maud’s early life and characters in Anne come up, but it is Montgomery’s own life that leaves a lasting impression, on its own, and in contrast to the idyllic account of girlhood and young womanhood she created. ©2019 Cooperative Children’s Book CenterIllustrated by Julie Morstad
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 14 and older
Age Range:
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Substantial Narrative Non-Fiction
Subjects:
19th Century
20th Century
Biography
Depression
Girls and Women
History (Nonfiction)
Sexism
Writers and Writing
Publisher:
Candlewick
Publish Year: 2018
Pages: 339
ISBN: 9780763660574
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 920 Montgomery