ANNE OF GREENVILLE

A plucky, disco-loving teen and her moms are met with small-town prejudice upon moving to their new home.

With her dyed orange hair and vibrant, retro wardrobe, high schooler Anne Shirley is used to standing out from the crowd just by being herself. But when Anne, who likes girls and is of Japanese and Welsh descent, moves with her White moms to Greenville, they quickly catch the attention of residents who view the new family as a threat to the town’s conservative values. At school, Anne is the target of openly racist and homophobic comments, while her mom Lucy, the new vice principal at Greenville High, faces intense scrutiny and criticism from parents. Green-haired, artistic Berry is Anne’s only new friend, and though she offers support and encouragement, the constant provocation is almost enough to dull Anne’s shine. When auditions for the school play are announced, Anne sees an opportunity to participate in a Greenville tradition without compromising who she is, but outcry against the chosen play, Peter Pan, in which Anne is cast as the lead, threatens to end the production before it even begins. Anne recounts these first few weeks in Greenville in bright, conversational prose that bursts with personality and frequently veers into enthusiastic tangents. Unfortunately, secondary characters aren’t developed quite as well, particularly Anne’s bullies, who have little substance beneath their casual cruelty.

Overall, an upbeat story inspired by a classic about staying positive and resilient in the face of adversity.