The Journey Begins

Road to Avonlea #1

by L.M. Montgomery

Threatened with financial ruin, young Sara's father sends her to Canada's Prince Edward Island, the birthplace of her late mother, to live with a family she doesn't know.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Childrens, Young Adult, Canada, Historical

138 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1991

About the author

Lucy Maud Montgomery was a Canadian author whose novels, stories, essays and poems made her one of the most widely read writers in Canadian literary history. Publishing under the name L. M. Montgomery, she achieved international recognition with the novel Anne of Green Gables, released in 1908, which quickly became a bestseller and introduced readers to the imaginative orphan Anne Shirley. The success of the book transformed Montgomery from a schoolteacher and magazine contributor into a celebrated literary figure whose work reached audiences far beyond Canada. Raised on Prince Edward Island, she drew deeply on its landscapes, rural communities, and storytelling traditions, turning the island into the setting for many of her novels. The popularity of Anne of Green Gables led to numerous sequels, including Anne of Avonlea and Anne of the Island, establishing a beloved series that followed Anne from childhood to adulthood. Montgomery continued to write steadily throughout her life, producing twenty novels and more than a thousand short stories poems and essays. Her fiction often centered on young women, personal growth, and the emotional ties between people and place, combining gentle humor with reflections on memory, imagination, and belonging. Although she enjoyed enormous popularity, Montgomery also faced personal difficulties, including long periods of depression and the strain of caring for her husband, a Presbyterian minister who struggled with mental illness. Writing became both a profession and a refuge, allowing her to transform memories of childhood and observation of everyday life into vivid storytelling. In addition to the Anne series, she created other notable works, including the Emily novels and several stand alone stories that explored identity, creativity, and attachment to home. Her books were translated widely and attracted devoted readers around the world, helping shape the international image of Prince Edward Island as a place of pastoral beauty and warm community life. Scholars later studied her extensive journals letters and manuscripts, which revealed the complex inner life behind the cheerful tone of many of her books. By the time of her death in 1942, Montgomery had become one of the most successful and influential authors in Canadian literature. Her stories about imagination, resilience, and the search for belonging continue to inspire readers of all ages, and Anne Shirley remains one of the most recognizable characters in children's fiction. Through generations of readers, Montgomery's work has encouraged appreciation for storytelling, nature, and the emotional richness of ordinary life. Her legacy also includes a vast body of diaries and correspondence that document the challenges faced by a professional woman writer in the early twentieth century. Institutions such as the L. M. Montgomery Institute have continued to examine her influence on literature culture and tourism, particularly on Prince Edward Island, where sites associated with her fiction attract visitors from many countries. Adaptations of Anne of Green Gables for film, television, and theatre have introduced new audiences to her stories, ensuring that her characters remain part of global popular culture. Though critical opinion once dismissed her as merely a writer for children, later scholarship recognized the depth of her themes and the enduring craft of her storytelling. Today she is remembered as a central figure in Canadian literature whose imaginative vision gave voice to the beauty of rural life while celebrating the hopes of young dreamers who search for belonging.

Reviews

[Jesi · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOK: THE JOURNEY BEGINS

AUTHOR DENNIS ADAIR

So I have a habit of borrowing or buying books that do not seem like they would be tiny but end up being a hundred or so pages long. This was one of them.

There isn't much to say about it. It was an enjoyable quick read, probably geared more towards middle school students. I was intrigued by it because it was said to be based on an old popular tv in the library description so I thought I would give it a try.

Young Sara is sent to live with her aunts, uncle, and cousins while her father is facing financial ruin from her company at Prince Edward Island in Canada. She faces trouble with getting along with her cousins and schoolmates as she joins the school a few weeks after her arrival, even worse is her relationship with her aunt but she manages to overcome them after a series of trials.

The only thing I truly did not like about it was the way it ended without a clear resolution.

3/5 STARS

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This actually turned out to be better than I'd expected. I thought it would end up being sort of corny, since it's basically an extended synopsis of the TV show's pilot episode. And at first, it definitely was. The writing was often clunky, bogged down by detailed character descriptions right smack in the middle of conversations. The writing was also "telling" things to the reader a lot more than it was "showing" them. But to the book(and author's) credit, the writing had definitely improved by around the middle of the story, and it actually ended up being a decent novelization.
The dialogue preserved the warmth and humor of the show(though I think much of the dialogue was lifted right from the pilot episode, I'll accept it because it's just a kids' book based on a TV show)and the personalities of the characters felt true to the show as well. Overall it actually turned out to be a sweet, cute little adaptation(of an adaptation) that had made me smile several times by the end.

The TV show itself is much better, but The Journey Begins keeps true to the spirit of Road to Avonlea and is a pleasant light read.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the series based on the Disney Channel show "Avonlea." Most of the first season stories are pulled from L.M. Montgomery's Chronicles of Avonlea & The Golden Road. This series is much more accessible for the middle-grade reader than L.M. Montgomery's novels were.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Shannon, Congratulations on passing to 4th grade! May your "Journey" to Upper "El" be a happy, pleasant, educational one! Love, Mommy and Daddy. June 11, 1992"

[Cudeyo]

Un libro infantil/juvenil, ameno, corto, que narra la llegada de la pequeña Sarah Stanley a la Isla del Príncipe Eduardo y su encuentro con una familia que desconoce.

Un libro, primero de una serie, que narra el paso de una niña de una vida de riquezas y privilegios pero también de soledad, a otra de tareas, estricta pero con amigos y familia.

Había visto la serie, pero no leído el libro, Y la verdad, reconozco que este tipo de historias me encanta; no importa la edad.

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving it 5 stars because it was what it was: A very simple, child-like read. I read it because it is in relation to The Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery, and eventhough LM didn't write this herself, it was still in keeping with her tone and descriptions. I'm not sure if I'll read the other ones, only to compare and because I like the characters.

[Heather :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as a child, and then it was very enjoyable. But now, as a teenager it does not nearly have the appeal as it once did. I do not remember very much of the plot so forgive me if I butcher it. It is about a young girl who moves to live with some family relatives(or friends), and about her time there.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember buying this (or rather mum bought it for me) at a (Christian?) bookstore when I was little. I bet I still have it in a box in my parent's basement. I'd like to find it and read it again.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! I feel as if everyone should read these books, Anne of Green Gables and Road to Avonlea. I will be forever envious of the life Anne had in Prince Edward Island. The breathtaking read of each and every flower and scene, unseen to me. A must read once in your lifetime!

[Celine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is a great book. It is very interesting. I like it.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

good additional storyline to Avonlea tales

[Beckey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The is adaptation to the series for younger readers... On the fence on what say exactly it wasn't bad nor was it good ...ok book

[R]

didn't read

[Joni Carlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

never knew this was a book. just like the old Disney show. cute quick read

[Lauri · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Story Girl wasn't one of my favorite LMM books, and I didn't watch the TV show. I think if I had either the book would have appealed to me more.

[Yumi Learner · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book Review of The Journey Begins (Toad to Avonlea #1)

I had watched the whole series of this long time ago, and since then I have been a huge fan of this story. I had read the series in Japanese as well, but I had never tried out to read the series in English.

A couple of month ago, I found that we can watch the entire series on Amazon prime, and I started watching it with a Japanese subtitles even though I don't like it because I can't get rid of them. Then, I bought the first book of the series in English.

I have still been in love with the story. Everything is so lovely. In the first book, a protagonist, Sara has to struggle with new circumstances, but she is getting use to them. I love the part that Montgomery, the author put some characters from my other favorite characters, Marilla Cuthbert and Mrs. Rachel Lynde from Anne of Green Gables. I can imagine they really live in Avonlea with other characters. This is really cool.

[Mie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lydbok lest av Randi Brænne,en god oppleser.
Denne boken er basert på Disney-serien "Veien til Avonlea,"som igjen er løst basert på L.M. Montgomerys "The story Girl" som jeg har lest tidligere. Selv om den avviker stort fra originalen,og selve prosaen ikke kan måle seg med Montgomerys, var dette et veldig hyggelig gjenhør med en historie,karakterer og et sted,som både store og små i familien min koste seg med da serien gikk på TV på nittitallet. Den får derfor fire hjertelig nostalgiske stjerner fra meg.

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was fine. It was basically exactly what I thought it would be. Everything plays out in a predictable manner with no real surprises or mysteries. But it has charm and is pleasant enough.

[Doris Raines · Rating 4 out of 5]

ITS ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY.

[Allison Ripley-Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a riveting tale. I couldn’t put it down. I got so engrossed in the story that I actually felt like I was apart of the story. I also loved the TV series and movies.

[Shannie Joy Kosman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable for a grade school read. Some good lessons and we read how Sarah begins to evolve.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it. Very good adaptation of the episode. However, I only give it 4 stars for the two instances where Felicity and Cecily each flirted with Andrew, who happens to be their first cousin.

[Ryan Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t realize these books are short stories less then 100 pages but otherwise not bad