The Story Girl

Written by L. M. Montgomery

Narrated by Grace Conlin

Set on Prince Edward Island, this is a story of growing up, families, and love. When Bev and Felix, two city boys, spend the summer on a rural island, they discover a very different world—and a very special person, Sara Stanley, the Story Girl. Their vacation becomes a time for magic and mischief as they spend their days with Sara and the eccentric local people, with a mysterious blue treasure chest and intrepid cat, and experience an ordeal that may cost a friend his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio
• Release date: Jan 1, 2006
• ISBN: 9780786111282

L. M. Montgomery

L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery (1874-1942) was a Canadian author who published 20 novels and hundreds of short stories, poems, and essays. She is best known for the Anne of Green Gables series. Montgomery was born in Clifton (now New London) on Prince Edward Island on November 30, 1874. Raised by her maternal grandparents, she grew up in relative isolation and loneliness, developing her creativity with imaginary friends and dreaming of becoming a published writer. Her first book, Anne of Green Gables, was published in 1908 and was an immediate success, establishing Montgomery's career as a writer, which she continued for the remainder of her life.

Reviews for The Story Girl

[brittany_benson-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While not a part of the Anne of Green Gables series or story line, this story is very similarly themed! Great female protagonist, great morals, and an amazing feel-good kind of idyllic story. Definitely would recommend this one to my friends!

[the13tale · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through the early reader program and I was so exited. The Anne books where childhood favorites of mine. The Story girl did not disappoint! I would definitely recommend, especially as a read aloud with children.

[julieandbeli · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Story Girl by L.M Montgomery took a little digging and work for me to get through. For some reason it did not capture my attention or interest. I have absolutely adored L.M. Montgomery's other books but this one fell short for me.

[beammey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had read this book as a wee girl and I remember loving it, as I did all of Montgomery's work, but reading it as an adult was a wonderful experience. It was almost like reading it again for the first time because it had just been so long (over 20 years!). The new cover is perfect for the story, and Montgomery has always had a beautiful way with words. Sara is a wonderful character, if not bratty at times, but what child isn't? PEI is described in such a way that I must visit it someday! Wonderful story, wonderful writing. 5 out of 5 stars.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

L.M. Montgomery was one of the reading staples of my early adolescence, and I tore through every book I could find by her. Although nothing could ever supplant the "Anne" books as my favorites, I loved all her novels, and returned to them many times. When I started a Montgomery group on another website, I decided to re-read her entire oeuvre, and began with The Story Girl.Episodic in structure, the book relates the adventures of a group of cousins and friends one summer on Prince Edward Island. Narrated by Bev King, looking back from his adulthood, it offers a charming, and frequently sentimental, view of the idyllic days of childhood. When Bev and his brother Felix come to stay at "The Home of Their Fathers" in Carlisle, they are quickly accepted into a close-knit circle that includes their cousins, Felicity, Cecily and Dan King, neighbor girl Sara Ray, hired boy Peter Craig, and of course, their cousin Sara Stanley, also known as "The Story Girl."Adventure and misadventure follow one another, from Peter's inauspicious beginnings as a church-goer, to the children's dream-journal competition. Woven throughout are the marvelous tales of the Story Girl, whose magnetic personality and beautiful voice - charming enough to make even the multiplication table interesting - create many moments of genuine enchantment.As always, I enjoyed The Story Girl immensely, and was struck by Montgomery's unerring sense of childlike wonder, her understanding of being a young person caught in a world of grown-ups, who were always "so strangely oblivious to the truly important things in life." Both innocent and wise, the children consider many profound questions, from the nature of God to the difference between Methodists and Presbyterians (always of concern in Montgomery's work). Their unintentionally humorous remarks, from Cecily's observation that "A common man would be queer, but when it's a minister, it's eccentric," or Peter's claim that fighting for a principle was like "praying with fists," can always elicit a sympathetic chuckle.But although her characters were as endearing as ever, and her descriptions of the countryside just as beautiful, I was far more conscious of a sense of melancholy than I had ever been before. Perhaps the recent revelations of Montgomery's struggle with depression, and her eventual suicide, made me more sensitive to the pathos in her work. However that may be, my awareness of the darker undercurrents in The Story Girl only enhanced my appreciation. Truly a worthwhile read.

[atimco-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Story Girl is not one of L. M. Montgomery's stand-out works, but it's a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. Sara Stanley is the Story Girl, the maiden with a golden voice and unusual dramatic powers that spellbind her audience. She and her cousins Dan, Felicity, and Cecily welcome their cousins Felix and Beverley to the King family history and mythology when the two come to stay with the family. The story, which is more a loose collection of episodic tales and memories, is narrated by Beverley and captures the insular, magical world of a childhood. As usual, the characters are well written, distinct, and believable, especially Dan, Felicity, and Sara Ray, the tearful neighbor girl who, despite being something of a nonentity, still manages to be amusing. Montgomery has the gift of creating a full character in my mind with just a few sentences. Many never appear onstage but are only known through the conversation of the children. It's quite well done. There are some funny episodes here. Much of the humor comes from the children's musings on God and practice of religion, based on their incomplete understanding. In one chapter they purchase God's picture from an enterprising fellow student; in another they are truly terrified that it's Judgment Day and the world is about to end. And speaking of the supernatural, there's also the persistent mystery of Peg Bowen, Carlisle's "witch" whose powers are both scoffed at and feared by the little band. Montgomery leaves the question of Peg's witchhood open (but I incline to the belief that she merely uses the reputation to her advantage in a narrow world). At times Montgomery treads a bit too close to the line between sentiment and sentimentality (especially for a male narrator), which would prevent me from recommending this as an introduction to her novels. The nature descriptions are lovely, though, and have probably done more for tourism on P.E.I. than anything else... I'd love to go there someday!

[kaulsu · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Wow. The vocabulary [Lucy Maud Montgomery] uses in this book is quite something. Again, as in her [Anne of Green Gables] novels, Montgomery writes of coming of age in a simpler time, making even their hard work seem worth a day's enjoyment. The narrator of this book is a boy named [Beverley King], not the [Story Girl] herself. I did enjoy it, though I found it overly moralistic. I imagine only a young teen very interested in history would find it's preachy tone acceptable.

[calexis_47 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I just realized that the published date happened to be Canada Day. So that's pretty cool for this Canadian book to be released that date. Anyways, I love Montgomery's narrations. I have ever since I read "Anne of Green Gables" for school back in grade 6 or 7. I ended up convincing my mom to buy me the entire Anne series, and have read the entire series at least 3 times up to this date. However, a few days a go, I decided that I should read Montgomery's other novels. And though The Story Girl hasn't spellbounded me like Anne of Green Gables, I still loved it. The novel is very different from the styles of the novels today. Like Anne of Green Gables, there isn't a real conflict to the story, it's a telling of a child's life and adventures. Nowadays, every plot seems to have to hold a antagonist or life-threatening problem to make it to the press. However, Montgomery's books are ordinary narrations about ordinary Canadians. And I think that's what I love about it. I can't wait to read more of her novels, especially her other series "Emily of New Moon."

[fersher_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was really a wonderful book. The story spans a Summer and Fall where a group of cousins and friends spend time together getting into all sorts of mischief and learning life lessons. The sequel to this book is "The Golden Road."

[chilirlw_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

L. M. Montgomery, author of the much-loved Anne of Green Gables books, called The Story Girl "my favorite among my books", possibly because she saw the title character as a kind of romanticized version of herself. As the rest of us must lack that pleasurable sense of self-flattery, however, I'm afraid the book falls flat. In it, the adventures of a group of eight Canadian children ages 11-14 (narrated by one of the boys looking back from adulthood), are interspersed with the stories told to them by the eldest of their number, the Story Girl herself. We are told (again and again) that the Story Girl, though not beautiful, is nonetheless the sort of charismatic personality that draws everyone to her. "If voices had colour, hers would have been like a rainbow. It made words live. Whatever she said became a breathing reality, not a mere verbal statement or utterance." There's rather a lot of this sort of thing, every time the Story Girl does something, which is of course often, since the book is named after her. The story is set in the late 1800's; the children are quite a bit (almost unbelievably) more unworldly than tweens and early teens of our own era, and I had to constantly revise my expectations of their knowledge and conduct downwards (quite a bit downwards, in fact). Which I think, even more than the tiresome hyperbole about the Story Girl's attractiveness, is what rings false in this book. It reads like a book written by the childless auntie who just adores the little darlings! and has no real concept of what real children are like. Throughout it refers to their feelings and exploits with a winking sort of smarminess that is just a few shades too twee to be borne. "And I, even in these late years of irreverence for the dreams of youth, am not in the least ashamed to confess that when I knelt down to say my boyish prayer, I thought of our little furry comrade in his extremity, and prayed as reverently as I knew how for his healing."This sort of "talking down" to children makes me cringe, and I can't but imagine how much more embarrassing it would be to a child who was reading it. Not a keeper.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute story of a bunch of kids with excellent imaginations. It feels rather like an Anne book told from the POV of one of her friends - someone who follows along but doesn't get the spark Anne does, for random actions. Two brothers come to PEI to stay with their cousins, including one girl with high charisma who loves to tell stories. Various events - from being scammed by a classmate to one of them being seriously sick - and throughout, the Story Girl's stories enriching their lives. It's written entirely from the POV of one of the boys (whose name is Beverly - funny how names change gender over time), and by him as an adult - he mentions now and then how he remembers so clearly what they did and said (mostly because he saved papers). It's interesting - slight cognitive dissonance - to have it in first person with a male protagonist. Mildly interesting, not exciting.

[thequietreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When Bev King and his brother are sent to spend a summer with their Carlisle relatives, they expect having a grand time. They are immediately drawn to Sara Stanley, the fourteen-year-old Story Girl. As the summer progresses, they hear some memorable tales set against an idyllic backdrop.This was a fun read. I've read the more well-known novels by this author (Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon) so I was eager to read this one. We follow Beverly King, who is thirteen when we meet him, as he meets his cousins and finds his own place among his relatives.This evoked feelings of nostalgia, a longing for a simpler age when kids could wander at will and use their imaginations. I can't say that the Story Girl is my favorite, but I could relate to her love of storytelling.Anyone who has enjoyed L.M. Montgomery's works will enjoy this glimpse into the golden years before a child grows up.I received a free copy of this book from Tundra Books and am reviewing of my own free will. All opinions expressed are my own.

[kategrinnell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this book through the early reader program and I was so exited. The Anne books where childhood favorites of mine. The Story girl did not disappoint! I would definitely recommend, especially as a read aloud with children.

[mickyfine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When Bev and Felix King are sent to live with their aunt and uncle following their father's transfer from Toronto to Brazil, they find themselves warmly welcomed by their cousins and the rest of the social circle that revolves around the King farm in Carlisle, Prince Edward Island. Amongst the cousins, they meet Sara Stanley, the Story Girl whose silver tongue makes every story she tells utterly compelling. Over the course of the spring and summer, the King cousins get into various adventures and scrapes that only children on a farm can manage.No matter the central character, Montgomery weaves a world that is full of the magic of long summer days and gorgeous landscapes. I did find it interesting she went with a first-person narration in this novel and that her narrator is a boy as Montgomery is so intertwined with her heroines in my mind. However, I found Bev's narration completely believable. It was also fascinating to finally encounter the source material that inspired the Canadian institution that was the television show, Road to Avonlea, and compare the differences. I'll be curious to see how the character development continues in [The Golden Road] and again compare and contrast with my memories of the show. For those readers that have already fallen in love with Montgomery's writing style.

[xicanti_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A group of friends experience a magical summer on Prince Edward Island.This was one of my very favourite books when I was a youngster - and, what's more, it inspired one of my very favourite childhood TV series. (Road to Avonlea, which I believe was broadcast under a different name in the US). It meant a lot to me when I was little, so I was kind of nervous about rereading it.It wasn't quite as good as I remembered, but I still enjoyed it very much. I've heard it said that Montgomery's depiction of childhood is trite and idealized; that her children are an adult's conception of youth rather than the thing itself. Had I come to this book for the first time as an adult, I might very well agree with that assessment, but I know what it meant to me when I was young. Yes, the Kings and their friends are rather ideal, and they rarely come up against anything of any great consequence. (There is a brush with death at one point, but it's the odd duck out). Some of them are, perhaps, a little young for their ages. But they were what I wanted to be when I was nine, ten, eleven, even twelve. I loved them for it then, and I love them for it now.As an adult, I also appreciate the way Montgomery blends the stories into the narrative. Some of the Story Girl's tales draw on myth and legend, but most of them are just the sort of down-home anecdotes that you share with your friends when you sit around shooting the breeze. It is not, perhaps, the most compelling approach, but I had a lot of fun with it. It feels real. This is what you do when you're hanging out with your friends. You share stories and anecdotes and funny sayings, and they become part of what's between you. You refer to them time and again. You share them with others. They're a bond; a means of building community. I love that.So THE STORY GIRL may not mean as much to me now as it did when I was a wee lass, but I still enjoyed it very, very much. I'd certainly recommend it to young children and to fans of L.M. Montgomery's other books, but to be honest, I'm not sure how much random adult readers will get out of this.(A much longer version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).

[fuzzi_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Carlisle has two new residents for the summer, Bev and Felix King, who will be staying with their cousins. There will be plenty of fun, and work, in helping with the farm, but the best part for the King brothers is meeting The Story Girl, and hearing her tales of mystery, woe, and happiness. A nice read, with real children from a more simple time.