Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert make plans to adopt an orphan boy to help with chores on their family farm named Green Gables. On arriving at the train station, Matthew finds instead a little redheaded orphan girl waiting on the platform. Matthew, normally shy and timid around females of any age, is charmed by the little girl and her precocious chatter. The little orphan girl, Anne Shirley, is a great romantic of eleven. Anne delights in the buggy ride and is soon enchanted by the environs of Green Gables. There is no hiding Marilla Cuthbert's dismay when she discovers the mix up. Marilla archly rejects Matthew's suggestion of keeping young Anne Shirley. Only after learning of Anne's hard luck life does Marilla acquiesce to Matthew's wishes to keep the girl.

A clever girl with a heart full of youthful sentiment and romance, Anne's imagination is as mischievous...