Days of Dreams and Laughter: The Story Girl and Other Tales

by L.M. Montgomery

All the romance and excitement of youth shine through in this collection of novels by the acclaimed author of Anne of Green Gables. Includes The Story Girl and The Golden Road, both featuring the charming Sara Stanley and Kilmeny of the Orchard, one of Montgomery's most romantic and emotional works. Black-and-white illustrations. 6" x 9".

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult, Classics, Historical Fiction, Childrens, Novels, Juvenile

365 pages, Hardcover

First published November 27, 1990

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

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this is what I imagine it would have felt like to have read Anne of Green Gables without ever seeing the movie first. Sweet and childlike and full of wonder.

[•Makenna Grace• · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were three different stories in this one book, so that was nice. I didn't have to go back to the library every time I needed a new one. The author is an absolutely amazing writer. So incredibly descriptive. The first two books within the book were about beautiful childhoods and the adventures of growing up. This book is so beautifully worded that you feel almost as if you are in the orchard itself. The third book within the book was truly magnificent. It was by far my favorite. It has a beautiful romance in it. To me the beginning of the book started out a bit slow and confusing almost, but the amazingness of the rest of the book absolutely made up for it. It kept you on the edge of your seat with an unknowing love story. If you are one that likes classics you must read this book. If you aren't one for classics, you will still fall in love with this simplistic but incredible book.

[Aurora Lipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most people have heard of Anne of Green Gables, very few people know of the other novel she wrote, including this one. What I appreciate about this book is a style of writing is more like a collection of short stories like vignettes. Each character has its own turn for being Center Stage, faults and all.

[Brynn The Book Nymph · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly beautiful book full of three stories, the last story being separated from the Anne or Story girl series. Montgomery writes with such vivid color. I’ve read this book over 7 times! Highly recommend ☺️❤️

[Callie McLay · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly beautiful book full of three stories, the last story being separated from the Anne or Story girl series. Montgomery writes with such vivid color. I’ve read this book over 7 times! Highly recommend ☺️❤️

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books I read as a child. Endless innocent childish mischief makes for a hilarious read.

[Patra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this collection when I was about eleven or twelve years old and I loved reading it now as much as when I read it then. This collection contains The Story Girl and the sequel, The Golden Road. Both excellent depictions of how beautiful childhood can be. The last story of the group is completely different, Kilmeny of the Orchard, but it's a fun read. Montgomery knows how to weave a tale and Kilmeny is one of her best. I highly recommend these stories for anyone that wants to be reminded of how beautiful and wonderful life can be. I often turn to Montgomery's stories when I need a little pick-me-up. She never disappoints.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love L M Montgomery. This book is a collection of 3 books. The first two are about 'the story girl' Sarah. I wish this was how the world was. The thirs is a love story...sweet and pure and beautiful.
I go to this book every few years and immerse myself in the world I wish I lived in.

[Cws]

JAR6-Mon

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these books and I am planning on reading them to my daughter (whether she wants me to or not). The stories are so happy and innocent, just like childhood should be.

[Lorna Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a lot of her books but I think this is the first time I have read this one. I really enjoyed it!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Story Girl and The Golden Road were my two favorite in this collection of three stories. LM Montgomery is a master at writing entertaining child's dialog.

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stories, memorable characters.

[Dana Dobias · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are the basis for the Road to Avonlea / Avonlea TV series (which aired in Canada and then on the Disney Channel). They are some of my all-time favorite stories.