Anne of Sweet Valley High?

Storified by CTVNews.ca· Wed, Feb 06 2013 10:34:18



Perhaps Amazon wasn't aware red pigtails are as much a part of Anne Shirley's identity as is her imagination and her gift of gab.

It will be interesting to see how they deal with the fallout of featuring a blonde Anne of Green Gables on the cover of a new 'Three- in One Set' collection of the classic novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

The collection is published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform -- which is owned by Amazon and sold on the site

Calgary blogger Mike Morrison writes: 'Today will forever be known as the day the ginger died.' Josie Leavitt pleads with all publishers to 'please design the cover after you've read the book.'

There's certainly no shortage of opinion on the cover, judging from the reaction on Twitter:



The new Anne of Green Gables now features a blonde gal. Um.... did someone not read the book before doing the cover? http://pic.twitter.com/EvoNayNZmisslindsaymay

Anne of Green Gables, rejacketed to channel Sweet Valley High. Good grief. http://bit.ly/XcsRwj (via @FlossieTeacake )Sarah Franklin

Worst Anne of Green Gables cover ever. Ever! http://www.amazon.com/dp/1481024116/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_PDPerb0BQGQFHErika Thorkelson

As a red haired and freckled Atlantic Canadian, this is just wrong!... http://fb.me/27hqwhhoSNoel Chenier

Anne of Green Gables goes blonde... and ages 10 years... and poses like a pinup... http://bit.ly/14Sh0L5 #noLauren O'Neil

I guess Lindsay Lohan will play Anne in the reboot of the series http://www.torontosun.com/2013/02/05/anne-of-green-gables-goes-blondePenny Castle

But there are also those who seemed baffled with all the bafflement. Is all the criticism really an attack on blondes?

Why are people so outraged over a blonde Anne of Green Gables on the cover? Oh, she's a blonde woman so she must be a bimbo, is that it?!?!Benjamin Massey

See? Anne of Green Gables doesn't look that bad as a blonde. http://pic.twitter.com/leyKmZ9nMelnychuk86

I get that everybody's pissed that Anne of Green Gables was misrepresented, but ease up on the resentful blonde hate, no?Prin

Meanwhile, there are those appealing for a little perspective.

Guys, this whole Anne of Green Gables thing could have been much worse. http://pic.twitter.com/HJZ8YXzGSteve Murray

The one voice we're missing is from Japanese fans. We know you're out there (according to Tourism PEI , thousands of Japanese come to P.E.I. every year to watch the live musical version.) The Japanese have even created their own version (and anime) - both staying faithful to the red hair.

Anne of green gables the musical in Japan -Part1tkdwn0479

Anne of Green Gables - Japanese Openingsaeeddaneshgar

Your thoughts? Are you offended by Amazon's revamped Anne? Or is this simply a new Anne for a new era?