Anne of Green Gables is popular across the world:
In Japan, Montgomery's book became part of the school curriculum in 1952. Hanako Muraoka, a respected Japanese translator rendered Montgomery's text into Japanese, Akage No Anne (Anne of the Red Hair). When the Second World War ended and officials were looking for uplifting Western literature for the schools, Muraoka brought out her translation of Anne. Ever since, Anne has been a part of Japanese culture, with her exotic red hair and comic outspokenness. Yuko Izawa's recently published bibliography of editions gives some idea of the continuing popularity.
In Poland, Montgomery was something of a hero in war time and later, becoming part of a thriving black market trade for the Polish resistance. Polish soldiers were issued copies of a Montgomery novel to take to the front with them in the Second World War. The Blue Castle was made into a musical in Cracow in the 1980's and its performances were sold out.
