Jane of Lantern Hill facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Lucy Maud Montgomery |
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| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | McClelland & Stewart |
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Publication date
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1937 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback, Hardcover) |
| Pages | 217 |
| OCLC | 35397190 |
Jane of Lantern Hill is a heartwarming novel by the famous Canadian author L. M. Montgomery. She is also known for her Anne of Green Gables series. This book was later made into a TV movie called Lantern Hill in 1990.
Contents
About the Book
L. M. Montgomery started thinking about this story in May 1936. She began writing it in August and finished the last chapter in February 1937. She typed the whole book herself. Montgomery dedicated this novel to her beloved cat, "JL."
The story was written at Montgomery's home, "Journey's End." The peaceful setting of her home helped her create a happy background for Jane's life in Toronto. A funny part in chapter 37, where a lion appears, was based on a real event. Montgomery had heard about a similar incident in Atlantic Canada years before.
Story Summary
Jane Victoria Stuart, often called Victoria by her family, lives in Toronto, Ontario. She lives with her mother, grandmother, and aunt. Her grandmother is very strict and often makes Jane feel unhappy. Jane wishes she and her mother could live somewhere else.
Jane believes her father is dead. But she later finds out he is alive and lives far away on Prince Edward Island. This island is also where Jane was born. Jane's only friend is Josephine Turner, or Jody, who works as a servant next door. Jane also loves to cook, but her grandmother does not let her.
A Summer on Prince Edward Island
One day, a letter arrives from Jane's father. He asks Jane to spend the summer with him on the Island. Jane is not sure about going. However, one of her uncles says it would be a good idea.
When Jane arrives on the Island, she meets her Aunt Irene. Jane does not like her aunt at first. The next morning, she meets her father for the first time. She loves him right away. They buy a small house on Lantern Hill, and Jane helps take care of it.
Jane quickly makes friends with her new neighbors. These include the Snowbeam family and the Jimmy Johns. Living on the Island helps Jane become more confident. When she returns to Toronto, her grandmother's disapproval bothers her much less.
Adventures and Discoveries
Jane eagerly waits to return to the Island the next summer. She wants to see her father and friends again. During her second summer, she has many adventures. One time, she even finds a lion that escaped from a circus! She bravely locks it in a barn.
Jody writes to Jane, saying she might be sent to an orphanage. Jane talks to the Titus ladies, two sisters who want to adopt a child. At first, they say no. But after thinking about it, they decide to adopt Jody. Jane tells Jody the good news when she returns to Toronto. Jody soon leaves for the Island, promising to see Jane in the summer.
Meanwhile, Jane learns why her parents separated. She finds out that her grandmother did not want her parents to be together. When Jane's mother visited home during a difficult time in her marriage, her grandmother convinced her to stay. She even burned a letter from Jane's father asking her mother to come back.
A Family Reunited
One day, Jane gets a letter from Aunt Irene. It says Jane's father is going to Boston. Jane worries he might get a divorce and remarry. Shocked, Jane decides to go to her father on the Island, which is over a thousand miles away.
She uses her pocket money to buy a train ticket. She travels for two days without much sleep. Then, she walks three miles from the station in the cold and rain to Lantern Hill. Her father is surprised to see her. He tells her he is not getting a divorce or remarrying. He is going to Boston to meet publishers about a book he wrote.
Jane then gets sick with pneumonia. Her father sends a telegram to her mother. Robin, Jane's mother, ignores her own mother's wishes and goes to the Island to be with Jane. Jane's father falls in love with her mother again when he sees her. When Jane wakes up, her parents have made up. The book ends with Jane happily planning for her reunited family. They will spend half the year in Toronto and half on Lantern Hill.
TV Movie Adaptation
In 1990, Jane of Lantern Hill was made into a television movie. It was called Lantern Hill. Kevin Sullivan directed the movie. It was also translated into French and Japanese. You can still find it on DVD today.
