Sara Stanley is a wealthy child sent to stay with distant relatives on Prince Edward Island, when her father is accused of embezzlement. She finds the life on the small island a challenge, and getting to know her mother's family is not much easier. At first Sara resents being in Avonlea. Her mother's sister, Hetty King, resents Sara's Nanny Louisa and sends her back to Montreal. Sara is left to live with her Aunt's Hetty and Olivia in Rose Cottage.
Content to stay on at Rose Cottage, with her Aunt's Hetty & Olivia, Sara makes friends with Jasper Dale, 'The Awkward Man' of Avonlea. In the meantime, the school board has decided to hold a 'magic lantern' show and use the proceeds for the school library fund. The man they hire to do this show is in actuality a confidence man, who Sara inadvertently helps skip town with the money. Sara wants to put on a show to replace the missing funds and asks the help of the shy Jasper, who is an inventor and owns a 'magic lantern'. Sara gives a heartfelt recitation of "The Little Match Girl", and she is forever known as "The Story Girl", in Avonlea.
A mischevious Sara and Felix sneak into grumpy old Alexander Abraham's house, on a dare, not knowing that he is ill and about to be quarantined. Avonlea busy-body, Rachel Lynde enters his house looking for his farm boy who has been skipping her Sunday School Class. All are quarantined together. Alexander is a woman hater, Rachel a 'do-gooder', and the house is an unmitigated mess. Rachel nurses Alexander through his illness, Felix too, when he falls ill. Sara helps cleans his house, and learns that there is more to life than just reading books all the time. Through the help of the children and Rachel Lynde, Alexander is no-longer a cranky old man, and somewhat less of a woman-hater. Mrs. Rachel, however, remains a 'do-gooder'.
Everyone in Avonlea knows everything about everyone. Exasperated, Marilla Cuthbert, "creates" a beau for the ladies of the sewing circle. To Marilla's distress, a traveling salesman with the same name she 'made up' shows up in town. Marilla faces Duncan McTavish and tells him the truth. Realizing the predicament she is in, Duncan helps Marilla stop all of the wagging tongues in Avonlea.
"Old Lady Lloyd" is believed to be a very wealthy woman, but she is actually living in poverty in her mansion. Sara befriends Miss Lloyd and wants to help her. Sylvia Gray, a friend of Olivia's visiting Avonlea, is the daughter of Miss Lloyd's former beau, who Miss Lloyd has never forgiven. Young Miss Gray has a magnificent singing voice, and Miss Lloyd, after a long conversation with Peg Bowen, walks through a thunder storm to get her cousin, with whom she has not spoken in years, to finance the young woman's career. The lesson is about forgiveness.
Bossy cousin Felicity is left in charge of all the children when Aunt Janet and Uncle Alec go away to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary, and then Aunt Hetty decides she must go to Charlottetown to protect the farms "water rights". Felicity soon antagonizes the other children into misbehaving. Felix eats "poison berries", Sara smears Felicity's cherry pie all over Felicity's dress and even cuts off some of her "perfect" hair. A visit by the Governor's wife makes for confusion as to her identity. By the story's end, the children have all "learned lessons" and Sara become friends with the formerly unfriendly Felix and Felicity.
The children are enthralled went a missionary visits Avonlea. Sara is distressed that Peter, the hired boy, has "no religion" and sets about getting him to go to church. Peter comes down with influenza and the children come to realize how precious life is. Hetty and Olivia start to treat him less like hired help and more like family; Peter goes to school with the King children.
Janet King's sister, Abigail (Aunt 'Crabigail') Ward, is a fussy old maid, who lives in a spotlessly clean house. When her old beau, Malcolm McEwan comes back, rich, from the Yukon; he sets about wooing Abigail. At first she accepts, but the big man leaves such a mess, is so demonstrative, and buys her so many gifts that Abigail panics and returns his ring. Sara and Felicity are in raptures over the romance, and when they find out Malcolm is leaving town, they tell Abigail. She covers herself with Malcolm's gifts, and with Sara and Felicity holding on for dear life, races after the stage and begs Malcolm to return.
Back from their honeymoon, Malcolm suggests starting a family; Abigail says that she is too old for children, and they fuss quite a bit. Sara and Felicity find a newly orphaned baby and leave him on the McEwan's door step, hoping to smooth rough waters between the couple and give them something that they need. Enemies Rachel Lynde and Aunt Hetty both decide that they have a greater claim to the baby and both want him. In the end it is decided that the baby is better off with Malcolm and Abigail.
Felicity's pride is her downfall. She brags that she could make anyone popular, even poor sweet Clemmie Ray. She even makes a bet with snooty Sally Potts and her co-hort Jane Spry that Clemmie will shine at the Harvest Ball. Alec King's principals are put to the test when a visiting politician, whom he supports, tries to "buy" his vote by offering to select Felicity's costume as the 'Best' at the Harvest Ball. Clemmie is Clemmie and is not popular at the ball, and Felicity, because of her fathers decision, does not win 'Best Costume' or her bet with Sally Potts. The children, however, learn about the value of friendship and being true to oneself.
With Aunt Hetty as the Avonlea schoolmistress, Felix is feeling like the "dunce" that she tells him he is. With the help of Peg Bowen, the Witch of Avonlea and a "magic stone" Felix hopes to win the spelling bee, but then he loses the stone. His sister, Felicity sees her dream of becoming the Spelling Champion vanish, when it is Felix who wins. Felix learns that he always had the ability to win and he only needed a bit of self-confidence, just as the wise Peg Bowen wanted him to learn.
Arabella King, a distant relative, was jilted at the altar, and left all of her wedding finery in a chest which sits in the King Farm kitchen for years. The curious Sara and her cousins Felix and Felicity try to persuade the adults to open the chest. Upon the notification of Arabella's death, they are free to open the chest. Aunt Olivia has begun working for the newspaper and finds a story in the contents of the chest. With the help of Sara and Jasper Dale, Olivia gets her story and solves an old mystery. Jasper and Olivia also discover they share a mutual interest in one another.
Blair Stanley, Sara's father, has been acquitted of fraud and he wants Sara to come home to Montreal. He returns to the island and comes up against Hetty King, who refuses to let Sara go. Aunt Hetty resents Blair Stanley 'taking' her younger sister Ruth away from the family and then 'letting' her die, because of their fast city life-style. Sara in heartbroken, afraid of losing the family she has grown to love and losing her fathers love, because she wants to stay in Avonlea. Trying to reason with Hetty and Blair leaves her further frustrated, and so Sara runs away and hides, hoping to unite the families. Instead it sparks more antagonism. When she is finally found, Sara defiantly argues with Blair, and not paying attention to where she is walking, loses her footing and falls from the top loft of the barn. Hetty & Blair, frightened of almost losing Sara, decide to talk over their differences and call a truce to their fighting. Sara is allowed to stay on the island.
Sara returns to Montreal, to live with her father, but a tragic accident causes her return to the island. Once only motherless, Sara finds her self suddenly orphaned and searching for answers. A traveling circus is in Avonlea and Peter takes her, hoping to cheer her up. Instead, Sara decides to visit the fortune teller, who claims to communicate with the deceased. Sara's life is placed in danger and it is Uncle Alec who saves the day.
Janet King's Great-Aunt Eliza comes for a visit, and sets the King household on it's ear, as Janet tries to please her guest, while she herself is feeling quite unwell. Alec finds out that playing cricket, is not as easy as it used to be when he was a younger man. Felicity decides that she is now "grown up" at age 13 3/4 and develops a crush on a visiting rival cricket player. Mooning over David Hawes, Felicity longs to receive her "first kiss". Sara and Felix make a new friend, Gus Pike, a young sailor, recently arrived in Avonlea and looking for work. Alec offers his barn for Gus to stay in, and also some work until the cannery begins hiring. It is wise Great Aunt Eliza who realizes why Janet is feeling unwell, it is announced that the family will soon have a new baby. Felicity finally gets her kiss and the family is never the same after Gus Pike enters their lives.
Muriel Stacey, is returning home to Avonlea to see her old school house and her school chum Hetty King. Feeling threatened by her perceived former-rival, Hetty goes out looking for new students. Gus Pike is now working at the cannery, and wants to learn... reading, writing and how to be a gentleman... Hetty is delighted with his enthusiasm. After an accident at home, Hetty is temporarily replaced at school by Muriel, who not only does not want to replace Hetty, but organizes the children to do a "tribute"to her. Gus plays a fiddle solo to express his gratitude to Hetty.
Dora and Davy Keith come to live at Green Gables, with Marilla, a distant relative, after their parents die. Only a temporary arrangement, until a uncle could be located, Marilla is faced with the prospect of turning two children over to an orphanage or losing the friendship of Rachel Lynde, because Davy has proven to be a handful. Rachel makes matters worse beacause she is suffering from a tooth ache, but refuses to go to the doctor... and then there is that naughty pig.
Hetty King runs in to her old beau, Romney Penhallow, at a wedding and refuses to speak to him, because of an age old quarrel between the two. Romney pursues Hetty and makes her speak to him and they enjoy some quiet time together. Romney has a sad secret, which is finally shared with Hetty. Their friendship becomes more important to both of them, and they are able to make peace with each other. Also, because of Romney, Hetty and Rachel Lynde are finally able to bury the hatchet and become friends once again.
Edwin Clark, an old beau of Olivia's has returned to Avonlea, intent on winning her hand. Hetty had chased him off years before, but as he returns wealthy and successful, Hetty no longer objects. Sara thinks Olivia is better suited to shy and awkward Jasper Dale, and encourages him to pay court to her. Olivia is torn between a former love and a new love, however her decision on who would be the best man to wed becomes quite clear, when she sees how the two men react to the emergency that occurs when a small boy falls down an abandoned well.
Andrew King's father, Roger, returns from the jungles of Brazil and a doting Hetty heaps praise on him. She even plans a reception in his honour, at King Farm and placing Janet in charge. Alec, the elder brother and heir to the family farm, is put in a bad light, when he loans money from the family trust to a neighbor in need. This not only puts a strain on Alec and Roger's relationship, but their sons, Felix and Andrew are also affected, as they argue over Grandfather King's fishing basket. Fists fly, lessons are learned and fences are mended between the siblings.
Gus Pike is working hard at school and taking odd jobs around town when Captain Ezekiel Crane, the reclusive lighthouse keeper, offers him a job and a place to stay. Rachel Lynde is convinced that the island is being over run by bootleggers. The children believe they see a Ghost Ship near the lighthouse. Abe Pike, former first mate for Captain Crane, arrives in Avonlea, having escaped from prison and claims Gus as his son. Abe fights with Ezekiel and falls into the ocean, as the towns people storm the light house looking for bootleggers.
Sara finds an old gold coin while helping Gus and Captain Crane gather fire wood. Captain Crane informs her that the island is a burial ground of pirates treasure and that her coin very likely came from a treasure. Rachel Lynde, Janet King and Aunt Hetty all go looking in different places for treasure. Gus, Sara and Felicity are put in danger when Captain Borden, a former shipmate and friend of Captain Crane's, arrives in Avonlea. Borden believes that Ezekiel has knowledge of the location of a lost Spanish treasure. Captain Crane leaves the Avonlea after tricking Borden and giving Gus the lighthouse, as a home, and a ruby and gold ring.
Bored with everyday life, the King cousins decide to create their own newspaper. This helps to keep them entertained and goes quite well, until the children's "made up" advice column (Madame X) gets mixed up with the Avonlea Chronicles real news. Olivia, working as a reporter for the Chronicle, and temporarily acting as editor, is hard put to defend herself for the column mix-up. Then, the Chronicle office is robbed and it is up to Jasper Dale to catch the thief and exonerate Olivia.
Pigeon Plumtree, is a famous actress and Sara's cousin, who has decided to make a stop in Avonlea. Sara has stars in her eyes when Pigeon claims that she has the making of becoming a great actress. Pat Frewen, resident pig farmer is enchanted by Pigeon, much to the distress of Dorathea, who has waited 20 years for Pat to propose to her. Sara sorts out this odd love triangle and decides to stay in Avonlea.
"Rollings Reliable" is sponsoring an essay contest to honour the mothers of the town. When Sara decides that Aunt Hetty should be her subject for the contest a scornful Sally Potts and Felicity tell her only a "real" mother could be entered in the contest. Having found out that Sally and Felicity share a birth date, and were delivered by the same doctor, a mischievious Sara tells them they were switched at birth. Both girls and their mothers agonize over this and learn that it is "who raises the child, and not who gives birth" that makes a woman a mother. Felicity enters Sara's discarded essay in the competition and Hetty wins.
Archie Gillis challenges Alec King, by refusing many who want to play ice hockey, a place on the Avonlea team. Alec starts a team of his own with the 'misfits' that Archie refused. With the help of Miss Stacy and Peg Bowen, after Alec sprains his back and can't play, the 'Misfits' show Archie Gillis and his 'Avengers' a thing or two. Back at King Farm, Janet is in need of help when the baby arrives sooner than expected, and Sara is there to help after the capable Felicity passes out.
Hetty takes over the plans for Olivia and Jasper's wedding, changing the small intimate ceremony they planned into a three-ring-circus. Jasper & Olivia want to elope; Janet is forced to do all of the work; the wedding ring is lost; the wedding gown arrives three times too big; and Hetty and Olivia are not speaking to each other. Here comes the bride...
Sara is suffering growing pains, and Hetty refuses to recognize that the 'Story Girl' is growing up. Gus has news of Captain Crane in Halifax, and plans to travel there to meet him. Sara meets a look alike named, Jo Pitts. When Sara finds living with Hetty unbearable, she forces Gus to take her to Halifax with him. Jo Pitts pretends to be Sara, with the help of Felix. Gus has been tricked by Abe Pike, not Captain Crane who sent the message and Abe wants Gus to take him to Captain Crane & the treasure, so he holds his captive until Gus captiulates, and in the meantime, nasty thieves believe that Sara is Jo Pitts, who is one of their own, and take her captive...
Back in Avonlea, Jo Pitts is wreaking havoc with Hetty, who believes that "Sara" has become deranged. When Jo decides she has had enough of Hetty, she decides to drown her. Sara and Gus escape the gang of theives, who are run by Abe Pike, and sail back to Avonlea just in time to stop Jo from robbing the town blind. Gus offers the King women some advice on how to handle Jo, and she is offered a home with Sara and Hetty at Rose Cottage. However, Jo decides to take her fate into her own hands and leaves town.
Alec wants to sell Blackie, an aging farm horse and somewhat of a pet of Felix, after he purchases a new horse. Felix won't hear of it and decides to start a delivery business, with Sara's help, to pay for Blackie's feed. Felix is teased by the local business men and makes a foolish wager. This causes heartbreak for young Felix, and then a new beginning.
Alec is elected to the school board, and Hetty feels that she is being unfairly criticized so she quits her job as schoolmistress in Avonlea. Her replacement is Alistair Dimple, an impoverished actor, pretending to be a teacher. Alistair inspires the students to learn by doing role-playing and, in turn, inspires Hefty to write a book about the island. Alec finds out Dimples "identity", but keeps quiet as Avonlea school battles it out for the History Championship competition against rival Carmody.
The Womens Suffrage Movement comes to Avonlea, and after hearing a suffragette speak, Janet decides to get a petition signed asking for women to have the right to vote. Her zeal causes problems at home and problems at the McCorkindale cannery when she tries to get them better wages. When her efforts finally land her in jail, Alec regrets not helping Janet with her petition and gets Hetty and many others in town to sign. The cannery workers are then given a pay raise, because of Janet's efforts and Mrs. McCorkindale's practicality.
It is a dark and stormy night when Gus falls under the spell of beautiful Amanda Stone, much to Felicity's chagrin. Robert Rutherford arrives in Avonlea, on Amanda's very heels, and claims the gems Amanda left in safe keeping with Gus are stolen. Gus, smitten with Amanda, refuses to believe Rutherford's claims, however Felicity smells a rat in fine french perfume. The town's people hear about Gus's gems and begin to treat him differently. Then a series of events causes Gus and Felix to be thrown in jail and Gus sets out to find the truth.
Sisters Janet and Abilgail, and Olivia and Hetty, spend the day at an auction, and the men, Jasper, Alec and Felix, all go ice fishing. Before the afternoon is over the women are not on speaking terms. Alec, Gus and Jasper try to deal with questions from Felix on "life" and "women and men, together". Gus talks to Jasper about what it feels like to be in love. The day ends with the women out looking for Abigail's son Lucky, whom they believe is out lost in a snow storm and the men go looking for the women. A joyous reunion takes place in the woods, before they all retire to the King Farm for warmth and renewed feeling for each other, and Jasper makes a toast, to friends... and relations.
The new minister in town, gives a 'hell-fire-and-brimstone' sermon which convinces the children that the world is coming to an end. The adults have no idea that the children have taken the sermon so seriously. The children go to the lighthouse, prepared to confess their sins, and hope this will save the world. A lunar eclipse convinces them the end is nigh... and Felix's confession almost makes Felicity put an end to him.
Jasper Dale is studying bats, and Olivia feels inadequate by not being able to help with his work. A woman scientist comes to help and is smitten with Jasper. Hetty tutors Olivia in science, but it seems that Jasper loves her for her special skills, and not for the scientific knowledge she gains. Sydney Carver, the scientist leaves after "making a fool of herself" over Jasper.
Felicity is invited to Kingsport Ladies College, because of her academic excellence. Once there,she is intimidated by the other girl's worldliness, so she lies and pretends that she is Sara's rich sister, using the story's of Sara's life. Gus, worries that he is losing Felicity, and decides that if "good manners and breeding" are important, he is going to get them. Sara and Pierre further Gus's education. Felicity has to face her parents with her lies, and learns a lesson in humility.
Wally Higgins, an ice skate salesman visiting Avonlea decides that Hetty is the perfect woman for him, she has the perfect sized feet. Wellington Campbell decides that part of the King property is his. Now Hetty works to keep both her freedom and her land. Felicity expects Gus to take her to the skating party and he has yet to ask her to go with him, but he is too proud to admit that he has no skates. When he confides this to Sara, she gives him a pair, but Gus doesn't know how to skate!
It is heartbreak at Green Gables when Marilla Cuthbert dies suddenly, and leaves no will. The assumption is that Anne would always inherit Green Gables from the Cuthberts. When Gilbert Blythe arrives in Avonlea and tries to buy Green Gables it is too late, one of the neighbors has bought it. Rachel Lynde and the children are now homeless, unless Rachel can make friends with the new owner. A man who "hates" Rachel. Rachel has to learn to "mind her tongue"if she wants a to continue to live at Green Gables.
Olivia is about to deliver her first child, and Jasper's family descends on them intending to aid at the birth. Their Bohemian life style clashes with the traditional life style of the King Family, causing major problems. Montgomery King Dale's entrance to the world, almost didn't happen. Jasper is the one who saves the day!
Aunt Hetty's plans to help Olivia with the new baby change when Olivia challenges Hetty to be creative. Hetty has written a romance novel, and with out her knowledge, Olivia publishes it in the Chronicle, under the nom de plume, H.E. LeRoi. Clive Pettibone, the new school master, also has a creative streak. Hetty and Clive are antagonists, until they share their secrets.
For his 14th birthday, Felix wants a rifle, but receives a telescope instead. He borrows his fathers rifle to go hunting, on another one of his 'get rich quick schemes', to provide venison for the White Sands Hotel. Gus hears the shot, and finds Felix bending over a wounded Digger. Arthur Pettibone, is a veterinarian student, the oldest son of Clive, who his eye on Felicity. He treats Digger, knowing he is making an impression. Gus is not pleased at Felicity's reaction to Arthur, and realizes that he has competition for her affections.
Alec's childhood friend, Emmett, returns to Avonlea with a new young bride and an infant. He asks Alec for help, as his farm has done poorly and he needs to fish for food for the winter. On a shipping expedition, their ship sinks and Emmett dies. Alec feeling responsible, tries to run Emmett's farm and his own. Evelyn, the clinging widow, causes problems between Janet and Alec and sets the whole town gossiping.
With the 'romance' of Felicity and Gus progressing, Sara is feeling left out. Then Zak Morgan, and his "Wild West Show" come to town and Sara loses her heart. Hetty and Olivia are very concerned that Sara is getting into a dangerous situation. Sara rodeo rides to impress Zak, and asks if she can join his show. Zak agrees, but when the time comes and the show leaves town Sara is left behind.
The King family from the Road to Avonlea television series gather together during the first World War to celebrate the holidays. The season is a time of crisis for the family this year, however, as eldest son Felix who was fighting overseas has been listed as missing in action. Meanwhile, Aunt Hetty grapples with loneliness and a potentially fatal back injury; Felicity searches for a new career; and Olivia considers moving back to Avonlea.
