book review for secret garden

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The secret garden, common sense media reviewers.

Classic novel inspires love of nature.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Readers will learn the names of plants and flowers

Like gardens, children need lots of care, fresh ai

Martha and her mother's easy, down-to-earth ways h

Mary recalls that when she lived in India, she sla

Racist references to "the blacks" (i.e. natives of

Early in the book, Mary drinks a glass of wine tha

Educational Value

Readers will learn the names of plants and flowers (rose, lilac, daffodil, crocus, etc.), the difference between seeds and bulbs, and how to tell when a dormant plant is coming back to life in spring. They'll also learn a bit about the lifestyle of English aristocrats at the turn of the 20th century and how poorly colonizers treated India and its people.

Positive Messages

Like gardens, children need lots of care, fresh air, and sunshine to blossom. Friendship and nature are healing, as is learning to take care of yourself.

Positive Role Models

Martha and her mother's easy, down-to-earth ways help Mary develop her love of nature and compassion for other creatures. Dickon (age 12) also sets a nice example, especially for boys, with his love and respect, and almost magical affinity, for all living things. Colin and Mary both grow in significant ways over the course of the story, changing from being selfish and demanding to generous, open, and supportive. Mary's experiences in India reflect the country's history as a place that was unjustly colonized; she speaks about the people there in a patronizing, racist way.

Violence & Scariness

Mary recalls that when she lived in India, she slapped her Ayah (nursemaid) whenever she was angry. Ben Weatherstaff talks about a man who got drunk and beat his wife. Mary's parents die early in the book, leaving her orphaned. Characters argue.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Racist references to "the blacks" (i.e. natives of India).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Early in the book, Mary drinks a glass of wine that an adult left unfinished; it puts her to sleep. Ben Weatherstaff tells the children about a man who went to the pub and got "drunk as a lord."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Frances Hodgson Burnett 's The Secret Garden is a beautifully written book about two selfish, disagreeable English cousins -- Mary and Colin -- whose lives and dispositions are transformed when they find their way into a locked, walled garden. Friendship and the restorative powers of nature help the children gain good spirits and health. For generations, this 1909 novel has inspired a love of nature and simple pleasures in young readers. That said, it includes some racist ideas about class, colonization, and Indian people. Indians are referred to as "natives" and "blacks," and Mary is angry and insulted when she's compared to them. Mary also takes an unkind, superior attitude toward servants and recalls losing her temper and slapping her Ayah (Indian nursemaid). Early in the novel, Mary's parents and many servants in the household die of cholera, leaving 10-year-old Mary alone. With no one to care for her, Mary becomes thirsty, drinks an abandoned glass of wine from her parents' dining table, and goes to sleep. Alcohol is mentioned again when the groundskeeper at Misselthwaite manor, Ben Weatherstaff, talks about another man being "drunk as a lord" and beating his wife. The Secret Garden has been made into a few different movie versions, including a 2020 adaptation starring Dixie Egerickx as Mary and Colin Firth as her uncle.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

Parents say (14)
Kids say (35)

Based on 14 parent reviews

Classic, but beware is a product of its time

What's the story.

Francis Hodgson Burnett's classic novel THE SECRET GARDEN begins in India, which at the turn of the 20th century was still part of the British Empire. Ten-year-old Mary Lennox has been living there with her parents, though her father is rarely present and her mother is most interested in dinner parties, so Mary's main caretaker has been her Ayah (nursemaid). Mary's parents and many of the servants in their household die of cholera, and the adults who survive flee the house, leaving Mary alone and unaware of what has happened. She's later discovered and sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor, where she's rude to the household staff. She's at once spoiled and lost in a world of new customs and expectations. However, she's encouraged to spend time "out of doors," and the fresh air does her good. Her appetite begins to improve, and so does her temperament. She really turns a corner when she meets Dickon, the younger brother of one of the housemaids. Dickon has an innate, almost magical, connection to the natural world, and he inspires in Mary a fascination with plants and animals. Meanwhile, Mary discovers there's another child living in the house: a boy whose foul disposition reminds her of her former self. Mary shares with her new friends the story she's heard about a secret walled garden that was locked 10 years ago, after a tragedy occurred there. When Mary finds the long-buried key to the garden, the children set about bringing it back to life, and they blossom right along with it.

so monstrously spoiled that no one can stand them and they can hardly stand themselves. With the help of a boy of the moors and some natural magic, they discover an abandoned garden and return it to abundance. As the garden grows the children grow -- into their own better selves.

Is It Any Good?

For generations, this wonderful novel has inspired young readers to appreciate simple earthly pleasures like skipping rope, planting seeds and watching plants grow, and coming home to a hot meal. At the same time, The Secret Garden appeals to children's imaginations with its mysteries of cries in the night and the secret walled garden. Readers will also be entertained by Mary and Colin's bratty behavior, and then their growing friendship.

Though some characters express outdated and/or racist attitudes, readers are meant to understand that unkindness and disrespect are wrong. It also makes the novel ripe for discussing colonialist prejudice. And the story intriguingly equates nurturing the neglected garden with restoring the health and vibrancy of the youngsters. This classic has been made into a few film versions , including a 2020 adaptation directed by Marc Munden.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the two cousins in The Secret Garden . Why are Mary and Colin so disagreeable at first? What helps them behave better?

What are some things that Mary and Colin have in common?

What would you grow in your own garden if you had one?

Book Details

Author : Frances Hodgson Burnett
Illustrator : Tasha Tudor
Genre : Fantasy
Topics : Friendship , Science and Nature
Book type : Fiction
Publisher : HarperCollins Children's Books
Publication date : January 1, 1911
Number of pages : 368
Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated : September 25, 2020

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - review

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden (Vintage Children's Classics)

This book can be read by anyone over 9, advanced readers at around 7 or 8.

The Secret Garden is about a particularly arrogant and unpleasant girl called Mary Lennox. At the start of the book, she lives in India, but is forced to leave for her uncle's mansion in England in order to escape a devastating outbreak of cholera. The book is about how the discovery of a secret garden transforms the character of Mary and another character in the book.

I really liked the book, as it was fascinating to see Mary change from a horrible, spoiled brat to a sweet-hearted girl. The best scene was probably when Mary first finds the garden that was hidden for a decade, as the description left such a clear image in my mind. This book is a classic that your parents have probably read, but don't let that put you off! It is an intriguing read, despite the few slow bits in the book. I would probably give it 8.5 out of ten. It is not a fancy book for girls, despite the title. This is definitely a book for either gender! I would not recommend this book for people who do not care for nature, as there is a lot of description about flowers and trees and so on. On the other hand, it could change your mind about it! This is a must-read for people who are interested about nature, but other readers would enjoy it too.

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The Secret Garden | Book Review

Book Review of The Secret Garden The Children’s Book Review

The Secret Garden

Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Ages: 8+ | 352 Pages

Publisher: Wordsworth Editions | ISBN-13: 9781840227796

What to Expect: Classic Literature, Mystery, Adventure, Nature, Friendship, and Self-Discovery

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a timeless classic that weaves a tale of transformation and renewal, capturing the essence of growth both in nature and within the human spirit. Originally titled “Mistress Mary,” the book draws inspiration from a well-known English nursery rhyme, setting the tone for a story that mirrors the rhyme’s themes of change and enchantment.

The narrative follows Mary Lennox, a sour-faced and spoiled orphan, as she is sent to live with her reclusive uncle at the gloomy Misselthwaite Manor. The mansion, with its multitude of locked rooms, serves as a metaphor for the characters’ emotional barriers. Mary’s exploration of the surrounding gardens becomes a metaphorical journey of self-discovery, leading her to the mysterious and long-forgotten secret garden.

As Mary unearths the key to the secret garden, Burnett masterfully unfolds a captivating tale of friendship and the healing powers of nature. The garden becomes a symbol of rebirth, both for the land and the characters. The vivid descriptions of the garden’s transformation are a testament to Burnett’s skill in portraying the enchanting beauty of nature’s cyclical renewal.

The characters, including the sickly cousin Colin, undergo profound changes, mirroring the growth of the garden itself. The narrative skillfully explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the transformative power of love. Mary’s personal growth, from a spoiled child to a compassionate friend, is beautifully portrayed, emphasizing the idea that, like the garden, individuals have the potential for renewal and positive change.

To fully appreciate the magic within “The Secret Garden,” it is recommended to read the book during the transition from winter to spring. The symbolism of the changing seasons aligns with the story’s themes of growth and renewal, making the reading experience all the more enchanting. Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic continues to resonate with readers of all ages, reminding us that, much like Mistress Mary’s garden, there is always room for growth and beauty in our own lives.

Buy the Book

What to read next if you love the secret garden.

A Little Princess , by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Ballet Shoes , by Noel Streatfeild
Heidi , by Johanna Spyri
Anne of Green Gables , by L. M. Montgomery

Bianca Schulze reviewed The Secret Garden . Discover more books like The Secret Garden by reading our reviews and articles tagged with Classics .

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Bianca Schulze is the founder of The Children’s Book Review. She is a reader, reviewer, mother and children’s book lover. She also has a decade’s worth of experience working with children in the great outdoors. Combined with her love of books and experience as a children’s specialist bookseller, the goal is to share her passion for children’s literature to grow readers. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, she now lives with her husband and three children near Boulder, Colorado.

REVIEW: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Dear Readers,

As a child, I loved Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. It’s considered a classic novel and is the story of children beginning to blossom as they bring a locked, abandoned garden to life.

I was introduced to Burnett via a serialized reading of Little Lord Fauntleroy that was part of a children’s hour radio broadcast I listened to as a young child in Israel (yes, I got my childhood programs from the radio as well as the television). I looked forward to those broadcasts with bated breath and I still remember the song “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” which bracketed the radio readings of Little Lord Fauntleroy .

Sometime in the past couple of years I revisited Little Lord Fauntleroy and was stunned by how bad it was: quite possibly the most treacly book I have ever read, poorly researched, and racist. Had I reviewed it here, I would have given it a big fat F. My expectations of The Secret Garden , my favorite Burnett novel in childhood, dropped at that time, but I thought that the book could not possibly be as bad as Little Lord Fauntleroy . For one thing, I remembered that the novel’s main character, Mary Lennox, was not an idealized, sugary, Marty Stu figure like Cedric, the eponymous Little Lord Fauntleroy.

The recent pandemic outbreak seemed like a good time to test that theory. The stress and anxiety has made me more amenable to reading something simple and potentially heartwarming. Some of my suppositions were correct; The Secret Garden is considerably better crafted than Little Lord Fauntleroy . But in other ways I was wrong.

The novel begins when nine-year-old Mary Lennox loses her parents to cholera. Mary is a spoiled and surly child living in India (no more specific location is given) when her home is struck with the illness. Mary’s parents and her Ayah (nursery maid) die, other servants desert the house, and the orphaned Mary is discovered utterly alone by two soldiers who come in to see if anyone has been left alive.

After a brief sojourn with a clergyman’s family (the children of the household mock her stubborn, angry demeanor by dubbing her “Mistress Mary, quite contrary,”) she is sent to her uncle’s Yorkshire country house. Mr. Craven, her uncle, is largely absent and his household is run by his housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock, who picks up Mary in London and conveys her to her new home.

Mrs. Medlock doesn’t suffer fools gladly; she expects Mary to dress herself and amuse herself on her own (not wholly believable but I went with it), something Mary is unused to. Martha, a young Yorkshire maid, serves Mary a bit, chattering and catching Mary’s reluctant interest.

At first Mary is furious at being treated in such a way; she is arrogant and expects everyone to kowtow to her (we’re told more than once that her Indian servants did her bidding with alacrity).

As the days go on, though, Mary realizes she’ll have to find a way to fill up her time on her own. Martha gives her a jump rope encourages her to seek out the gardens; Mary does, and discovers the location of the “secret garden” Martha has mentioned to her.

The garden has been locked for a decade, Mary learns—ever since Mr. Craven’s late wife was badly injured when she fell off one of the garden’s trees. When she subsequently died, Mr. Craven could not bear the place, once his wife’s favorite spot. He locked the walled garden and buried the key. No one knows where it’s buried. Even more mysteriously, the garden appears to have no door.

Mary becomes acquainted with a handful of people one by one, and very gradually her circle of acquaintances, and not only that, of people she likes, widens. Martha is the first person Mary grows slightly fond of, then Ben Weatherstaff, a grumpy gardener, and a robin he likes. After that Deacon, Martha’s twelve-year-old brother, who can literally charm birds out of trees.

One day, the robin leads Mary to dig around in the soil at a particular spot, and she finds the key to the garden. Later she discovers the door, hidden under a thick cluster of ivy. She wonders if the garden is truly as dead as it appears to be, and begins to weed it, keeping her possession of the key to herself. The garden is a forbidden place, after all.

Mary’s friend Deacon is without a doubt an idealized figure, at times to an eye-rolling degree. He attracts animals and can make any plant thrive. He has tamed a crow and two squirrels (all three take turns sitting on his shoulders), a fox cub and a lamb. He can even speak to the robin in its own chirpy language. Mary lets Deacon in on her secret, and he begins to work in the garden with her.

Working in the garden and skipping with the jump rope strengthens Mary’s muscles. Whereas once she had a sallow complexion and a pinched expression and pecked at her food, now her appetite grows, her skin takes on a healthy glow, her eyes and her cheeks brighten. She loses her sullen demeanor and the people she likes come to like her in return.

On a particularly windy night, Mary hears a childish cry in a distant part of the house. Martha tells Mary that she has mistaken the howling of the wind for a human sound. On another occasion, while exploring the house, Mary hears another such cry and approaches the room it originates from. But Mrs. Medlock catches her and forbids her from encroaching on that part of the house.

Who is the child crying in the night? Can Mary and Deacon bring him or her to life and good health, much as the garden has brought Mary to both? And what will happen when Mr. Craven comes home and discovers the secret garden in bloom?

I can see why The Secret Garden is considered a classic—the concept of the children’s bodies and spirits healing as they awaken a nearly magical garden is not only heartwarming but also has an almost mythical air. There is more than a touch of the fantastical to this book, but most of the magic in it can be explained and viewed as natural rather than supernatural. Much of this is simplistic. Neither the major characters or the natural world have much complexity. But this is a children’s book, so I didn’t necessarily expect complexity.

The one human character who might be said to exist on the other side of the natural / supernatural divide is Deacon—he is a human boy, so we’re told, but he has capacities no boy can possess in reality. No creature, no matter how shy or secretive, can fail to trust him. There were times when I couldn’t suspend my disbelief where he was concerned.

Fortunately, Mary, being a more flawed and therefore more believable character, balances him out, as does the child who cries out in the night. Mary’s transformation is at the core of the novel. It’s easy to want to read more in order to see how she changes, even as she changes the garden. Still, the book approaches sappiness.

The book is also horribly racist. Indians are othered to an extreme degree, from beginning to end. In the very first chapter, the Lennox family’s Indian servants are portrayed as hard to fathom.

At that very moment such a loud sound of wailing broke out from the servants’ quarters that she [Mary’s mother] clutched the young man’s arm, and Mary stood shivering from head to foot. The wailing grew wilder and wilder. “What is it? What is it?” Mrs. Lennox gasped.

The “natives” (a word that seems pejorative to me) are portrayed without dimension. Multifaceted desires, needs, emotions and skills are absent from their characterizations. They are not given names or personalities, either.

Contrasting the maid Martha and the servants Mary had in India, the novel’s omniscient narrator tells us: “This was plain speaking and Mary Lennox had never heard the truth about herself in her life. Native servants always salaamed and submitted to you, whatever you did.”

Even the climate in India is a monolith in this book, with no distinction from season to season or place to place:

“I can’t help thinking about what it will look like,” he answered. “The garden?” asked Mary. “The springtime,” he said. “I was thinking that I’ve really never seen it before. I scarcely ever went out and when I did go I never looked at it. I didn’t even think about it.” “I never saw it in India because there wasn’t any,” said Mary.

A line drawn is from India’s stifling heat to Mary’s initial ill-health and sallow complexion, and another from Mary’s newfound haleness and well-being to the salutary effects of the crisp Yorkshire air.

Worst of all is the dehumanizing of Indians. In one scene, after Martha tells Mary that she’d expected her to be an Indian child, we get this:

Mary sat up in bed furious. “What!” she said. “What! You thought I was a native. You—you daughter of a pig!” Martha stared and looked hot. “Who are you callin’ names?” she said. “You needn’t be so vexed. That’s not th’ way for a young lady to talk. I’ve nothin’ against th’ blacks. When you read about ’em in tracts they’re always very religious. You always read as a black’s a man an’ a brother. I’ve never seen a black an’ I was fair pleased to think I was goin’ to see one close. When I come in to light your fire this mornin’ I crep’ up to your bed an’ pulled th’ cover back careful to look at you. An’ there you was,” disappointedly, “no more black than me—for all you’re so yeller.” Mary did not even try to control her rage and humiliation. “You thought I was a native! You dared! You don’t know anything about natives! They are not people—they’re servants who must salaam to you. You know nothing about India. You know nothing about anything!”

If not for the racism, I might have been swept up in the quiet magic worked by the secret garden and the Yorkshire moors. I was able to not only read to the end but to turn pages pretty well, considering that the book has a leisurely pace. I was able to compartmentalize and enjoy the story to a degree. But not entirely–my mind ping-ponged from the comforting calm of the garden to the awful bigotry.

This is a hard book to grade because I can see why it’s a classic to some and why others will find it offensive. To an extent I felt nostalgic due to my childhood enchantment with it. Splicing these factors together brings me to a grade of D/C-.

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Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

by Becca Wierwille | Dec 28, 2022 | Book Reviews

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett book cover

*Please note: This post contains affiliate links.

Classic children’s books have a special place in our hearts, don’t they?

It’s amazing that a book first published in 1910 could still be relevant to and loved by kids today. And yet, that’s exactly what Frances Hodgson Burnett accomplished with her beloved story, The Secret Garden ( Amazon Affiliate Link ).

I wish I could say I experienced this classic as a child, but instead, I’m almost embarrassed to say that I read it for the first time this year. I found a beautiful hardback edition at a book sale and enjoyed diving into the beauty and charm of the story.

If you’re like me and didn’t grow up reading The Secret Garden , let’s take a step back.

The Secret Garden is the story of an orphan named Mary who is sent to live in her uncle’s magnificent, mysterious mansion on the Yorkshire Moors. Mary discovers a love for the gardens outside the mansion—specifically, a secret walled garden with a missing key.

When Mary finds a way into the secret garden and vows to bring it back to life, her own life also begins to transform. Can new, unexpected friendships and a lot of fresh air change everything?

The cast of The Secret Garden shows us the “Magic” around us—the beauty that we might miss if we don’t stop to see it.

As the characters talked about the “Magic” of the garden and of the outdoors and of all the other things I don’t want to spoil, I couldn’t help thinking that the “Magic” has a different, truer name. The reason we can step outside and feel awestruck by creation is that we have a magnificent Creator. He fills our world and our lives with beauty, even in the midst of all the brokenness and the hard things that are also going on. He gives us life.

And because of our Creator, sometimes the whole world feels like a garden.

So, all that to say … don’t be like me and put off reading this story any longer! If you haven’t read The Secret Garden , pick up your own copy today.

The link below is an affiliate link for Amazon, which helps support me in creating more posts like this one!

And never forget … you are wonderfully created.

Love, Becca

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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Book Review

Initial thoughts on the secret garden by frances hodgson burnett.

The natural order of life is for people to grow, evolve, and have the ability to adapt to change. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is really about the transformative power of finding “passion” which gives meaning to life. The author’s writing is very vivid, and the words jump off the pages and transport readers into the story where they become a participant versus a passive observer.

What is The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett About?

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First published in 1911, The Secret Garden is a story about 10-year old Mary Lennox, a self-absorbed, sour and sickly girl who becomes an orphan when a cholera epidemic kills her parents and the staff at their home in India. Mary is sent to Misselthwaite Manor in the United Kingdom to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven who is still grieving 10 years after his wife’s death. Shortly after Mary’s arrival, Archibald leaves on a journey to heal his aching and grieving heart.

At the Manor, chambermaid Martha is the only one who has time for Mary, and she regales the child with tales about living on the moor. Martha also talks about her brother Dickon Sowerby , a spirited lad with a kind disposition, who has a “green thumb” and the unique ability to charm animals. After hearing about Dickon, Mary is fascinated and wants to meet him.

One day while exploring the grounds at the Manor, Mary finds the key to the Secret Garden which she has heard about. Everyone is banned from entering the garden, but Mary who has always been accustomed to getting her own way, enters the garden. Her transformation begins immediately. Later, she meets Dickon and shares her secret with him. Together they sneak into the Garden each day and work hard at restoration by pruning and planting new flowers. Doing something that she cares about, Mary gets stronger and her sickness starts to disappear. Because her life now has meaning, she becomes a nicer person and her sourly nature starts to fade.

One night while in her bedroom, she hears weeping and decides to investigate. She discovers her 10 year cousin Colin Craven who is confined to his bedroom because he refuses to go outside. Colin is convinced that he has a disability and is going to die very soon.

“Mary stood near the door with her candle in her hand, holding her breath. Then she crept across the room, and as she drew nearer the light attracted the boy’s attention and he turned his head on his pillow and stared at her, his grey eyes opening so wide that they seemed immense. ‘Who are you?” he said at last in a half-frightened whisper. ‘Are you a ghost?’ ‘No, I am not,” Mary answered, her own whisper sounding half-frightened. ‘Are you One?’… ‘No,’ he replied after waiting a moment or so. ‘I am Colin.’ ‘Who is Colin?’ she faltered. ‘I am Colin Craven. Who are you?’ ‘I am Mary Lennox. Mr. Craven is my uncle.’ ‘He is my father,’ said the boy. ‘Your father!’ gasped Mary. ‘No one ever told me he had a boy! Why didn’t they?’”

Secret Garden: An Inky Treasure Hunt and Coloring Book

Like any other relationship, this one has its ups and downs, but the two cousins develop a bond. When Mary feels that she can trust Colin she tells him about the Garden. Together Mary, Colin and Dickon go to the Garden each day to work.

As the story unfolds, the transformative power of the Garden spreads to Mary and Colin, and, as the Garden comes to life, so do Mary and Colin. Both regain their strength and health and Colin no longer needs his wheelchair. Not only is their health restored through the transformation, but they learn the importance of appreciation and showing consideration for others. What seemed impossible now becomes possible.

Five Great Ideas from The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett

“You learn things by saying them over and over and thinking about them until they stay in your mind forever…”
“The beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen.”
Make life meaningful by doing work that you are passionate about. Live each day as if it were your last
Everyone wants to be liked, appreciated and wanted. People also want to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves
To receive compassion you have to be compassionate and to earn respect you have to respect others

Final Thoughts on The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett

If you are a fan of Frances Hodgson Burnett, below you will find some biographies and more books by her.

Frances Hodgson Burnett Biography

Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Unexpected Life of the Author of The Secret Garden

Books by Frances Hodgson Burnett

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Book Review: The Secret Garden

Posted October 31, 2012 by Whitney in Review / 3 Comments

Though Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote more than forty books, none remains so popular as her miraculous and magical masterpiece, The Secret Garden. Has any story ever dared to begin by calling its heroine, “the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen” and, just a few sentences later, “as tyrannical and selfish a little pig as ever lived?” Mary Lennox is the “little pig,” sent to Misselthwaite Manor, on the Yorkshire moors, to live with her uncle after her parents die of cholera. There she discovers her sickly cousin Colin, who is equally obnoxious and imperious. Both love no one because they have never been loved. They are the book’s spiritual secret gardens, needing only the right kind of care to bloom into lovely children. Mary also discovers a literal secret garden, hidden behind a locked gate on her uncle’s estate, neglected for the ten years since Colin’s birth and his mother’s death. Together with a local child named Dickon, Mary and Colin transform the garden into a paradise bursting with life and color. Through their newfound mutual love of nature, they nurture each other, until they are brought back to health and happiness.

The Secret Garden is a novel of Mary Mary quite contrary, whose parents die due to cholera and is sent off to live with an uncle. The house is old, dusty and filled with secrets. At first we all learn to hate the little brat.

Anywhose, a little bird tells Mary of a secret garden planted by her late aunt being “shut down” after her death. Of course Mary begins to revive it along with her disposition. Lonely Mary also acquires friends, a boy Dicken, brother of a maid at the manor and can “speak” to animals; Mary’s second friend is Colin her invalid cousin, a supposed hunchback and even more obnoxious than Mary, but of course the garden fixes that too, along with his ailment. It was all very Heidiesque

I’m not sure what I was expecting upon downloading it to my Kindle, maybe a childlike Midsummer Night’s Dream? Anyway, I should have known considering the title is the Secret Garden, but it was mostly about flowers and finding one’s inner beauty. I have no green thumb and think “inner beauty” should be left to Oprah and The Hallmark Chanel. I did like the book, it just wasn’t my taste (but hey it was free). I can understand why this is a childhood classic and I probably would have loved it but as an adult I got annoyed with touching definitions for each variation of flower Mary was planting. A small complaint I know, but there it is.

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3 responses to “ Book Review: The Secret Garden ”

Kind of ironic–I'm reading The Secret Garden for the first time right now! BTW, I'm a long-time follower of your blog, and I'd like to ask for a little favor. I've created a reading challenge in which other book bloggers get to pick what I then have to read in 2013; I'd really appreciate it if you came over and left me some recommendations . Thanks so much! JNCL

I found The Secret Garden surprisingly New-Age-y. I liked Sara Crewe much better.

I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed your review of the garden fire pit. As someone who loves spending time outdoors, especially during the cooler months, I found your tips and insights to be incredibly valuable.

Your review was very detailed and covered everything from the size and design of the fire pit to the materials used and the practicalities of setting it up. I appreciated your honesty in sharing both the pros and cons of the product, as it gave me a realistic idea of what to expect should I decide to purchase a garden fire pit myself.

I also loved the photos you included in your post, which really brought the fire pit to life and helped me visualize how it would look in my own outdoor space. Your tips on safety were also very important, and I appreciated the reminder to take necessary precautions when using any kind of fire-related product.

Overall, your review has definitely convinced me to seriously consider investing in a garden fire pit for myself. Thank you for sharing your expertise and experiences with us, and for providing such an informative and well-written review. Keep up the great work!

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Book Review

The secret garden.

Frances Hodgson Burnett
Coming-of-Age , Historical

Readability Age Range

Frederick A. Stokes (Heinemann)
NEA Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children, 2007; SLJ Top 100 Children’s Novels for the 21st Century, 2012

Year Published

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

Ten-year-old Mary Lennox is a sour, spoiled child raised mainly by servants. Her father holds a position with the English Government in India, and her beautiful mother loves people and parties. When a cholera outbreak kills everyone in her house, Mary is sent to temporarily live with an English clergyman and his family. Then she sails to England to live with an uncle she’s never met named Archibald Craven.

Mr. Craven’s home, as old as it is enormous, is called Misselthwaite Manor. It sits on the edge of a moor. Mr. Craven’s housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock, tells Mary most of the gloomy manor has been locked up since Mr. Craven’s wife died 10 years earlier. She warns the girl not to go poking around. The next day, Mary meets a friendly housemaid named Martha. Martha doesn’t coddle her as Mary’s maids did in India, which makes her confused and angry.

Mary hates the bleak moor out her window. She becomes intrigued, however, when Martha mentions a garden once belonging to Mrs. Craven. It has been locked since her death, and Mr. Craven has buried the key. When Mary goes outside to explore, she searches for the mysterious walled garden. She meets an old gardener named Ben Weatherstaff and an attentive robin she soon considers a friend. When Mary asks about Mrs. Craven’s garden, Ben tells her there is no door to the garden and hasn’t been for 10 years. He echoes Mrs. Medlock’s warning not to poke around.

Mary asks Martha more questions about the garden. The maid reveals Mrs. Craven died there after a tree branch she was sitting on fell. Mary also inquires about a noise she’s been hearing in the halls. It sounds like the crying of a child. Martha insists it’s just the wind.

Mary begins to eat more and gains some color in her cheeks. She enjoys hearing Martha talk about her large, poor family. Mary is particularly interested in Martha’s 12-year-old brother, Dickon. He seems to have a special gift for tending plants and animals. Mary explores the house, passing old artwork and dusty rooms. Again, she hears the crying sound. Mrs. Medlock finds Mary in a forbidden part of the mansion and ushers her out, warning that she may get herself locked up if she doesn’t stop poking her nose where it doesn’t belong.

Martha’s mother, Susan, buys Mary a jump rope. While Mary is out jumping one day, the robin guides her to a buried key and the door to Mrs. Craven’s walled garden. Mary walks in and wonders if anything there is still alive. Without mentioning the garden, she later asks Martha to send Dickon to buy her gardening tools and flower seeds. Dickon brings the things to Mary himself. She likes him right away and shows him the secret garden. He says many flowers are still alive, and the two spend long days pruning and planting.

Mr. Craven calls Mary to his study for the first time. She realizes he is not ugly or horrible, as she’d expected, just very sad. She asks him for some earth on which to grow flowers, and he tells her she may take any unwanted piece of land she finds. He leaves on a long trip.

In the night, Mary continues to hear crying. She finally stumbles upon a bedroom where a boy her age lies. Once they each determine the other is not a ghost, they discover they are cousins. Colin is Mr. Craven’s son. He cries and throws horrible fits because he’s been led to believe he’s dying or becoming a hunchback. Mary tells him wonderful things about the moor and India, and her company delights Colin.

The servants are grieved to know Mary has discovered the boy. They quickly change their minds, however, when they see how Mary can scold and sway him in a way no one else can. People have always given him whatever he has wanted. Since Mary herself used to be spoiled and sullen, she fearlessly tells him to stop whining and start living.

Mary arranges for Dickon to come to Colin’s room and bring the various animals he’s charmed. Mary and Dickon convince Colin to come with them to the secret garden. Colin hasn’t been out of the house in years, but he loves the idea. He demands all of the servants stay away from the gardens so no one will see where they go. The three spend many days in the beautiful, blooming walled garden. Mary’s and Colin’s appetites continue to increase, and they grow stronger.

Ben, the gardener, is angry at first to discover them there. In time, he becomes their helper and ally, especially after he sees how Colin is improving. Not only does Colin grow healthier, but he secretly learns to stand and then walk. He keeps these new abilities a secret from all but his friends in the garden, as he wants to surprise his father when Mr. Craven returns from his trip. Mary and Colin are convinced there is Magic surrounding them and within them that is causing all of the change and beauty in nature and in their hearts. Dickon has told his mother about the garden, so Susan comes to visit as well. Colin exercises daily and proclaims he will live forever.

Far away, Mr. Craven feels a sudden sense of hope that has long eluded him. When he receives a letter from Susan urging him to come home, he prepares at once. Upon his return, he feels he is being led to the secret garden. He arrives to find his son healthy and walking. They walk back to the manor together, in full view of the awe-struck servants.

Christian Beliefs

Ben says Mrs. Craven is in heaven. Ben and the children sing the Doxology in a moment of joy and celebration. Mrs. Medlock refers to the sneaky Mary and Colin as a pair of young Satans.

Other Belief Systems

Mary and Colin believe in and speak a great deal about Magic. The word is capitalized throughout the book. Mary hears many stories about Magic from her servants in India. The kids believe it is the life force in nature, what makes the garden grow. Dickon is able to charm animals.

Colin decides to grow up to be a scientist who studies the essence of this Magic. He sits everyone in a circle and has them chant to call forth the Magic so he can walk. Mary clarifies she’s certain this is good, or white, Magic. After they all sing the Doxology, Colin says the lyrics are expressing the same thing he means when he says he’s thankful to the Magic. When he asks Dickon’s mother if she believes in Magic, she says yes. She says she never heard it called that before, but she supposes there are different names for it everywhere. She also suggests it doesn’t matter what you call it since it made Colin well. She refers to it as the Big Good Thing and the Joy Maker. (Notes in the book explain author Frances Hodgson Burnett was a Christian Scientist, which informed her worldview and the worldview of her characters.)

Authority Roles

While not an unkind soul, the grief-stricken Mr. Craven distances himself from everyone. Stern Mrs. Medlock warms to Mary once she sees the girl’s impact on Colin. Martha speaks kindly and honestly to Mary, sharing stories of her family. Mrs. Medlock, Martha and the other servants are required to pander to the every command of the spoiled, 10-year-old Colin. Susan Sowerby is a well-respected mother of 10 who offers wise advice. Ben seems surly at first but becomes a friend and helper when he sees what the garden has done for the children’s health.

Profanity & Violence

The phrase Good Lord appears a few times. Ben calls the people spreading rumors about Colin’s condition jacka–es .

Sexual Content

Discussion topics.

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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The Secret Garden

By frances hodgson burnett.

'The Secret Garden' is a powerful dramatisation of the power of hope, faith and optimism as communicated through a simple story of some children and an abandoned garden.

About the Book

Article written by Israel Njoku

Degree in M.C.M with focus on Literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘The Secret Garden ‘ by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a fascinating book that challenges your imagination. A child whose wealthy background but lack of parental love and attention makes her hostile has her privilege snatched when her parents die. She’s taken to live with an uncle, where she starts a totally new and different life.

The novel takes place in England and was written in 1898 . Frances Hodgson Burnett, who was formally educated, was a gifted storyteller from childhood. As a creative writer, she possessed the ability to keep her readers spellbound.

Key Facts about The Secret Garden

Title : ‘ The Secret Garden’.
Where/when it was written : England in 1898.
Published : First published as a novel in 1911. Before then, it was published by an American magazine sometime in 1910.
Literary period : The naturalist period.
Genre : Coming of Age/Philosophical novel/Spiritual.
Point-of-view : Third person.
Setting : Yorkshire, England.
Climax : Mary’s discovery of the secret garden; Colin standing on his feet for the first time.

Frances Hodgson Burnett and The Secret Garden

‘The Secret Garden’ is one of three children’s novels Frances Burnett is best known for . The British novelist and playwright, who lived in America after her family fell apart, returned to England and got engrossed in gardening. The eventful childhood of the lead character, Mary Lennox, mirrored Frances’s own. Mary and Frances lost their parents at a tender age and faced dislocation when they were moved from their birthplace. This is not to say the book is totally autobiographical.

As Frances grew older, she adopted new ideas concerning theosophy and Christian science. Her philosophical views of God played an important role in the plot of this book. This is seen when a character in the book named Colin constantly referred to a “magic” that made wishes come true. At the time Frances wrote ‘The Secret Garden’ , she was tending to a personal garden, and it served as an inspiration.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Digital Art

Books Related to The Secret Garden

Over the years, ‘The Secret Garden’ has been made into drama and movies. It has also been translated into all the major languages in the world. The relatability with characters in the book makes it all the more fascinating and one is hooked on the story of Children’s growth into maturity, contentment, and happiness.

There are some other stories like it. They include:

‘ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe ‘ (Chronicles of Narnia) by C.S Lewis
‘ Charlotte’s Web ‘ by E.B. White
‘Anne Of Green Gables’ by L.O. Montgomery

The Lasting Impact of The Secret Garden

Being pessimistic is easy when faced with challenges, but being hopeful and calm is another challenge.

Burnett has been able to show with this work the importance of happiness, friendship, selflessness, and curiosity. She aimed at teaching the readers that true satisfaction came from taking less and giving more. Since ‘ The Secret Garden ‘s official publication, it has been made into plays and movies .

The Secret Garden Character List 📖

‘The Secret Garden’ is filled with memorable characters who are notable for subverting expectations around the traditional “hero.”

The Secret Garden Quotes 💬

‘The Secret Garden’ is enjoyable partly because of its concentration of powerful quotes that explore the range of human emotions.

The Secret Garden Review ⭐

‘The Secret Garden’ manages to be both an innocent tale involving a few kids and a powerful lesson applicable to adults.

The Secret Garden Historical Context 📖

‘The Secret Garden’ moved from being ignored for being too simplistic to becoming the most revered of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s books.

The Secret Garden Themes and Analysis 📖

‘The Secret Garden’ contains a number of powerful themes ranging from the power of thoughts to friendships

The Secret Garden Summary 📖

‘The Secret Garden’ has a simple, uncomplicated plot that begins from the darkest points in each of the character’s lives.

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The Secret Garden book review

Posted November 9, 2020 by Jordann @thebookbloglife in 3 star , book reviews / 2 Comments

"One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911. The plot centers round Mary Lennox, a young English girl who returns to England from India, having suffered the immense trauma by losing both her parents in a cholera epidemic. However, her memories of her parents are not pleasant, as they were a selfish, neglectful and pleasure-seeking couple. Mary is given to the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, whom she has never met. She travels to his home, Misselthwaite Manor located in the gloomy Yorkshire, a vast change from the sunny and warm climate she was used to. When she arrives, she is a rude, stubborn and given to stormy temper tantrums. However, her nature undergoes a gradual transformation when she learns of the tragedies that have befallen her strict and disciplinarian uncle whom she earlier feared and despised. Once when he's away from home, Mary discovers a charming walled garden which is always kept locked. The mystery deepens when she hears sounds of sobbing from somewhere within her uncle's vast mansion. The kindly servants ignore her queries or pretend they haven't heard, spiking Mary's curiosity. The Secret Garden appeals to both young and old alike. It has wonderful elements of mystery, spirituality, charming characters and an authentic rendering of childhood emotions and experiences. Commonsense, truth and kindness, compassion and a belief in the essential goodness of human beings lie at the heart of this unforgettable story. It is the best known of Frances Hodgson Burnett's works, though most of us have definitely heard of, if not read, her other novel Little Lord Fauntleroy. The book has been adapted extensively on stage, film and television and translated into all the world's major languages. In 1991, a Japanese anime version was launched for television in Japan. It remains a popular and beloved story of a child's journey into maturity, and a must-read for every child, parent, teacher and anyone who would enjoy this fascinating glimpse of childhood. One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance. Initially published as a serial story in 1910 in The American Magazine, it was brought out in novel form in 1911."

The Secret Garden was one of the books that I have had on my list for a really long time. It was one of my favourite films when I was a kid and I never got around to reading the book, which was something I wanted to do ahead of watching the new remake (which I wasn’t a massive fan off btw). I think my childhood memories of the film, shaped my expectations of the story and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it wasn’t all about a magic garden and creatures and there actually were different themes about family and grief and loss. I thoroughly enjoyed the friendships and the relationships that were formed all the way through this book and overall I really enjoyed listening to it on my way to work every day.

The main characters in The Secret Garden are Mary, Colin and Dicken who all spend their time in a sealed up garden in which they believe there is magic to help sort through their various ailments. I think the magic of this book was definitely the characters and the way that the ended up growing as people and in their relationships. I definitely think my favourite character in terms of growth and general life was definitely Mary, she grew from one of the most annoying characters to one that I genuinely ended up loving and wanting the best for. I adored her relationships and friendships with all the others, and I really think she shone through all of her interactions especially with Colin. I would have loved for there to have been a sequel in which we could see how all three ended up and whether the garden was still being used years later.

The best bits of The Secret Garden for me was the garden itself and seeing the children work out where they stood not only in the house but with each other. I loved watching Dicken sharing his knowledge of the moors and the animals that lived within it. I also loved the way he promised to keep the garden a secret only telling his mum after it had been agreed by the group. It was a really interesting dynamic that worked magnificently!

The worst bit of The Secret Garden was just how quickly things seem to progress and it all felt a little bit like a snowball effect by the end. I would have loved for there to have been more development between Mr Craven and Colin. I would have loved to have seen more from both of them to see how things would have progressed.

I think this will definitely be on my favourites, I adored this one and I will picking up A Little Princess because I really want to read that one next!

Have you read this one? What did you think? Let me know!

Book Review: The Secret Garden

Updated: May 6, 2021

Title: The Secret Garden

By: Frances Burnett

Age recommendation: Children

Only available through special order.

I loved this story when I was a kid. I read the book once, but I watched the movie a million times. I had it memorized. So when this gem cam across my desk during a hard time in my life, I jumped at the chance to read it again to review it for all of you, knowing that the chances of it begin as good as I remembered were near impossible.

What's it about?

Mary Lennox is an unhappy, spoiled girl living in Asia. Part of a well to-do political family from Britain who found themselves more warped up in the glamours side of their world then the responsibilities of being parents, leaving the care of their young daughter to their hired help who bent to her every whim in order to prevent her from acting out and throwing a tantrum, which her parents found to be very annoying as they didn't want to hear the child at all. So, when her parents and everyone she had ever had to care for her fell ill and died, Mary was sent to her uncles giant home in England to live. Now, Mary did not know her uncle but soon learned that he was a miserable man who was running from sorrow so deep it was almost unimaginable and a lack of desire to make connections and form relationships with others.

Once again Mary finds herself in the hands of the hired help to care for, with an inattentive and overall absent guardian, but these servants were not quit so eager to bend to her will in a house full of secrets hidden away and broken hearts in need of mending. As she begins her new life with a newfound sense of independence and a thirst for exploration, she finds just what she needs to mend her lonely heart, her attitude and her love of life but little did she know that healing herself would be the key to healing others even more in need of it then she was.

What did I think about it?

I was a little surprised. I fully expected to read it and find myself wondering why I loved it so much all those years ago but I didn't. While the story is written very simply and I would have loved to get to know some of the supporting characters better (like Mrs. Medlock), I really enjoyed it! Though, I couldn't help but wonder where Martha went after a while. I know that Mary didn't need her as much, but it felt like she was such a huge part in Mary's adjustment from Asia to England, and Mary's first true friend, and then she just kid of faded away and was hardly mentioned. I also would have loved to see more of some of the relationships that formed, especially some of those that formed toward the end, which seemed almost abrupt to me (which may be a reflection of me wanting more and almost desperate to see more of some of the relationships grow and blossom).

But, even with those complaints, I loved it! Sure, the story was written simply and I could have easily handled more details, but the magic was still there! I couldn't help but to feel and believe in the magic of the garden, the people and the love. I could see young Dickon wondering around with his gently petting zoo in tow and somehow, I believed that he could do everything he claimed; I believed he could communicate with the animals, bond with them and create connections with him and I believed he could grow anything! Even as an adult, at 37 years old, I wanted Dickon to be my friend! I wanted to hug Mary and I wanted to shake her uncle but more then anything, I wanted to sit in the secret garden with a book surrounded by the characters I love so dearly and spend the day there, with them!

So, then, my favorite part may surprise you. While I adore Dickon possibly more then any other character and so respect his mother, I think my favorite part were the pages that brought the underlying lesson to life so beautifully. See, we create the world we live in. When we feel unwanted, ignored and forgotten, we act as such. For some that means becoming one of the best divas around, for others, they slink off into a corner and hide away from everyone, even sometimes themselves. When you think in dark and gloomy words and allow yourself to live in negative mind spaces, your world will be a reflection of that. But when you change that, even just one thought here and there, the world you've created for yourself starts to alter and change. It shifts and rearranges to fit this new set of thoughts until you can't help but change with it. Eventually, the change becomes more permanent. That's the magic we feel when we read the secret garden. And that's why the secret garden is timeless.

What do I rate it?

I give this book...

That's what I thought about the Secret Garden, but what did you think? Am I looking through the rose colored glasses of nostalgia? Let me know in the comments!

Hey, Facebook friends! Once this post is published, I'm giving you a chance to order The Secret Garden before it even hits the store! And I'm even offering you a discount! Aren't a part of our Facebook community but want to be? No problem! Click here:

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Book Reviews

Much To Do About Writing

Anita loughrey's blog. this is my journal about my experiences and thoughts on writing. as well as news about me and my books, it includes writing tips, book reviews, author interviews and blog tours. for more information about me and my books see my website: www.anitaloughrey.com. follow me on twitter @amloughrey, facebook @anitaloughrey.author and on instagram @anitaloughrey.

Book Review: The Secret Garden

Title : The Secret Garden

Retold by : Claire Freedman

Illustrated by : Shaw Davidson

Published by : Puffin Classics

Claire Freedman’s adapted version of The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett has been illustrated by Shaw Davidson to produce the perfect picture book for older children. Launched in 2020 to coincide with the release of the new movie.

Follow Mary Lennox from India to Yorkshire, England, and watch her change from a sullen, over-privileged girl who has never tied her own shoes, to a happy, caring young woman. In her adventures, Mary meets Dickon’s, a young boy who can talk with animals. Together they discover the garden hidden behind the mysterious locked door and help her sick cousin, Colin, to recover. Guided by a remarkable red robin, Mary grows simultaneously with the amazing secret garden.

For over a century children, young adults, and adults of all ages have been touched by this masterpiece now it can be enjoyed in this fabulous picture book by KS1 and KS2 too. Claire Freedman and Shaw Davidson encapsulate Mary’s, Dickon’s and Colin’s characters impeccably keeping them true to the originals. This picture book brings the old 1911 classic alive by giving it a new energy. You can really see the garden blooming back to life in this magical adventure.

KS2 children will enjoy reading this book alone and it is ideal for reading aloud to KS1 during story time.

THE SECRET GARDEN ON 81ST STREET

A modern graphic retelling of the secret garden, from the classic graphic remix series.

by Ivy Noelle Weir ; illustrated by Amber Padilla ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 19, 2021

Empathy and self-discovery fuel this updated classic.

In this graphic novel reboot of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic, Mary Lennox’s Uncle Craven lives in a present-day New York City town house; Mary’s parents worked in the Silicon Valley tech industry before their untimely deaths.

Mary soon meets her uncle’s prickly housekeeper and her gregarious babysitter, Martha, and she becomes fast friends with Martha’s younger brother, Dickon. Mary gets to know the city, exploring its iconic cultural institutions and food scene and befriending the local bodega owner and his cat. Mary learns from Martha that her uncle’s standoffishness stems from the devastating death of his husband, Masahiro, but she senses that her new home holds other secrets as well after hearing unexplained noises during the night. Martha also mentions the beautiful rooftop garden that Masahiro cultivated—and Mary is determined to find it. Accessing the garden and finding Colin, an ailing cousin who suffers from panic disorder, living upstairs, Mary teams up with Dickon to nurture both. Mary and Dickon are kind and supportive, and Colin’s therapist provides professional guidance. As the garden grows, so do the opportunities for friendship and healing in a story that modernizes this timeless storyline. The simple panel layout and clear, colorful illustrations with easy-to-read speech bubbles make the plot easy even for young readers less familiar with graphic novels to follow. Most characters are brown skinned; the housekeeper, Martha, and Dickon read as White.

Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-316-45970-9

Page Count: 256

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

Share your opinion of this book

WRECKING BALL

From the diary of a wimpy kid series , vol. 14.

by Jeff Kinney ; illustrated by Jeff Kinney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5, 2019

Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.

The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.

When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.

Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3

Page Count: 224

Publisher: Amulet/Abrams

Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019

GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

STEALING HOME

by J. Torres ; illustrated by David Namisato ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 5, 2021

An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.

Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.

Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.

Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0

Page Count: 112

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021

CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION | GENERAL GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

More by J. Torres

by J. Torres ; illustrated by Sean Dove

by J. Torres ; illustrated by Aurélie Grand

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The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel Book Review

The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden is a creative adaptation of this classic novel. With simple, yet delightful illustrations, this graphic novel captures the spirit of the beloved classic.

It’s a great read for kids and tweens which is why I chose The Secret Garden (graphic adaptation) for my kid’s graphic novel online book club in 2024.

The Secret Garden Graphic Novel discussion questions for your homeschool

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure .

The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel

Ivy Noelle Weir

Genre : Fiction, Graphic Novel Length : 192 pages First Published: 2021

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Publisher’s Description: The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel

“Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at a secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder.

First, there’s Martha Sowerby: the too-cheery maid with bothersome questions who seems out of place in the dreary manor. Then there’s the elusive Uncle Craven, Mary’s only remaining family—whom she’s not permitted to see.

And finally, there are the mysteries that seem to haunt the run-down place: rumors of a lost garden with a tragic past, and a midnight wail that echoes across the moors at night. As Mary begins to explore this new world alongside her ragtag companions—a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals—she learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil.”

My Goodreads Review

This graphic adaptation of the classic story, The Secret Garden, provides a beautiful graphic alternative to the novel. The story is much shorter so readers won’t find nearly the character development from the original story but will be introduced to the characters and basic plot points.

The graphic adaptation does a wonderful job of capturing the mood of the story in the illustrations with the selected color palette. Readers will notice the mood changes as the story progresses. It was a fun discussion in my online graphic novel book club.

the Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel discussion questions and book review

The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel: Discussion Questions for Your Homeschool Study

1. Look at the first few pages of the book. How would you describe the mood of the story? How did the illustrator create the mood using the graphics?

2. Do you think Colin is dying? What do you think is really happening with him?

3. If you have read the original novel, how does this graphic version compare?

Homeschooling With Graphic Novels: Discussion Questions To Help You Get Started

Grab this set of questions designed to facilitate a great discussion about any book with your kids:

Grab a set of questions to discuss any graphic novel with your middle school child.

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Book Reviews

'the familiar' is a romance, coming-of-age tale, and a story about fighting for more.

Gabino Iglesias

Leigh Bardugo's The Familiar is an entertaining slice of speculative fiction wrapped in historical fiction and delivered with heavy doses of magic and wit.

At once a love story, a coming-of-age tale full of secrets and tension, and a narrative about wanting more and doing anything to get it, The Familiar is a solid entry into Bardugo's already impressive oeuvre.

Luzia Cotado is a scullion with callused hands who sleeps on a grimy floor and constantly dreams of a better life where she has more money, complete freedom, and love. Luiza works for a couple who are struggling to maintain their social status, so she doesn't make much and owns almost nothing. To help her get through her days and take care of menial tasks, Luzia uses a bit of magic, which she keeps secret from everyone.

On Netflix, Leigh Bardugo's 'Shadow And Bone' Celebrates A Diverse Grishaverse

Luzia learned how to perform little miracles from her aunt, a strange woman and the lover of a very powerful man. When Luzia's mistress discovers her servant can perform "milagritos," she sees it as the perfect opportunity to improve her social status and forces Luzia to work her magic for their dinner guests. But what begins as entertainment soon turns into something much more serious when Antonio Pérez, the disgraced secretary to Spain's king, enters the scene and sees Luzia's magic as an opportunity for himself.

The king is desperate to improve his military prowess, and Pérez thinks Luzia's powers might be the thing that puts him, once again, in the king's good graces. There will be a competition, and if Luzia wins, everyone around her might gain something. But winning won't be easy, and Luzia fears her newfound fame will get her and her Jewish blood in the Inquisition's crosshairs. Surrounded by people with secret agendas, learning to use her magic, caught in a new romance with a mysterious undead man, and an unknown pawn in a plethora of self-serving machinations, Luzia will soon need more than a bit of magic to survive.

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The Familiar drags readers into a world of servitude, magic, power struggles, and intrigue. There isn't a single character in this story that doesn't have a secret agenda or something to win—or lose!—that's directly tied to Luzia. The desires of some clash with those of others, and those battles slowly make the narrative more complex while simultaneously increasing the tension and the sense of doom. Despite the many elements at play and the bafflingly large cast of characters she juggles here, Bardugo delivers every twist and turn with clarity, plenty of humor, and charming wittiness, the latter of which fills the novel with superb, snappy dialogue that shows Luzia lacks everything except a quick intelligence and a sharp tongue. Also, while many of the plot elements here like the magic battle, someone being trapped by a curse, and an impossible love are far from new, Bardugo mixes them well together and manages to make them feel fresh.

Known mostly for her Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and the King of Scars duology—all of which are part of her Grishaverse universe—Bardugo delivers an entertaining standalone here with a strong female protagonist that's very easy to root for. Through Luzia, we get a critique of religion, a look into the lives of those who have no option but to serve to survive, and a romance that's as full of passion and sensuality as well as lies and treachery. Lastly, the magic system Bardugo created, which is Jewish magic based on phrases sung or spoken in mixed languages, is interesting and allows the author to talk about otherness without straying from the core of her narrative.

While Bardugo accomplishes a lot in this novel, the crowning jewel of The Familiar is Luzia, a memorable character whose most personal aspirations possess an outstanding universality. We watch her suffer, emerge from her cocoon, fall in love, and then receive her ultimatum: "Your life, your aunt's life, your lover's future all hang in the balance. So do your best or I will be forced to do my worst." Through every single one of those steps, we want her to triumph and to learn to hone her powers, and that connection keeps the pages turning.

At times the endless descriptions of clothing and the increasing number of characters and subplots—some with a satisfying arc and some that just fizzle out—seem a bit excessive and threaten the pacing of the story. But Bardugo is always in control and her masterful use of tension — and that, along with her talent for great dialogue, more than overpower the novel's small shortcomings.

The Familiar is full of "milagritos" and pain, of betrayal and resentment, of fear and desire. However, the novel's most powerful element is hope; Luzia is all about it, and her feelings are so powerful they're contagious. That connections makes this a book that's hard to put down.

Gabino Iglesias is an author, book reviewer and professor living in Austin, Texas. Find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @Gabino_Iglesias .

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04/23/2024 by Liz Biro

An old boat like this dinghy can be used as a container for drought-tolerant sedums. Photo: Barbara W. Ellis

Whether you’re a beginning gardener or one who’s been growing beautiful flowers and vegetables for years, one thing is clear: The fastest and easiest way to start a garden is by keeping it small.

“Even on a limited budget it is possible to get a garden going quickly,” Barbara W. Ellis writes in her new book “ Container & Small-Space Gardening for the South: How to Grow Flowers & Food No Matter Where You Live .”

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The author of two dozen gardening books, Ellis is an expert grower based on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Her latest title is an easy read that covers all of the big questions about container and small-plot gardens in the notoriously hot and humid South: which plants to choose, what pots work best, how much to water, how often to feed, and the right spots for small gardens, container or otherwise.

Ellis also shares gardening advice from her years of real-life experience, including how to be an environmentally friendly gardener. She even digs into seed starting, pest management, garden design and end-of-season tasks.

Best of all, Ellis’ practical instructions, alongside gorgeous photos, move smoothly from chapter to chapter, building confidence and excitement to get out there and grow.

Here are some of Ellis’ top container- and small-space gardening tips.

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The easiest way to garden

A container garden is the easiest way to garden, “provided you start with big pots,” Ellis says. Large pots hold water, thereby requiring less watering. “I think beginners start off with small pots, 10 or 12 inches, and they can’t keep up with the watering. One of my first containers, years ago, dried out so quickly that if I watered it in the morning it was nearly dead by the time I got home from work.”

Containers are a smart way to graduate to small-space gardens. “The minute you start planting in the ground, it is more exciting but probably more complicated,” Ellis says. “Large containers make it possible to learn about growing plants, plus how to combine colors and plant forms, plus what kind of care makes them look better and be healthier.”

The author's container garden attests to the fact that the plant-obsessed among us will never tire of adding new treasures and experimenting with new combinations. Photo: Barbara W. Ellis

The dirt on sandy soil

Eastern North Carolina’s dry, acidic, sandy soils present frustrating challenges for growing healthy plants. How can gardeners overcome struggles? “Organic matter, organic matter, organic matter,” Ellis says.

“Sandy soils burn through it more quickly than any other soil type.” Add organic matter every time you dig a hole. Keep soil covered with mulch, even spreading finished compost under mulches like pine needles. Additionally, minimize digging “because that increases the rate at which the organic matter gets used up,” Ellis says.

How water should flow

Whenever you water, “water until water comes out of the bottom of the pot or the top few inches of soil are wet. That encourages roots to go down into the soil and not crowd around the surface, which makes them more susceptible to drought,” Ellis says.

Carefully select locations. “A pot or garden that receives sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon will need watering less often than one that receives shade in the morning and sun in the afternoon.”

Keep an eye on plants to understand their moisture needs. “I have learned to look at the leaves of plants to figure out when they need watering. The shape changes as they begin to wilt, and the color also changes.”

Resisting temptation at the plant store

“Container & Small-Space Gardening for the South” stresses the value of balancing your gardening dreams against location reality, right down to calculating how many plants you need to save time, money and effort.

Useful lists help you select easy plants for sun and shade. Still, how can you control wishful thinking while being color-bombed at the garden store on the perfect spring day?

In this streetside garden, a raised bed constructed of stacked stone creates space for growing zinnias and other plants between the sidewalk and a charming painted picket fence. Photo: Barbara W. Ellis

“I use a hard-and-fast personal gardening rule, ‘Be attractive or die.’ That keeps me from bringing home plants I know won’t do well. If I have killed something three times, that’s it,” Ellis says. “This approach also made me get excited about looking for plants that thrive where I garden.”

Ellis advises visiting local public and private gardens and native plant organizations to learn what plants work best for your area.

What full sun really means down south

Ellis’ book is full of guidance you might not think about, like how to assess sun and shade patterns. Garden stores may label plants as “full sun,” meaning they need six to eight hours of direct sunlight a day, but Ellis notes that they don’t necessarily need that sunlight all at once.

“While most food crops prefer full sun, some — tomatoes, for example — will produce fruit in part shade in southern gardens,” she writes. Always remember that many plants markets might recommend for sunny areas refer to northern gardens, Ellis adds. Those plants will need more shade and often more watering in the south.

Saving money and the environment

Plastic wastes like soil bags and plant containers harm the environment. Ellis composts all potting soil for reuse, being careful not to add diseased plant parts or seed and plant parts from invasive species. “Most years, I also just replace about the top third of the potting medium in a pot.”

She donates surplus soil to fellow gardeners. Ellis uses some of her extra soil to pot plants she divides and then donates to a local garden club’s annual plant sale. She recycles and refurbishes planting containers, too. Even terra cotta pots are repairable, Ellis writes.

About Liz Biro

Liz and her family came to North Carolina for the expansive beaches, friendly atmosphere and fresh seafood. Since arriving as a child, she’s never looked back at her native New Jersey. As a journalist, she's covered everything from local fisheries and the coastal environment to business and politics. Liz left it all behind for a while to become a chef and run her own catering and food tour companies as she made the switch to food writing. Her work has appeared in USA Today, The New York Times Regional Media Group, Our State Magazine, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Indianapolis Star, National Fisherman, The News & Observer, Charlotte Observer and other publications.

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More From Forbes

Soundgarden earns their first hit on two billboard charts.

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HOLLYWOOD, CA - APRIL 11: (L-R) Musicians Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron, Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd ... [+] of Soundgarden attend the premiere of Marvel Studios' "Marvel's The Avengers" held at the El Capitan Theatre on April 11, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage)

Soundgarden is enjoying their biggest week on the Billboard charts in quite some time. The hard rock outfit is back on a handful of tallies with one of their biggest singles, which surged in popularity recently. As they return to several lists, the group also lands their first hit on a pair of rankings–years after they split up.

“Black Hole Sun” debuts on two Billboard charts this week. The single gained in consumption thanks to the solar eclipse that recently passed over the United States a little more than a week ago. Streams and sales of the tune help it appear on more than half a dozen rosters, including two for the first time.

On the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart, Soundgarden collects not only their first placement, but their only No. 1. The band reaches the summit on their first try, as “Black Hole Sun” debuts atop the tally.

The same single is also new to the Hot Alternative Songs chart. Soundgarden scores their first appearance on the ranking of the most-consumed alternative tunes in the country. On that list, “Black Hole Sun” launches at No. 15.

On the Hot Alternative Songs chart, Soundgarden collects the second-loftiest debut of the week. They come in just a few spaces behind Imagine Dragons’ “Eyes Closed,” which misses out on starting inside the top 10 by one space.

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“Black Hole Sun” was popular enough in America during the week of the eclipse to return to four charts this frame. The smash reappears on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (No. 19), Hot Rock Songs (No. 13), Alternative Digital Song Sales (No. 10), and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales (No. 4) tallies.

The same single rises on one chart, though it doesn’t need to debut or return, as it was still going strong last week. “Black Hole Sun” climbs significantly on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs ranking, which tracks only the most-streamed tunes in the country that fit under the hard rock label. On that tally, the title lifts from No. 14 to No. 5.

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Credit Cards

United Airlines credit cards have a secret perk that makes it easier to book awards

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Sometimes the best reason to have an airline credit card isn’t necessarily for the miles you can earn and redeem, it’s for the perks.

You can earn far more points using Chase credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Freedom Flex℠ * The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. than you will from the cobranded United credit cards issued by Chase. And since you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards® points into United MileagePlus miles, there’s little reason to use a United card just to earn miles.

Instead, you should have a United MileagePlus card for its benefits, including free checked bags and discounts on in-flight purchases.

But there’s one other important benefit that you rarely see mentioned by Chase or United. MileagePlus cardmembers are eligible for “special member pricing” that’s otherwise reserved just for those with elite status. Just by having a United MileagePlus credit card, you’ll get the same, lower pricing that United elite status holders have access to, which can mean significant mileage savings on award flights.

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Flexible points that can be transferred to 14 travel partners or redeemed through Chase Travel℠ at 1.25 cents each.
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Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
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What is “special member pricing”?

Let’s say you wanted to fly from Denver to Paris this summer. When I searched for flights on July 11, 2024, and filtered out options with more than one stop, I found flights starting at 70,000 miles.

But once I added my card to my MileagePlus account and logged in as a cardholder, the same options were available starting at just 40,000 miles.

You’ll notice that the lower priced options have a small notation indicating that it’s granted “special member pricing.” And true travel nerds might notice that the higher priced option shows a fare code of YN, while the lower priced option shows the code of XN, which is reserved for cardmembers and those with elite status.

Which credit cards offer United’s special member pricing?

All United MileagePlus credit cards issued by Chase include this benefit, which includes:

United Gateway℠ Card * The information for the United Gateway℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United℠ Explorer Card * The information for the United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Quest℠ Card * The information for the United Quest℠ Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Club℠ Infinite Card * The information for the United Club℠ Infinite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United℠ Business Card * The information for the United℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
United Club℠ Business Card * The information for the United Club℠ Business Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Except for the no-annual-fee Gateway card, all of these cards have an annual fee — starting at a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 for the Explorer card and topping off at $525 for the United Club Infinite card.

If you’re just looking for access to lower-priced flight awards, you might be tempted to get the Gateway card, which comes with a welcome offer of 20,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Instead, I’d recommend getting either the Explorer card, which currently has a welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, the Quest card, which offers 60,000 miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening, or the Club Infinite card, which comes with 80,000 miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.

After having the card for a year, you might decide that you want to keep the card for its other perks. But you can always request a downgrade to the no-annual-fee Gateway card. This move allows you to keep your miles and account open, eliminate the annual fee and continue to enjoy lower-priced flight awards.

Looking to get the most out of your United rewards? Read our guide on how to earn and redeem United miles

Final verdict

The hardest part of award travel isn’t always earning the points and miles, it’s finding efficient ways to spend them. United makes this easy for those with elite status and anyone who holds one of their credit cards. By signing up for the best card offer available and longer-term keeping a no-annual-fee United card open at all times, you can be assured of the lowest prices when you book your United award tickets.

*The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠, United Club℠ Business Card, United Club℠ Infinite Card, United Gateway℠ Card, United Quest℠ Card, United℠ Business Card and United℠ Explorer Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Jason Steele is a freelance writer specializing in credit cards and award travel. Since 2008, Jason's work has appeared in over 100 outlets and he's been widely quoted in the mainstream media. Jason also produces CardCon, which is The Conference for Credit Card Media.

Julie Stephen Sherrier is a personal finance writer and editor based in Austin, TX. She is the former senior managing editor for LendingTree, responsible for all credit card and credit health content. Before joining LendingTree, Julie spent more than a decade as the managing editor and then editorial director at Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She also served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Texas at Austin.

Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks.

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IMAGES

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Scholastic Classics: The Secret Garden
Book Review: "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
REVIEW: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Book Review: The Secret Garden ~ Crazy JC Girl

VIDEO

The Secret Garden (1975) review
Exploring "The Secret Garden" Chapter 1
Should this Secret Garden Revival Go to Broadway? (REVIEW)
Trailblazers Book Club
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Audiobook
Unveiling Family Secrets: A Journey of Self-Discovery in "The Secret Life of Bees"

COMMENTS

The Secret Garden Review
The Secret Garden Review 'The Secret Garden' is an innocent, simple but potent children's story about how a little girl's discovery of an abandoned garden leads to a profound change in her life and that of those around her. The author utilizes a simple story to advance her thesis about the near-magical power of positive thinking.
The Secret Garden Book Review
Our review: Parents say ( 14 ): Kids say ( 35 ): For generations, this wonderful novel has inspired young readers to appreciate simple earthly pleasures like skipping rope, planting seeds and watching plants grow, and coming home to a hot meal. At the same time, The Secret Garden appeals to children's imaginations with its mysteries of cries in ...
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
This book can be read by anyone over 9, advanced readers at around 7 or 8. The Secret Garden is about a particularly arrogant and unpleasant girl called Mary Lennox. At the start of the book, she ...
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published as a book in 1911, after a version was published as an American magazine serial beginning in 1910. Set in England, it is one of Burnett's most popular novels and is considered a classic of English children's literature.
Book Review: "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett
I highly recommend it as a wonderful book especially for children. It is a wonderful book for parents to read to their child. It has a great message! Thanks for sharing. "The Secret Garden" is a children's classic that submerges us in a world of plants and sunshine. Here's why everyone, especially young people, should read it.
The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a timeless classic that weaves a tale of transformation and renewal, capturing the essence of growth both in nature and within the human spirit. Originally titled "Mistress Mary," the book draws inspiration from a well-known English nursery rhyme, setting the tone for a story that mirrors the rhyme's themes of change and enchantment.
REVIEW: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Janine C- Reviews / D Reviews animals / bigotry / children / children's book / classic / Edwardian-era / England / gardening / India / racism / secret 28 Comments. Dear Readers, As a child, I loved Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden. It's considered a classic novel and is the story of children beginning to blossom as they bring a locked, abandoned garden to life.
Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden is the story of an orphan named Mary who is sent to live in her uncle's magnificent, mysterious mansion on the Yorkshire Moors. Mary discovers a love for the gardens outside the mansion—specifically, a secret walled garden with a missing key. When Mary finds a way into the secret garden and vows to bring it back to life ...
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Book Review
First published in 1911, The Secret Garden is a story about 10-year old Mary Lennox, a self-absorbed, sour and sickly girl who becomes an orphan when a cholera epidemic kills her parents and the staff at their home in India. Mary is sent to Misselthwaite Manor in the United Kingdom to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven who is still grieving 10 years after his wife's death.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
4.11. 418 ratings55 reviews. One of the most beloved children's books of all time and the inspiration for a feature film, a television miniseries, and a Broadway musical, The Secret Garden is the best-known work of Frances Hodgson Burnett. In this unforgettable story, three children find healing and friendship in a magical forgotten garden on ...
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (1911)
An original 1911 review of The Secret Garden. From the original review of The Secret Garden in The Times Dispatch, Richmond, VA, October 29, 1911: Readers of all the many charming books that Frances Hodgson Burnett has written to delight the world and make it better will find The Secret Garden full of sweet and unexpected pleasures.
Book Review: The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden is a novel of Mary Mary quite contrary, whose parents die due to cholera and is sent off to live with an uncle. The house is old, dusty and filled with secrets. At first we all learn to hate the little brat. Anywhose, a little bird tells Mary of a secret garden planted by her late aunt being "shut down" after her death.
The Secret Garden
Plot Summary. Ten-year-old Mary Lennox is a sour, spoiled child raised mainly by servants. Her father holds a position with the English Government in India, and her beautiful mother loves people and parties. When a cholera outbreak kills everyone in her house, Mary is sent to temporarily live with an English clergyman and his family.
THE SECRET GARDEN
Burnett's iconic novel gets a graphic reenvisioning. Marsden, graphic-novel adapter of Anne of Green Gables (2017), hopes to entice a new wave of young readers with her interpretation of the classic tale. Following Burnett's narrative, after the death of her parents, tempestuous young Mary is sent to live with mysterious Uncle Craven in his ...
The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden, novel for children written by American author Frances Hodgson Burnett and published in book form in 1911 (having previously been serialized in The American Magazine).The pastoral story of self-healing became a classic of children's literature and is considered to be among Burnett's best work.. Summary. The novel centres on Mary Lennox, who is living in India with her ...
The Secret Garden: Full Book Summary
The Secret Garden Full Book Summary. The Secret Garden opens by introducing us to Mary Lennox, a sickly, foul-tempered, unsightly little girl who loves no one and whom no one loves. At the outset of the story, she is living in India with her parents—a dashing army captain and his frivolous, beautiful wife—but is rarely permitted to see them.
The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Visual Representation Books Related to The Secret Garden. Over the years, 'The Secret Garden' has been made into drama and movies. It has also been translated into all the major languages in the world. The relatability with characters in the book makes it all the more fascinating and one is hooked on the story of Children's growth into ...
The Secret Garden book review
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett Published by Children's Classics on September 1, 1998 Pages: 331 Buy on Amazon Goodreads "One of the most delightful and enduring classics of children's literature, The Secret Garden by Victorian author Frances Hodgson Burnett has remained a firm favorite with children the world over ever since it made its first appearance.
THE SECRET GARDEN
THE SECRET GARDEN. In this bad version of a bad idea, the richly developed classic novel has been squeezed into the picture-book format. Resembling the bald summary of an opera plot, the story in its reduced state is all but a clichÇ: An orphaned girl finds a neglected garden and a neglected cousin and restores them both with the aid of the ...
Book Review: The Secret Garden
Updated: May 6, 2021. Title: The Secret Garden. By: Frances Burnett. Age recommendation: Children. Only available through special order. I loved this story when I was a kid. I read the book once, but I watched the movie a million times. I had it memorized. So when this gem cam across my desk during a hard time in my life, I jumped at the chance ...
Book Review: The Secret Garden
Claire Freedman and Shaw Davidson encapsulate Mary's, Dickon's and Colin's characters impeccably keeping them true to the originals. This picture book brings the old 1911 classic alive by giving it a new energy. You can really see the garden blooming back to life in this magical adventure. KS2 children will enjoy reading this book alone ...
THE SECRET GARDEN ON 81ST STREET
Empathy and self-discovery fuel this updated classic. In this graphic novel reboot of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, Mary Lennox's Uncle Craven lives in a present-day New York City town house; Mary's parents worked in the Silicon Valley tech industry before their untimely deaths. Mary soon meets her uncle's prickly housekeeper and ...
The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel Book Review
The Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel by Mariah Marsden is a creative adaptation of this classic novel. With simple, yet delightful illustrations, this graphic novel captures the spirit of the beloved classic. It's a great read for kids and tweens which is why I chose The Secret Garden (graphic adaptation) for my kid's graphic novel online book club in 2024.
2.16 TGABook ReviewDirections&Template (2) (pptx)
2.16 Teacher Graded Assignment (TGA) BOOK REVIEW The Secret Garden Task Complete a review of the book, The Secret Garden, by analyzing the story for plot, characterization, setting, author's purpose, and personal reflection. Directions Fill out the graphic organizers to complete the task. Requirements • Include in-text citations by placing page numbers in (parentheses) when providing text ...
Susan Greene's review of The Secret Garden
What a delightful book and how perceptive to suggest the Doxology when Colin wanted to praise the magic of the garden. I believe the power of working in a garden, I have dreamed of making one of my own, a secret, apothecary garden, would be like a poison garden. Thank you, Duchess of Northumbria, for the additional inspiration.
Leigh Bardugo's 'The Familiar' book review : NPR
The Familiar is full of "milagritos" and pain, of betrayal and resentment, of fear and desire. However, the novel's most powerful element is hope; Luzia is all about it, and her feelings are so ...
Garden tips everyone in coastal North Carolina should know
The author of two dozen gardening books, Ellis is an expert grower based on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Her latest title is an easy read that covers all of the big questions about container and small-plot gardens in the notoriously hot and humid South: which plants to choose, what pots work best, how much to water, how often to feed, and the right spots for small gardens, container or otherwise.
Soundgarden Earns Their First Hit On Two Billboard Charts
As they return to several lists, the group also lands their first hit on a pair of rankings-years after they split up. "Black Hole Sun" debuts on two Billboard charts this week. The single ...
United Airlines credit cards have a secret perk that makes it easier to
Unlock secret perks with your United Airlines credit card that help make booking United awards easier. Read more from our team of experts to discover exclusive benefits and awards for your next ...

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Book Review: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Classic children’s books have a special place in our hearts, don’t they?

If you’re like me and didn’t grow up reading The Secret Garden , let’s take a step back.

The cast of The Secret Garden shows us the “Magic” around us—the beauty that we might miss if we don’t stop to see it.

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