The Secret Garden

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Ten-year-old Mary comes to live in a lonely house on the Yorkshire moors and discovers an invalid cousin and the mysteries of a locked garden.

"It is the child no one ever saw!

She has been forgotten!"

 

 Mary Lennox has been sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle. As a "sickly, fretful, and disagreeable child, Mary was always kept out of the way. Her father was an English diplomat in India and her mother never had time for her.

 

On the morning the morning after cholera had taken the lives of all in her home, Mary was discovered and arrangements were made for her passage to her uncle's manor. Mr. Archibald Craven is proud of his 600 year old mansion on the moors, yet he is a very unhappy, lonely, and haunted man.

 

Although the mansion has over 100 rooms to discover, for Mary the mysteries begins with the forbidden corridor in which the screaming never stops.

 

Filled with characters that will never be forgotten, Mary begins a journey into friendship with Colin and Dickon. Both of the young men will push Mary beyond her selfish ways and both will be changed by Mary's desire to bring life back into the secret garden. 

 

The Secret Garden continues to be one of my favorite reads. The main characters are so lively, inquisitive, and quite stubborn. The setting details are expertly woven with an ever-changing mood. Even though a mystery surrounds the locked garden, the story line is more about discovering friendships.

 

Not every situation in life has to stay the same, sometimes it takes a little bit of "grit" to establish a new normal. Once you have read the book, watch the original movie. Rarely do I encourage a book and movie comparison but this is definitely one of those times! 

Recommended by:  Kim Shealy, Library Media Specialist, Florida USA

Ages 8-12  384 pages 978-0064401883

See more of her recommendations:  https://greenmountainbears.pbworks.com/w/page/112313446/Classics

This story remains one of my top 5 books that every one should experience at least once!

******* From Harper Collins: This 100th anniversary edition of The Secret Garden celebrates a cherished classic with Tasha Tudor's wonderful illustrations throughout, an extended author biography, games, activities, and more! When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house on the Yorkshire Moors, she finds it full of secrets. The mansion has nearly one hundred rooms, and her uncle keeps himself locked up. And at night, she hears the sound of crying down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are Mary's only escape. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. One day, with the help of two unexpected companions, she discovers a way in. Is everything in the garden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life? Supports the Common Core State Standards ***** Editor's Note: I fell in love with this book at age 5 when my mother read it aloud to us. The character of Dickon with his ability to understand animals has stayed with me. He sees, he understands, he notices and he can communicate with the animals and they love him for it. He had such special gifts and every child deserves someone in her/his life who can see them and love them the way Dickon could love his animals.

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