The Secret Garden

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The Secret Garden
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  1. Hardcover: 232 pages: 1 item
  2. Publisher: Henry Holth & Co (J); 1987-05
  3. Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
  4. ISBN: 0805002774
  5. Sales Rank in Books: #2312723

Product Review

A beautiful and timeless tale of the enchantment worked by a long-forgotten garden on three children in Victorian England.

Amazon.com Review

Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12)

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (489 customer reviews)

112 of 114 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Children's Classic, October 12, 2010
Shelby Miller "concrete_queen" (KS, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Secret Garden (Kindle Edition)
For those of you who haven't read this, you should.

It's the story of Mary Lennox, who grew up in India, extremely spoiled by the servants, whose only job was to keep her quiet and out of the way of her parents. After her parents die she's sent to live with her uncle in England, a crotchety old man mourning the loss of his wife, who also wants nothing to do with her. Lonely, spoiled Mary explores the manor and the garden, finding all sorts of hidden secrets as well as her own happiness.

A must-read for children and adults. It's the kind of story that just makes you feel warm and comfortable inside.


103 of 109 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books, April 16, 2010
Elizabeth F (Kent, OH United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Secret Garden (Kindle Edition)
I read this a couple times when I was a young teenager and now I just read it again 10 years later. It is still one of my favorite books. I love the theme that children need activities and hobbies and exercise to stay healthy, physically and mentally. I wish I had my own secret garden inside a stone wall :)
I think this is a wonderful book for any young child to read. The characters are good and the story is so beautiful.


79 of 87 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars For those who value fine childrens literature, April 19, 2001
MotherLodeBeth "MotherLodeBeth" (Sierras of California) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Secret Garden (Hardcover)
Who won't like this book? Well... I know that some parents these days feel it is a boring book which requires to much of an attention span. But children need and benefit from classics like this which require thought and which have a profound and telling message. It is a must read book for any family who values the classics and who feels that children need a balance of computer, sports and quality reading material. Set in Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire moors, Mary Lennox who has been orphaned arrives from India at her uncle Mr. Archibald Craven's home where she discovers a cousin Colin who is sickly and spoiled. ALmost as much as she is. In time Mary discovers that her cousin simply needs some encouragement and the once spoiled girl becomes a secret cheer leader of sorts and they set out to get Colin walking. One of the characters I adored so much was the gardener,who knows that the two have discovered the secret garden that Colins mother had adored and tended so well, which...Read more

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