The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett was published by Frederick A. Stokes and is sold at £2.25

What is the book about?

The Secret Garden follows the recently orphaned, spoiled young girl Mary Lennox who due to a lack of love and kindness from her parents, knows very little about friendship or i hope. This is until she discovers the secret garden in her new home, and along with friends begins to grow and heal as a character.

Who is it aimed at?

This book is primarily aimed at children, really anywhere between a basic reading age and perhaps nine or ten is the perfect time to read it however it’s always a comforting and heart-warming book to revisit when older.

What was your favourite part?

My favourite part of the book is that the messages portrayed were done so clearly that they could be easily understood, whether read by a child in 1911 or in 2020 The Secret Garden leaves you feeling satisfied. The questions posed are answered delicately and the end leaves you feeling a sort of warmth.

What was your least favourite part?

I sometimes found the book to be a little slow with its build-up of the plot but by the end it was more than worth the read.

Which character would you most like to meet?

Though I was deeply interested in the changes that both Mary and Colin underwent over the course of the book, I was most intrigued by the idea of meeting Dickson Sowerby. He

is a friend to both of them but seems to present a welcome contrast to their far less hopeful, positive ways even from the start.

Why should someone buy this book?

As one of those books that is highly regarded as a children’s classic, it may not be everyone’s taste but there is a certain sort of value and magic that it has survived. That this book still holds a deep importance is a reason in itself to at least try to read it, and that’s not even beginning on the beautifully executed plot and themes.