This is a beautiful children's book which somehow, I've missed reading as a child. It is very unfortunate, for I would have been really enchanted by it. The book brought back my childhood memories. My childhood home had a large garden with lots of roses. My mother tended them and I used to help her. When I was a little older (younger than Mary Lennox in Secret Garden), I wanted my own thatch, so I got a nice square corner at one end of the garden with my own tiny garden toolset. Reading the book was really a nostalgic journey.

The story of The Secret Garden is an inspirational one for the children. It tells you how two disagreeable children become lovable, pleasant, and healthy. How does this happen? By the magic of course! - The magic of the garden, the magic of nature. We all know the healing power of nature. It is the best medicine for all our ailments. It soothes and cures our soul, and through the soul, the body, the way it did for Mary “quite contrary” and Colin the “invalid”.

The story is well written that I could picture almost all the characters - Mary, Colin, Dickon (oh I loved him) Mrs. Sowerby, and Captain, Soot, Nut and Shell, and all the troupe of Dickon. And the best and the biggest and the most important character is the secret garden itself. I really enjoyed the author's descriptive accounts of the garden and the Yorkshire moorland. It was so refreshing. I could almost swear that I breathed the same fresh air which Mary, Colin, and Dickon breathed, all through the read.

This is the second book I've read of Burnett, first being A Little Princess , which was a childhood favorite of mine. I really like the way she tells her stories. It is bewitching. I didn't really think I would enjoy a children's story this much in my mature years, but it was impossible not to enjoy it. Her writing is so good. She is one of the best children story writers. There is not an atom of doubt there.

Check out my 'reading middle grade for a magical week off' reading vlog where I talk about The Secret Garden: https://youtu.be/qDV2nQ5me58

I think it's very important to address and talk about the racism and ableism in 'The Secret Garden', mainly because I went into reading this totally unaware of the problematic nature of this book. I also feel like parents might also be unaware as I have been left comments on my reading vlog of this saying they had no idea, and will talk about those elements of the book with their children so they know how wrong the racism and ableism is in the book.

I'm also not here to be a gatekeeper. You can still read the book and enjoy it, I will not judge you for it. I just think that giving this book to an impressionable child could be harmful if the subject matter is not discussed with the child, because the author made no attempt to right the wrongs of the racism by the end of the book. I know it's because this book is 'a product of its time' and 'that behaviour was acceptable back then'. Well, guess what. The behaviour is not acceptable now.

Mary begins the book as a neglected child who treats her servants in India appallingly. She even goes so far as to slap and abuse her servants. Nobody in the book bats an eye when Brown people are called "not people", and it's not even just Mary who has these racist views. You may argue that Mary undergoes a transformation by the end of the book and becomes a better person, and that she does. She learns compassion and kindness and is inspired to change. But does the racism ever get addressed? Does the author tell the reader that being racist is wrong? No. Mary becomes a better person without addressing how truly awful she was at the beginning of the book.

Colin is also bed-bound and uses a wheelchair, and then suddenly, he can walk. He throws his disability away. I've seen people argue that he was never disabled, but I've also heard a lot of people with disabilities identified with Colin throughout the book until he was "cured" of his disability. If it had been made clear from the beginning that Colin could walk, then I don't think there'd be much of a problem. However, to bait readers with a disabled character who is miraculously cured is just another blow. Not all disabled people can be cured, and to give this idea that you can only be happy if you don't have a disability, well, that's extremely harmful to young people reading this book who are disabled.

While themes of the book regarding change and growth is done beautifully through the tending of the garden, and how it ties in with nature, I still couldn't fully enjoy this book. I just had no idea about the racism and ableism, and I feel like a lot of people who go into this book might not know about it too. Again, I think it's okay to read it if you want, but please bare in mind that when you give this book to a child, it has these elements and open up a discussion with them about it.

Let's not act like racism and ableism is okay in this book just because it's 'a product of its time'. You know, there are hundreds of children's books published today that are better. Much, much better.

La ricerca del proprio giardino

"Uno degli aspetti più strani della vita è che solo di tanto in tanto siamo sicuri di vivere a lungo, molto a lungo, forse per sempre."

La vita è troppo breve per serbare rancori, arrendersi, costruire dei muri intorno a sé.
"Il giardino segreto" è l'emozionante resurrezione di due personaggi, ognuno dei due colpevole per colpe altrui ed entrambi silenziosamente desiderosi di amicizia e amore, sentimenti per lungo tempo negati.
Viviamo in una società ove facciamo coincidere il nostro benessere con elementi sempre più sopra le righe ed elaborati, quando in verità è proprio nelle piccole cose che possiamo ritrovare noi stessi.
L'esaltazione della vita sgorga con naturalezza dalle parole della Burnett, la quale ci ricorda che il miglioramento del mondo parte sempre con una rinascita interiore, con l'accettazione del nostro giardino segreto.

4 ⭐

Un classico che ti coccola!
Ho un rapporto molto contrastante con i classici quindi, a mio malgrado, ne leggo pochissimi ma questo mi ha conquistata dalla prima pagina.
La scrittura molto semplice e senza fronzoli e la storia commovente sono i punti forti di questo classico per bambini.
Il libro parla di rinascita e resilienza il tutto accompagnato da un'atmosfera magica e fatata, in cui il punto di vista dei bambini è il cardine intorno a cui ruotano gli eventi.
Nel complesso ho molto apprezzato questo romanzo e, anche se ha dei toni molto infantili, racconta i vari temi in modo adeguato.

"There's naught as nice as th' smell o' good clean earth, except th' smell o' fresh growin' things when th' rain falls on 'em. I get out on th' moor many a day when it's rainin' an' I lie under a bush an' listen to th' soft swish o' drops on th' heather..."

I'm such a sucker for dark atmosphere, overly passionate tempers, and a manor on the moors (my enduring love of Wuthering Heights is a testament to this). The Secret Garden was worth the re-read not only for these elements, but also because it offers intensely touching moments and life lessons for any reader of any age.

"Where you tend a rose, my lad
A thistle cannot grow."

Edit: Other striking similarities to Wuthering Heights include: an orphan from a far-away land, a girl's attention divided between two boys, talk of people being 'lost on the moors' and a 'wutherin'' wind, the theme of parental affection, the use of regional dialect, and a female servant who serves as a bridge between two residences on the moors.

“She made herself stronger by fighting with the wind.”

Our book club choice for April was ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

As a child, I enjoyed Little Lord Fauntleroy and A Little Princess as well as this classic story, all in abridged format, but it was so wonderful to revisit this one (in its original form) as an adult. While this story is simple enough for children to understand, it’s still relatable enough for adults to garner valuable lessons.

Our host, Melissa Gilbert, wanted her 2024 book choices to focus on “grief and fear turned on their heads by hope and magic.” Like our first book, LHITBW, this book was also written by a woman in her 60s and is a great reminder that it’s never too late to chase dreams and share stories. I loved FHB’s nod to mindfulness in the following quote:

“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”

I was amazed at the transformation of a lonely and spoiled little girl who discovers a hidden garden and befriends a local boy and her sickly cousin. In inviting readers to cultivate their own transformation, Burnett also highlighted:

✔️the restorative power of nature and friendship
✔️the importance of environment and attitude in our healing journey
✔️the benefit of finding joy and purpose in caring for something outside of ourselves

I was reminded that although we may feel locked up, over-grown and abandoned, if we dig in, make room, prune, water, weed and feed our soul with life-tending magic….anything can happen!

I cried when she was gifted the skipping rope and smiled at the alternative name for daffodils, ‘Daffydowndillys.’ I loved the focus on intergenerational and inter-social class friendships.

This book about healing, rebirth and second chances is one I’m glad I read as an adult!

*the book club meeting was made even more special by a guest who shared from her heart- the great-great-granddaughter of the author!

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a classic novel about healing, power of friend and nature. Mary Lennox is a young girl who was sent to live with her uncles family in Yorkshire after her parent’s death. She meets her sickly cousin by accident when she is exploring the estate looking for the source of crying. Angry, sad and withdrawn, Mary discovers a hidden garden. Colin, May and a boy Dickon work hard to bring life back to the garden. The healing properties of nature start to make Mary feel better and Colin to gain strength.

The Secret Garden is an enjoyable book. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed Glenda Jackson’s narration.
Mary is lonely and then finds a secret garden. The Secret Garden is an interesting story. It is a classic story, but I didn’t know anything about it before reading this version.

Thank you NetGalley and William Collins/Harper Audio for The Secret Garden.

n  Where, you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.n


Originally published in 1911 The Secret Garden is a true children’s  classic.  One that adults should read as well.  

Mary Lennox was born in India.  A plain little girl she was not wanted by her mother or father and consequently handed over to the servants to raise.  Because her Ayah and the other servants feared her mother would be angry if she was disturbed, Mary was consequently given her own way.  She soon became a bossy, nasty, little girl who was frail, yellow and most often angry.  When she was but 10 years of age both her parents and her Ayah succumbed to Cholera, leaving Mary alone with no-one to raise her.

But Mary has an uncle who lives in England on the Yorkshire moors and she soon finds herself at Misselthwaite Manor.  Her Uncle lost his wife ten years ago to a tragic accident and since that time is rarely at the manor, choosing instead a life of solitude while travelling.  So once more Mary is left on her own, only this time without an Ayah.  Through talking and listening to Martha, a young servant at the manor, Mary soon learns about a mysterious secret garden.  A garden behind a locked gate that no-one has opened in ten years.   And what is the source of that plaintive crying that Mary hears from time to time and everyone else pretends they do not.

A secret garden, a hundred room English Manor, the Yorkshire moors, a 12 year old Yorkshire boy bestowed with nigh on magical persuasion over the woodland creatures, a mysterious cry, lessons learned the hard way and the power of positive thinking.  There is plenty to love in this story that can be easily digested by young and old alike.

It is a short read, so take a break, curl up and spend a couple of  hours with this charming children’s classic, guaranteed to fill you with wonder.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Opinião em :https://youtu.be/6aSeML-rFTk maravilhoso, encontrei este livro por acaso na primeira ida à biblioteca, após anos e anos de afastamento. A minha conexão com a capa e título do livro foi imediata.
A história prendeu me do início ao fim, personagens fofas e o pormenor das suas características contribuíram para que me agarra se a história.
Mary é a protagonista, uma criança fruto de uma gravidez indesejada, repugnada pela mãe, indiferente para o pai, esta criança vai desenvolver características que a tornam curiosa e destemida.
Aos dez 10 fica órfã de pai e mãe, vai ser entregue à um tio que vive na Inglaterra, deixando para trás uma Índia de diferentes costumes e sabores, no entanto são as histórias que recorda que vão contribuir para criar laços com as novas pessoas com quem vai lidar na nova etapa.
Este livro conta nos as aventuras que vai viver e como ela vai transformar uma nova família que também não é feliz, Mary vai trazer luz, esperanças e sorrisos....
Mais não conto, recomendo mesmo este livro.

Why I chose to read this book:
1. I remember seeing this lovely story reenacted as a musical play by some middle-school students several years ago and was impressed by their performance; and,
2. I wanted to end my "Classics Month" with this book that my GR friend, Isabel, recommended!

Positives:
1. I appreciated the believable growth of various characters, going from sour dispositions and downright rudeness to being filled with hope, joy and empathy. After just reading a book about another orphan (Heidi), I was introduced to the polar opposite of that loveable character to this book's main character, Mary Lennox. With parents like hers, it's no wonder that Mary (and later, we learn, also Colin), have such disagreeable personalities! Luckily for these two children, fortunate circumstances, such as understanding adults, good friends, especially Dickon, at first, I thought that he was an angel or ghost! and exposure to nature, changed and enhanced Mary and Colin's lives;
2. speaking of which, I couldn't get over the similarities between the "sickly" children, Colin (The Secret Garden) and Clara (Heidi). Both have a deceased mother and an absentee father who travels extensively, leaving his/their child(ren) behind for long periods of time, both cannot walk, and both have friends (Mary and Heidi, respectively) who help them recover by believing in themselves;
3. since I had also recently read The Wind in the Willows, I was amused/pleased at how the animals featured in that story also make appearances in The Secret Garden!; and,
4. as a flower gardener myself, I could highly relate to Mary and her friends' happiness while gardening, from weeding and pruning to experiencing the ecstasy of all the sensory delights emanating from such a sanctuary.

“'Of course, there must be lots of Magic in the world,’ he said wisely one day, ‘but people don’t know what it is like or how to make it. Perhaps the beginning is just to say nice things are going to happen until you make them happen.’”

Magic. That’s what this book was for me. It’s a lovely, hopeful children’s story perfect for children of any age.

My library copy was beautifully illustrated by Graham Rust, and as I turned the pages, he brought back the joy I had as a child when I got to one with a picture. “Ooh! There they are! Look how pretty it all is!”

I haven’t seen any of the newer films, but love the 1949 version with Margaret O’Brien (her tantrum scene has always stayed with me).

The book is better, of course. We follow ten-year-old Mary who, after being orphaned, is sent from India to her Uncle in Yorkshire. She arrives on the moors at Misselthwaite Manor, where she picks away at the understandable chip on her shoulder, and eventually, with the influence of some simple folks and the great outdoors, transforms herself.

That is only the first of many transformations in this story, however. It leaves you with the feeling that you too can make a new beginning, with just a bit of determination, a few seeds, some sunshine and fresh air, and a belief that you can do it.