Secret Garden

Four to Fourteen

[Neglected Colin] lives the life of a spoilt and incurable invalid until the arrival of an orphaned cousin. The two children secretly combine to restore his mother's locked garden and Colin to health and his father's affection.

Publishers Weekly

A new series, "Storytime Classics," introduces four timeless stories retold by Janet Allison Brown to the picture-book crowd. Full-bleed and spot illustrations carry the stories, with text in large type In The Secret Garden and A Little Princess, both by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illus. by Graham Rust, the heroines' kind-heartedness and perserverence shines through. Mole, Ratty, Toad and Badger embark on their adventures in The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illus. by Joanne Moss, and in Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, illus. by Dinah Dryhurst, readers meet the four March sisters. (June) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Soothing and mellifluous, native Briton Bailey's voice proves an excellent instrument for polishing up a new edition of Burnett's story. Bratty and spoiled Mary Lennox is orphaned when her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak in India. As a result, Mary becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has never met. As she hesitantly tries to carve a new life for herself at imposing and secluded Misselthwaite Manor, Mary befriends a high-spirited boy named Dickon and investigates a secret garden on the Manor grounds. She also discovers a sickly young cousin, Colin, who has been shut away in a hidden Manor room. Together Mary and Dickon help Colin blossom, and in the process Mary finds her identity and melts the heart of her emotionally distant uncle. Bailey makes fluid transitions between the voices and accents of various characters, from terse Mrs. Medlock and surly groundskeeper Ben to chipper housemaid Martha. And most enjoyably, she gives Mary a believably childlike voice. A brief biography of the author is included in an introduction. Ages 6-12. (June) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Janet Allison Brown retells the story of the secret garden in this simplified and abridged text of the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The integrity of the story line has been kept but the text has been shortened to keep the attention of younger children. Mary Lennox is a young girl who is sent to live with her uncle when her parents die. She discovers a mysterious hidden garden and uses that garden to teach her cousin to walk. Her uncle, who is out of town, returns to find happiness once again in his home. The lesson taught is that happiness can be found in one's own backyard. The illustrations in this picture book are lifelike and intriguing. This version will become a favorite of younger children, and a perfect way to introduce the classic story to younger readers. 2001, Penguin, $5.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer:Nicole Peterson

Children's Literature - Carolyn Mott Ford

Exquisite ink and watercolor illustrations grace this beautiful edition of the classic story of two children who are given all the material goods available. A young girl, Mary, who has foot-stomping tantrums when she does not get her way, and a young lad, Colin, who has been convinced he is ill and takes out his ill humor on those around him, are thrown together, and their lives are forever changed. Mary, who has come to live with relatives after the death of her parents, explores the mysteries of Misselthwaite Manor, the estate which is the home of her Uncle Archibald Craven and his son, Colin. She is befriended by Dickon, the brother of her housemaid and comes to share his love of nature. She finds the key to a secret garden on the estate, and Dickon teaches her how to tend a garden. Both she and Colin bloom right along with the flowers. The tale is magical, mystical, and idealistic. Many of the children who read it will long for a special, hidden-away spot of their own, a longing that will remain with them even as some details of the story may fade. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

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. This story has never lost its charm; delicate color work and pencil drawings provide nostalgic representations of another time.1993 (orig.)

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6- First published in 1911, Burnett's tale of burgeoning self-awareness, newfound friendship, and the healing effects of nature is presented in an elegant, oversize volume and handsomely illustrated with Moore's detailed ink and watercolor paintings. Cleanly laid-out text pages are balanced by artwork ranging from delicate spot images to full-page renderings. The outdoor scenes are beautifully depicted, presenting realistic images of animals and flowers, with the hues gradually warming in sync with the story's progression from winter's browns and beiges to the lush colors of spring. The young protagonists-lonely Mary Lennox; her sickly and spoiled cousin, Colin; and likable local lad Dickon-bound to life in the evocative paintings, which reflect the wonders of transformations in both nature and in a child's heart. All in all, a lovely interpretation.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

(Gr 3-Up) Burnett's classic story of a disagreeable and self-centered little girl and her equally disagreeable invalid cousin is as real and wise and enthralling now as it was when it was first written over 75 years ago. The strength of her characterizations pulls readers into the story, and the depth inherent in the seemingly simple plot continues to make this sometimes forgotten story as vital to the maturation of young readers as Tom Sawyer and Little Women. Hague's illustrations enhance the story beautifully, capturing as they do, both the old-fashioned and timeless quality of the tale. The charm, clarity, and muted tones of Hague's paintings add dimension to each part of the tale. A reissue of an old classic to be treasured by a new generation of children (and their parents)! Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-Originally published in 1911, the story of Mary Lennox's transformation from impudent orphan to compassionate friend in the forbidden garden of Misselthwaite Manor has been recorded for a new generation to enjoy. Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic is done justice by the vocal talents of Josephine Bailey. From the start, the narrator's lilting English accent will capture students' attention, but it is her vocal characterizations that will hold it. Abundant dialogue is enhanced with the authentic-sounding broad Yorkshire of the brusque Mrs. Medlock, the talkative Martha, and the crotchety old Ben, contrasted with Mary's precise and proper English. Bailey effortlessly captures the innocence of the young and the world-weariness of the old, while moving seamlessly between the two. There are no sound effects, and they are not needed. The overall aural quality is excellent. While the length of the production may initially scare off some listeners, those who persevere will be rewarded with a rich literary experience.- Leigh Ann Rumsey, Penn Yan Academy, NY Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Allen Cadwallader

Wanda McCaddon's obvious love of the characters and her authentic British accents—the gentrified and broad Yorkshire—turn this into a family listening delight.
— USA Today

Kirkus Reviews

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 cliche: An orphaned girl finds a neglected garden and a neglected cousin and restores them both with the aid of the housemaid's young brother. Collier's full-color paintings take advantage of the opportunities for flora and fauna as the garden responds to cultivation and to the turning seasons, but the children's figures seem pasted into the space, and the scenes lack warmth. (Picture book. 4-8)

From Barnes & Noble

Since 1911, the The Secret Garden has charmed readers of successive generations. Now in this wonderfully illustrated volume, another generation can delight in the story of Mary Lennox--an unattractive, unloved little girl, sent to live at Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire Moors after her parents' death. There, along with her invalid cousin Colin, she is drawn into a magical world of the secret garden--where Mary and Colin are transformed by the beauty they find there. Ages 8-14.