When Mary’s mum died in their elegant home in India, Mary was quickly back to England. Now she was to live in 
another grand house, belonging to her uncle John Craven. Mr Craven had suffered a loss of his own. His beloved wife had died 10 years before, leaving him heartbroken and lost. Now he spends most of his time wandering the world.
It’s a bit of a shock not having a servant at your beck and call. Mary has to even dress herself! But the no nonsense but friendly Yorkshire staff of Thistlethwaite Manor soon ease her of such high expectations. She’s always been a surly sort of girl, but this too changes as she wanders the expanse of gardens surrounding her.
What really interests her is the mystery of a secret garden locked up for ten years after the death of Mrs Craven. It was her special place and Mr Craven couldn’t bear to be there without her. With the help of a tiny new friend – Mary’s first friend in fact, she finds the key to the secret garden’s door. She’s never been an outdoors sort of girl, but this garden is almost magical as spring arrives. Fresh green shoots appear, buds unfurl and flowers begin to bloom. Mary blooms along with them, becoming a completely different type of girl.
Another new friend is a local boy called Dicken who has a wonderful way with animals. He too enjoys the garden, helping Mary bring it back to life. Now much settled in to Thistlewaite Manor, she is surprised one night to hear crying through the long hallways. The servants change the subject when she asks about it, so just like with the garden, Mary investigates for herself. She is soon to uncover another secret.
With Dicken, Mary brings these secrets of Thistlewaite Manor out into the sunlight, banishing the loss and grief of so many years, also bringing a broken and bereft family back together.
A gentle, beautiful classic. The Secret Garden has been made into several movies and published many multiple times since its first publication in 1911. Just like the closed, secret, unloved garden, the main character is brought to life by those around her, nature and by having the opportunity to just be a child.
However, her surly nature is what gives her the courage to do what she does, so without it in the first instance, this would be a very different story. As portrayed in many stories since, the change of place, people and experiences for young Mary is just what she needs to not only help discover her true self, but help another to do the same.
Author – Frances Hodgson Burnett
Age – 7+
More Classic Children’s stories here
(Classics, Animals, Nature, Friendship, Yorkshire, 1900’s, England, Secret, Family, Grief, Growing up, Invalid, Historical)