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The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
Mary is a tough feisty character, who manages to turn a whole household, and the lives of those in it, completely upside down...the book is brim full of magic and joy.- Sunday Telegraph It is only the exceptional author who can write a book about children with sufficient skill, charm, simplicity, and significance to make it acceptable to both young and old, Mrs. Burnett is one of the few thus gifted. -The New York Times In what is the most enduring work of Frances Hodgson Burnetts literary legacy, The Secret Garden is an insightful and pastoral tale of transformation and love. Mary Lennox, a spoiled and temperamental young girl living in colonial India is orphaned when her parents and their servants succumb to cholera. She is placed in the care of her uncle in England, who lives in a sprawling manor surrounded by the Yorkshire moors. Marys sour demeanor is no match for a kind-hearted maidservant, who reveals that there is secret garden on the grounds of the manor. While on the search for the garden Mary becomes enthralled with the natural world, and gradually her temperament softens. When she becomes friends with a robin, the bird leads her to a doorway to the secret garden, where her life will be changed. The Secret Garden is a beautiful story of rejuvenation and friendship that is a timeless classic of childrens literature. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of The Secret Garden is both modern and readable.
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Bookwomble
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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I've done less reading than I might have this week as I've been doing this jigsaw, titled "The Secret Garden". Although it wasn't intentional, I've coincidentally been reading stories with a nature setting, so there's been a synergy between my reading and puzzling.
The animals were fairly easy to get done as the pieces were quite distinctive, but those little leaves and the twigs were slow going! ??????‍⬛???️??

Seabreeze_Reader How lovely! It definitely looks challenging. 3w
Suet624 Oh boy! That looks like a tough puzzle. 3w
quietlycuriouskate Beautiful! 3w
See All 6 Comments
Lesliereadsalot All those same color leaves in different places looks like trouble! Great job finishing! 3w
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 2w
CarolynM Gorgeous😍 2w
40 likes6 comments
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RjJonk
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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The Secret Garden is about a sickly Indian girl named Mary following her experience with moving in with her uncle. Her parents, and servants died of a disease called cholera making her an orphan which is what caused Mary to move. Arriving at the manor Mary would play outside in the garden in her free time. Which was rumored to have a secret garden that her uncle locked away since his wife died in the garden. Mary of course was a curious child;

RjJonk she found the key to the secret garden, and made it her goal to grow her own garden. Though while staying at the manor she would occasionally hear crying day, and night, but was only told it was the wind. Eventually through snooping around the manor Mary discovered a sickly boy named Colin. It was then discovered that Colin was Mary‘s cousin, and the son of Mr. Craven. After finding the sickly boy Mary eventually asked Colin why he was crying. 1mo
RjJonk Then Mary found out that Colin was said to not make it to adulthood by multiple doctors, and that the crying was him throwing a fit with the servants. They then became friends, and Marry would tell Colin about the secret garden to which they made a promise for them to visit together. Once they arrived at the garden Colin seemed to have slowly recovered from his sickness the more time he spent outside. 1mo
RjJonk With this discovery Colin made a plan for when his father returns home to surprise him by walking towards him for the first time since his sickness led him to be bedridden for years, because he was too weak to support himself to walk. Once his father returned Mr. Craven was delighted to see his son healthy, and walking again. He then decided it was time to formally apologize to his son for his years to neglect. 1mo
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RjJonk Though as his father he gave him everything he desired, and the best doctors possible he neglected his fatherly duties to which they finally reconcile, and achieve their happy ending.
1mo
RjJonk If you like books about a bedridden boy learning to heal from our protagonist Mary as they relearn how to walk, and finally reconcile with their neglectful father. The Secret Garden may be worth checking out.
1mo
RjJonk A big theme in The Secret Garden is learning to heal even when the odds are against you. In the story Colin had lost his will to live due to his sickness, but despite what his doctors told him lived on with the help of Mary, and her company Colin finally recovered. Through becoming friends Colin found his happiness, and after years of being bedridden he found the strength to stand for the first time in years.

1mo
6 likes6 comments
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tpixie
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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inthegreensandblues Very interesting! 2mo
tpixie @inthegreensandblues 💚💚💚 2mo
TheBookHippie Oooooo!! 2mo
tpixie @TheBookHippie I can‘t wait for 2025 to read a ‘ have never read before‘ book of hers! I loved The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, The Lost Prince, and Little Lord Fauntleroy 🩵 2mo
35 likes4 comments
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RjJonk
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a book about a young sickly girl named Mary, Lennox. Her father was an officer for the English government in India along with her mother who was a party goer which both shared neglect for their child Mary. Unfortunately a deadly sickness named cholera killed her parents and a few servants which caused her to move away. She stayed for a while with an English minister and his five kids.

RjJonk Who were always fighting and had a dislike for Mary. Soon after she left for England where she would live with her grumpy, widowed uncle. Once she arrives she hears a rumor going around about a secret garden which was abandoned for some odd reason. Now Mary is on a mission to find this secret garden, and investigate the sounds of cries she hears at manor.
2mo
RjJonk This particular book is written in first person. We read the story through the perspective and thoughts of the main character which is Marry. The author uses these thoughts and pronouns such as I, we, our, etc to illustrate Mary‘s point of view. This makes it so it seems that our main character is telling the story through their views, and feelings. 2mo
RjJonk If you like books that have a little mystery, and well written story following a bitter, spoiled girl with her journey in finding a secret garden. As well as the source of the cries late at night from the manor. The secret Garden is for you.
2mo
6 likes3 comments
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Heleentje
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
Pickpick

Love it!

review
Elise Kim
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Pickpick

“Khu vườn bí mật” của nữ tác giả Victoria Frances Hodgson Burnett là tác phẩm văn học thiếu nhi kinh điển được trẻ em yêu thích trên toàn thế giới. Cuốn sách không chỉ là hành trình tìm sự sống và niềm vui trong khu vườn, mà còn là hành trình khám phá và chữa lành tâm hồn của cô bé Mary, mang đến cho người đọc những bài học sâu sắc về tình bạn, gia đình và sự kỳ diệu của thiên nhiên.
Review chi tiết:
https://dimibook.com/review-khu-vuon-bi-mat/

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lil1inblue
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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I got this copy of The Secret Garden from my parents when I was 5. 💙
#aboutabook #giftedtoyou

dabbe 🩶🖤🩶 3mo
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love it ❤️ 3mo
marleed What a treasure! 3mo
40 likes4 comments
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JessClark78
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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Eggs Excellent 🩵🩵 4mo
55 likes1 comment
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bookishbitch
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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Pickpick

Did you know there are free audiobooks on Spotify? I only recently learned this. You are only limited to 15 hours a month though. I just finished listening to this and it was very sweet. I needed that dose of sweet. It was not what I expected at all, but I did really enjoy it. It also had a cast for the reading which added to its charm. This author also wrote A Little Princess, which was a favorite movie of mine. (The Shirley Temple version.)

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Daily
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
Pickpick

This book is an ode to love, friendship and the unsurpassed beauty found in nature that fills every one of us with hope. It is inspiring, tender and guarantees the reader is going to relive the magic when you delve into the pages of this tale and find it as enchantingly satisfying as you expected.....
Full review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6499505479

8 likes1 stack add
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AmandaBlaze
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Eggs Pretty cover 🌿🍃 6mo
33 likes1 comment
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GondorGirl
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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We're doing the Night Market at the Toledo Botanical Gardens tonight, so I'm taking the opportunity to run around and take fun product photos. 🥰

#Studio42Books

Powered_By_Plants Beautiful 😍 and one of my absolute favourites 📖 7mo
45 likes1 comment
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TheAromaofBooks
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Pickpick

It had been several years since my last reread of this one, and this spring it just felt right to pick it up. There is SO much to love about this delightful book, and I loved revisiting it. I will say that at one point it feels like Burnett kind of gets a little weird about “the Magic“ but overall this is still a heart book.

Pictured with some of the flats of annuals I purchased today... getting ready to get my own garden going!!!

TheAromaofBooks #ISpyBingo
#TPRC - I'll Meet You Again in 25 Years @Yuki_Onna
#BookSpinBingo
7mo
julieclair Lovely book, lovely flowers! 7mo
Yuki_Onna 👏 7mo
82 likes3 comments
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Felso
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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Loved the interactive elements in this edition.

14 likes1 stack add
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JuliaTheBookNerd
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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#Secret(s) 🤫🤐 #SpringSkies 🌸🌼🌺🌻🌨️☀️

#BookNerd 🤓📚💙

tpixie Such a great cover for a wonderful book! 7mo
Eggs Beautiful editions🌺🌸 7mo
45 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Kshakal
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Excellent 💚 7mo
Eggs Always a wonderful re-read 💚💚 7mo
30 likes2 comments
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Mimi28
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Look at this cool version of The Secret Garden that I got from ThriftBooks!! I have also always wanted to read this adventure series of wild cats so I got the first 3 of those also.

MemoirsForMe 😍🙌🏻 7mo
28 likes1 comment
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TheSpineView
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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#SundayFunday @BookmarkTavern

🌷 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsen Burnett

BookmarkTavern Yay! Same! Thanks for posting! 8mo
52 likes2 comments
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BookmarkTavern
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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I love the garden in this book, and the talk of bloom and growth and renewal. ❤️

#SundayFunday Hope you all have a wonderful day, and Happy Easter if you celebrate! Remember to tag me in your posts!

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Happy Easter 🐣 8mo
vonnie862 I thought of this one as well. Happy Easter! 8mo
51 likes2 comments
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Chrissyreadit
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgsen Burnett
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AllDebooks Oh these hellebores 😍 9mo
Chrissyreadit @AllDebooks those are in my yard!!! i‘m going to plant more- i cannot believe how beautifully they grew in there! 9mo
TheBookHippie 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚 9mo
See All 6 Comments
KadaGul @Chrissyreadit The best thing about Spring is how everything is reborn. It's as if everything is brand new again with a little or a lot of TLC.#SpringGratitude 9mo
IndoorDame 💚💚💚 9mo
BethM So lovely! 9mo
67 likes6 comments
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kelli7990
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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I‘ve read a lot of classics but to answer this question, I‘m sharing the tagged book that I read in 2023. This book was published in 1911 but the version of it that I read is from Audible. I enjoyed it.

#SundayFunday

BookmarkTavern I don‘t think I‘ve ever read this! 😄 Thank you for sharing! 9mo
21 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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AroundTheBookWorld
The Secret Garden (Collins Classics) | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels Little Lord Fauntleroy (published in 1885–1886), A Little Princess (1905), and The Secret Garden (1911).
#TheSecretGarden #FrancesHodgsonBurnett #WomensHistoryMonth #book #books #booknerd #Classics #Fiction #Childrens #YoungAdult #HistoricalFiction #MiddleGrade #Fantasy #Audiobook 🖤🖤

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LapReader
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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I ❤️ my grandfather‘s family farm. They moved to a smaller 🏡 after my great aunt Jenny died in ‘88. It was a very free range childhood & the garden was like the 1 in the tagged 📖 but with 🦚 & a pet 🦘 called 🧚. My fav smells were the mint growing around a🚰 in the garden, the 🍊 in the orchard & the smell of Aunty Jenny‘s sister, great Aunty Marjory‘s fruit toast & 🧈 when my Nan would take me to visit her. She also had a camomile lawn!

dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 9mo
21 likes1 comment
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PageShifter
Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett, Inga Moore
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Pickpick

I liked the message of this book: the power of your thoughts. That's not a new thing, but it's also something that I always love to read about. I also loved gardening they did and talking about flowers etc.

It's clear that this is an old story and some phrases wouldn't be acceptable nowadays.

Both Mary & Colin had amazing character arc, I loved how different the were at the end of the book compared to characters at the beginning.

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New Kid on the Book
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Pickpick

A colourful book display! I had fun browsing the different titles 📚

quote
PageShifter
Frances Hodgson Burnett's the Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett, Inga Moore

“One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts—just mere thoughts—are as powerful as electric batteries—as good for one as sunlight is, or as bad for one as poison. To let a sad thought or a bad one get into your mind is as dangerous as letting a scarlet fever germ get into your body. If you let it stay there after it has got in you may never get over it as long as you live.”

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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm
The Secret Garden Complete Text | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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This was my only read for November, but I still think it would have won. It‘s such a beautiful story and has the power to remind me of what it felt like to be a kid. I adore the characters, especially Dicken. Would love a story about the trio all grown up.
#12Booksof2023

Andrew65 A popular classic. 11mo
31 likes1 comment
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jlhammar
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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#12Booksof2023 ⭐️ Favorite Audiobooks ⭐️

Andrew65 A brilliant classic. 11mo
60 likes1 comment
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Darklunarose
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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Pickpick

When my littlest was young I read her an abridged version of this book. But this was the first time I have read the full text. It‘s such a beautiful book and one can tell the author was as avid gardener herself.

This little fellow was in our garden this morning feasting on figs in the fig tree.

oddandbookish I love this book! 11mo
CatLass007 I remember Mom reading this to me as a child years ago, then enjoying looking at it over and over I don‘t know if we still have the original book, but I bought my own copy too. When I lived in New York, I had the pleasure of seeing the musical on Broadway, starring Mandy Patinkin. 11mo
Darklunarose @CatLass007 this would make an awesome theatrical show! Sometimes things that are designed for kids make some of the best reading 11mo
CatLass007 @Darklunarose It was a great theatrical production! It‘s not grandiose like some shows, just big enough. I love reading children‘s books. 11mo
Darklunarose @CatLass007 that would have been a lovely performance. I love kids books too, they are such a different experience to adult books, and when one is dealing with a lot of things in the real world they make a beautiful escape 11mo
54 likes5 comments
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Darklunarose
The Secret Garden | F. Burnett
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To start reading tomorrow

review
bekakins
The Secret Garden Complete Text | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick

A proper nostalgic reread of one of my childhood favourites for #castthedie #promptmaze

I didn‘t remember the fact that the dialogue in ‘Yorkshire‘ is absolutely hilarious 🙈 also loved reading about the moors especially now I live on the edge of them (although Lancashire not Yorkshire! 🌹)

#wintergames #snowangels

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! This is one of my favorite spring reads. If you can find an edition with Tasha Tudor's illustrations - highly recommend - they are SO charming! 12mo
10 likes1 comment
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AshleyHoss820
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick

There is so much going on in this delightful Victorian children‘s novel! Class distinctions, hybridity, gender distinctions…but I have always found it a lovely little story about the power of friendship and positive thinking. Mary‘s parents die of cholera in India. She is sent back to England to live with an uncle she‘s never met. A garden that has been locked-up for 10 years is waiting to work its magic on the manor‘s inhabitants.

kelli7990 I enjoyed this book. I‘m glad I had a chance to read it this year. 12mo
AshleyHoss820 @kelli7990 I‘m glad you did too! It‘s one of those children‘s novels that never loses its magic! ☺️🧡 12mo
batsy One of my faves! 12mo
AshleyHoss820 @batsy Mine too! I had not read it since I was a kid, and it stood the test of time! ☺️ 12mo
29 likes4 comments
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Read4life
The Secret Garden Complete Text | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick
DieAReader 🥳🥳🥳 12mo
AllDebooks It was so lovely revisiting this childhood favourite with you all x 12mo
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! This is one of my very favorites!! Tasha Tudor illustrated an edition of this book - it's soooo pretty! 12mo
52 likes3 comments
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IndoorDame
The Secret Garden Complete Text | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick

This was one of the few books that was read aloud to me after I was old enough to read myself, and while this isn‘t the only time I‘ve reread it, reading and discussing it with #Naturalitsy really clarified how my impressions of it have changed over time. It‘s also one of the only books I have my original childhood copy of, so this read was a wonderfully nostalgic experience. @AllDebooks

AllDebooks Thanks for tagging me. This did make me smile x 😃 12mo
dabbe That book is 🤩🤩🤩! 12mo
IndoorDame @dabbe I adore illustrated books! Graham Rust is so talented! And he uses a mix of color, grayscale, spot illustrations, vignettes, and full double page spreads here which gives it a lot of dimension and is pretty rare to see all together 12mo
See All 7 Comments
dabbe It‘s just lovely. 🩵🩶🩵 12mo
Aimeesue Lovely illustrations! 12mo
IndoorDame @Aimeesue 💜💙 12mo
Roary47 Gorgeous! 😍💛 12mo
57 likes7 comments
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IndoorDame
The Secret Garden Complete Text | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Cassandra‘s least favorite thing is when I try to sneak tea AND a physical book into her morning petting time. There is just no way for me to be paying enough attention to her! #catsoflitsy

tpixie 🖤 🐈‍⬛ 🖤 12mo
arlenefinnigan Hahaha she looks furious 🖤 12mo
BookNAround How dare you dilute her time with other things?! 12mo
dabbe Hello there, beautiful Cassandra. You need more mommy time, don't you? 🖤🐾🖤 12mo
66 likes4 comments
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AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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#Naturalitsy

Our last week in The Secret Garden 💚

review
vonnie862
The Secret Garden | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick

When I was little, I really loved the 1993 film so I was excited to read this one. It is the story of young spoiled Mary who did not grow up with love. When taken in by her uncle, she learns how to take care of herself and to think about others while discovering a secret garden. I really enjoyed how Mary and the others grew as the story progressed. It is not my favorite classic but I can see why people love it. 3.5 ⭐️

Beatlefan129 I loved that movie too, I watched it so many times on VHS 12mo
37 likes1 comment
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AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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#Naturalitsy

December #buddyread discussion thread

🌿 Spring has sprung and the source of crying is discovered.
🌿 How did you find these changes in Mary?
🌿 Still enjoying the story and Mary's continuing development?

All welcome to join in. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

See All 19 Comments
Roary47 Once she found the source of crying I started to like the story more. She became a girl with a purpose and a friend. 12mo
AllDebooks @Roary47 Yes, the best thing for both her and Colin. What is it with Victorians and child neglect? 🤔 12mo
Deblovestoread And I like that a little of her behavior is being reflected back by Colin. It‘s a joy to feel her joy in her nature discoveries and her joy in sharing them with Colin. 12mo
jlhammar I just loved how Mary was the perfect person to get through to Colin and help him to see the world with fresh eyes, exactly as Dickon and the rest of the Yorkshire crew had been doing for her. 12mo
vonnie862 I'm with all of you. I love how Mary has recognized her own behavior by watching Colin and realizing that it was not good. She is growing to be more mature while creating changes with Colin as well. 12mo
Dilara The descriptions of springtime are lovely. I am enjoying Mary's development as a thoughtful, more contented child, and Colin's parallel development. The writing is quite funny too - the humour had passed me by when I read the book as a child, I think. 12mo
AllDebooks @Dilara I loved Mary attempting Yorkshire dialect 12mo
Dilara @AllDebooks Oh yes, that's quite a nice touch! 12mo
IndoorDame I like that her development is directly mirroring the natural cycle of the plants she‘s cultivating 12mo
AllDebooks @IndoorDame YES!!! Watching her 'come back to life' like the garden is a delight 😊 12mo
TheBookHippie @AllDebooks child mortality was high and children weren‘t seen as having value I was told once, the more I read the more it seems plausible. 12mo
TheBookHippie I‘m starting to enjoy it now, it seems more positive and exudes more light. 12mo
AllDebooks @TheBookHippie that's true. 12mo
Bookwormjillk I just finished last week‘s chapters. I‘ve been happy for winter to start, but now I‘m really excited for spring. These chapters made me want to go plant all the seeds. 12mo
AllDebooks @Bookwormjillk me too. I started browsing the seed book. Hope SPRINGS eternal.... and all that x 12mo
39 likes19 comments
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AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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#Naturalitsy

A little help translating Yorkshire dialect for thi 🤪😅

IndoorDame Love this! And there‘s actually one or two of these I never would‘ve guessed without translation😂😂😂 13mo
AllDebooks 😊 I'm a bit narked that my favourite word nithered isn't on there. It sounds so much better than I'm cold 🥶 13mo
Aimeesue A lot of these are the same in Scots dialect, yes? I recognize a lot of them from the Outlander books, if those were at all accurate on language. 13mo
See All 11 Comments
rockpools ❤️❤️❤️ My grandparents were Yorkshire - a lot of these I had NO CLUE they were specifically Yorkshire (there are a decent number I use on a daily basis). But ‘Is it eckers like?‘ was a 100% Grandad phrase! 13mo
Cuilin Since I have been understanding most of the dialect, I guess I have to thank all the TV shows I watched as a child set in Yorkshire. I love faffin. I could use that in the classroom “quit your faffin about” lol. 13mo
AllDebooks @Cuilin oh please do, that would be hilarious 😂 13mo
AllDebooks @Aimeesue I think there are a lot of similarities with Scottish and Lancashire 13mo
quietlycuriouskate I'm a Wessex girl, who frequently observes that summat wants fettlin' about the house. I now suspect I may have a long lost northern ancestress whose domestic lament has been passed down the ages. Also, "push iron" makes me see my trusty bike in a whole new light! ? 13mo
AllDebooks @quietlycuriouskate haha, love this 🤣😍 13mo
Bluebird Excellent! 13mo
39 likes11 comments
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AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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#Naturalitsy #buddyread

Reading this, I did wonder how you are coping with the Yorkshire dialect. I'm a Yorkshire lass born and bred, so I find it oddly comforting, even though no-one I know talks like this.

Thoughts? On the secret garden? On Dickon? On Mary's emerging engagement with her surroundings and people?

All welcome. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

See All 31 Comments
Cuilin I‘m loving it. It makes me want to visit Yorkshire and walk the moors and dales. The closest I got was watching Emmerdale lol. 13mo
AllDebooks @Cuilin 😍 love this and the Emmerdale comment did make me laugh 😃 13mo
AmandaBlaze I‘ve been reading this to my mom. The Yorkshire dialect is difficult to read aloud, but I like its uniqueness. I love the semi-feral character of Dickon. I also love how Mary‘s interactions with Dickon start to reawaken her emotions. As the garden becomes more alive, so does Mary. 13mo
jlhammar So enjoyed the Yorkshire dialect! Made for a wonderful listening experience. And absolutely love Dickon and his mother. 13mo
AllDebooks @AmandaBlaze how lovely, yes I can imagine it's quite tricky getting used to all the thee and tha's 😅 13mo
AllDebooks @jlhammar love this 😍 13mo
AllDebooks @quietlycuriouskate this is our current read 😊 13mo
Aimeesue “May I take it from anywhere—if it‘s not wanted?” Oh, Mary, you clever girl! 13mo
gossamerchild I LOVE the dialect. I wish I could hear it. One thing I'm noticing more on this read is the "happy poor" trope with Martha and Dickon's family. What was life REALLY like for a poor family of 14? That being said, I still love this. And I enjoy Mary's growth as a person. 13mo
Aimeesue @AmandaBlaze He‘s definitely a wild thing, charming animals with his pipe. Reminds me of Pan. 13mo
gossamerchild @AllDebooks did Yorkshire folk ever speak like this? 13mo
vonnie862 I'm listening to the audio and it's fun to hear the Yorkshire dialect. 13mo
AllDebooks @gossamerchild appen they did 😅 13mo
Deblovestoread While some of the dialect was hard to parse out I enjoy it. I am loving watching Mary get healthier and happier. 13mo
IndoorDame I‘m loving watching Mary come to life! And loving the descriptions of the moors and the secret garden! 💚💚💚The only thing I‘m not loving that I never noticed when I read as a child is the repeated implication that Indian climate is inherently unhealthy, and English climate is naturally healing her. 13mo
Bookwormjillk This is a sweet book. I‘m enjoying the descriptions of the moors and the dialect isn‘t too bad to follow. 13mo
Dilara I have no problem parsing the transcribed dialect. It's definitely easier to understand than some of my neighbours when I lived in Yorkshire - but then I always find listening comprehension more challenging...
There is something impish about Dickon - or “pan-ish“, as @Aimeesue wrote.
Loving Mary's arc and the parallel between the way she develops and the arrival of spring. She'll be blooming before long!
13mo
AllDebooks @IndoorDame that's actually a very good point. I missed it as a child, too. 13mo
AllDebooks @Bookwormjillk The moor descriptions are beautiful. They always made me homesick when I read this away from home. 13mo
AllDebooks @Dilara oooh, where in Yorkshire did you live? I love the Pan comparison. As a kid, I had a complete crush on Dickon. 🙈 13mo
Dilara @IndoorDame Oh yes, that is rather unpleasant to read, as is the implication that nothing much grows in India - very odd...
@AllDebooks I lived in South Yorkshire and had trouble with thick Barnsley accents. Nothing prepares you for that!
13mo
AllDebooks @Dilara even I struggled with Barnsley accents and I'm from Sheffield. I did my nurse training in Barnsley 88-91. 13mo
Bluebird I‘m reading this via so the Yorkshire dialect really comes to life. Between it and the descriptions of the moors I am wishing I could travel there. Must add to bucket list! 13mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I always enjoy eye dialect and honestly wish it was used more often in books. I think it‘s very well done in this book and can almost hear the accent when reading. Dickon is the best. Mary blossoming always makes me happy. I always seem to read this book in cold months and it leaves me itching to do some gardening. Ah well, I‘ll just start planning for next year. 😅❤️ 12mo
Dilara @gossamerchild I 100% agree with you! 12mo
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review
jlhammar
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
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Pickpick

So lovely. It was such a pleasure to revisit this childhood favorite. #NaturaLitsy

LeahBergen One of my faves! ❤️ 13mo
AllDebooks 😍 13mo
batsy I love this book ❤️ 13mo
57 likes3 comments
blurb
AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
post image

#Naturalitsy November #buddyread

Week 2 - reading schedule. A discussion thread will be posted on Saturday. All welcome to join us.
Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

Cuilin I missed the discussion but I‘m really enjoying the audio version. 13mo
AllDebooks @Cuilin glad you're enjoying it. Here's the discussion thread x 13mo
34 likes3 comments
blurb
AllDebooks
The Secret Garden 100th Anniversary | Frances Hodgson Burnett
post image

#Naturalitsy November #Buddyread

Discussion thread - Chapters 1 - 6

Well, I must say rereading this childhood favourite as an adult and parent is a very different experience.

🌷 Are you revisiting the book?
🌷 What are your thoughts on reading as an adult?
🌷 What did you make of Mary?
🌷 Did you struggle with the colonialist attitudes?

All welcome to join in with us. Please let me know if you wish to be added/removed from the taglist.

See All 37 Comments
wanderinglynn This is one of my favorite childhood authors. I thought Mary‘s character development was realistic. She went through a lot of trauma at a tender age. It would be hard for anyone to go through what she did. I thought the story provided an interesting snapshot of the times & the perspectives. 13mo
Dilara 1 - Yes. I read it in translation as a child and I'm pretty sure I also read it in English later on.
2 - Too early to say. I'll defer my answer until I've read more.
3 - She's described as brattish and completely affectless, which I think is poor characterisation. Children get attached to the person who looks after them, even when they're subaltern. There is no way she wouldn't grieve at losing her ayah. It could have been more nuanced.
13mo
vonnie862 I think I read an adaptive children's version of the book when I was little but not the original so this read is a first for me. However, I did watch the 1993 movie constantly back in the days so reading the book is giving me flashbacks. 13mo
vonnie862 The colonialism attitude makes sense because of the time period. Mary's character is realistic and I am glad she is showing growth. 13mo
Dilara 4 - It's a bit painful to read, but softened by the fact that the author's own progressive (for the times) views are clear, I think. Mary's contempt for the “native servants“ is proof of her lack of feeling. In contrast, the maid comes across as innocent and decent, even though she uses the word “black“ which is a problematic word. And I'm rather pleased about those tracts where “You always read as a black‘s a man an‘ a brother.“ 13mo
IndoorDame I‘m revisiting the book and loving it as usual !💚 But looking at the colonialism through adult eyes it‘s actually the author striking me as less progressive than I interpreted as a child. The scene where Mary is so insulted at being assumed she would be black and her rant about attitudes toward race and class in India strike me now as poor characterization. If she was really as ignored and isolated as is described in the intro… 13mo
IndoorDame there wouldn‘t have been anyone to ingrate that attitude in her so deeply. She‘d get a little of it from her ayah and the servants themselves because it‘s an inescapable part of their lives, but not the vitriol it‘s written with. That has to come from the author. 13mo
Aimeesue This is a re-read for me, but I read it first as an adult, not as a child. Having worked with abused kids over the years, I think Mary‘s development is believable. Many emotionally starved kids grow callous shells and are every bit as bossy and imperious as Mary is. It‘s a defense mechanism and all about controlling what they can because their parents aren‘t doing it for them. The racism was harsh, but felt of its time, as experienced by a child. 13mo
TheBookHippie This is a reread. I was given it as a child because I had such a horrific childhood. I did not relate to her at all and actually loathed her which is why 40 years later I‘m reading it again. Funny enough it is my daughter‘s (who is an adult) favorite 😂. So far I don‘t loathe the main character, the racism is of its time, horrific but how it was. Will see how it evolves. 13mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm It‘s a reread for me but I never read it as a child so I don‘t have any nostalgia tied up in the story. I remember when I first read it how much Mary reminded me of Edmund from The Chronicles of Narnia. Both are written as beastly children but I identify with them the most because of their youthful hostility. I had a lot of anger as a kid and looking back I can see a lot of that same callous shield that I built around myself reflected in Mary. 13mo
Bluebird This is a first read for me. Never saw any of the movies/tv adaptations either. I honestly don‘t know how I missed this one! So glad I am getting to it now. The colonialism/racism is of it‘s time, so it‘s not overly bothersome to me. It‘s certainly easier to take than some of the Agatha Christie I‘ve recently read! 13mo
jlhammar Enjoying revisiting this one! I'm listening to it this time around since I'm not sure where my old print copy ended up. I haven't watched the somewhat recent Colin Firth adaptation yet so might try that once we've finished. 13mo
AllDebooks These are all great comments and opinions. I'm really struggling to access Litsy atm or post anything. I will catch with them individually asap x 13mo
AmandaBlaze This was a reread for me. When I read it as a child I saw her contrariness, but missed the Colonization I now see as an adult. I don‘t know if Mary was raised as seeing Ayah more as a thing than a person, she may not mourn her. Also this may tie in with Mary‘s own feeling of self-worth as she was kept hidden from society and, therefore, inept in its ways. I like how Martha and Dickon are bringing out more emotion in her. 13mo
Roary47 @vonnie862 I‘m right there with you I watched the 1993 movie so many times I could probably quote it. Then I read this book out loud to my parents for the much needed practice I needed to improve my reading skills based on my teacher‘s recommendation. I agree with @Dilara as a kid I thought she was a brat, but as an adult I understand more of what she was experiencing and why she was acting this way. 13mo
Bookwormjillk I saw the movie as a kid (but was there one before 1993?) I‘m honestly not sure if I read the book. I‘m enjoying it this time around either way. Could you add me to the tag list please. 13mo
gossamerchild 1. I read this many times as a kid, and loved it. I think I liked reading about a child lonelier than me, even though I had a solid, healthy childhood 😁. 2. The colonialism and racism are definitely cringe and hard to ignore as an adult, but I'm pretty sure I didn't notice it as much as a child. 3. For some reason I remember being really annoyed by the Mistress Mary scene 😂😂. No idea, 13mo
gossamerchild .... Why, though. Good grief, I need to stop hitting enter! 4. I don't remember what 4 was 😂😂 13mo
AllDebooks @wanderinglynn mine too. Reading it as an adult is a shock. The level of neglect, Mary experiences is heartbreaking. 'There's rumoured to be a child" broke me. 13mo
AllDebooks @Dilara considering her ayah was her only caregiver, she would have been bereft. I think the emotional neglect will have severely affected her development. 13mo
AllDebooks @IndoorDame that's a fair point about an ingrained attitude. It's possibility she overheard colonial and imperialism talk from house guests. Mary was very much invisibke 13mo
AllDebooks @Aimeesue yes, this part made me think of the Ceaucescu orphans https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/06/neglect 13mo
AllDebooks @TheBookHippie I didn't like Mary as a child but I don't think I fully understood the severity of her upbringing. I read a lot of similar books as a child. Being parented by a servant seemed to be the norm in upper classes. 13mo
AllDebooks @Bluebird It's not pleasant to read but I agree, it is quite mild compared to other texts of the time 13mo
AllDebooks @jlhammar wait, there's a Colin Firth film. Oh my 😍 13mo
AllDebooks @AmandaBlaze ❤️ I love how she blossoms alongside other children 13mo
AllDebooks @Roary47 love this x 13mo
AllDebooks @Bookwormjillk glad you're joining us x 13mo
AllDebooks @gossamerchild ❤️😅 13mo
Aimeesue @AllDebooks Just heartbreaking. It makes me so sad. And angry at the adults. 13mo
Deblovestoread I think my first reading of this was mid 90‘s when my daughter read it but I remember very few details of the story. I am enjoying it. Mary‘s “contrariness” was a bit of a puzzle to me as it seemed she wasn‘t around her parents much and that‘s where she would have learned the demanding attitude. The racism is difficult to read but accurate for the time. Sorry I‘m behind! (edited) 13mo
AllDebooks @Deblovestoread no pressure, just enjoy it. I loved revisiting it with my children. I think Mary is projecting attitudes she witnessed in general, as you say, she rarely spent time with her parents. 13mo
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