wrathofkublakhan Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Waiting for the April book, Black Beauty (not quite April yet) I decided to try another kids book - The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and illustrated by Tasha Tudor. First published in 1911! I felt quite contrary when I began reading it - a story for a child! Since then, I've not been able to put it down. I read walking from my car to the restaurant, I read in the restaurant and then read walking back to my car. I sneak in a few lines at stop lights. It is such a charming tale. Now, I near the last 50 - 75 pages and am slowing down, enjoying each page and each little drawing. What a wonderful gift this book is to the entire world. I'm gonna punch my sister in the nose, betcha SHE knew about this book for years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laramie Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Awwww...remind me not to go anywhere near you in a car!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolategal Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 *laughing* haha,hehe:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purple Poppy Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Good one WoKK. Glad you enjoyed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 I've changed the title of the thread, as it helps other people when searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolategal Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 i love the secret garden does anyone else:10_confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laramie Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Me! I do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Those of you who enjoy the book, can you please tell us a little more.. what it is you like, favourite characters and why, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrathofkublakhan Posted April 1, 2007 Author Share Posted April 1, 2007 Those of you who enjoy the book, can you please tell us a little more.. what it is you like, favourite characters and why, etc. In my opinion, the theme for the book is "transformation." In this, I mean that several of the characters are in a poor way and manage to climb out of their problems with the help of new friends. The grand metaphor is the secret garden which echoes the blooming and growth of the children. Each delicate bud coming to bloom is akin to the fair blush of youth kindled by friendship, activity and nurturing the growth within the garden. The metaphor is continued by the closing off of Colin's father's emotions by closing the garden as well. The charm of the book is that we can see these 10 year old children try new things for the first time and be successful at it; this makes for them to replace behavior that was negative with positive; and the results are wonderful as we see this success blossom in their lives. Fundamental themes that we can relate to as adults are all through this book: the pain of loss, the need for help, the fear of moving to a new place and the price of grief. We are reminded of the wonder of childhood: the magic of a secret, the wonder at a baby animal, the nurture of a mother and joy of discovery. My version of the book was illustrated. I recommend that issue, since part of the return to topics childlike includes stories that have drawings to help along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I always loved this film as a child... but I never got round to reading the book hopefully I will in 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orchi Dolittle Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I absoutly adore The Secret Garden. I remember watching the movie over and over . And reading the book sevral times. I also love A little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne123 Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 I'd love to read 'A Little Princess' too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 Waterstones Synopsis: Mary Lennox was horrid, selfish and spoilt, and was sent to stay with her uncle in Yorkshire. She hated it. But when she finds the entrance to a secret garden a change overcomes her. With a local boy and her cousin the three children work magic in themselves and those around them. I absolutely loved this book. Mary starts this book as a spoilt little girl who didn't know joy nor love. Coming to England and discovering nature does her the world of good - and it changes the lives of others too. This is a beautiful book. The descriptions are breath-taking and the story line is lovely. The book is rich with characters and flowers. I did like Mary. I felt sorry for her as she wasn't loved by her parents, and when everyone in her household died she was left alone for days before she was found. It was no surprise she was horrid. I loved watching her discover the wonders of the outside world - enjoying fresh air and flowers, and how to be happy. It was a lovely journey and I really enjoyed experiencing it. The descriptions are gorgeous. The secret garden is wonderful and I would love to have sat there alongside her and the boys watching the garden grow and flourish. Hodgson Burnett wrote a beautiful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The only downside for me was that I struggled to read the Yorkshire dialect. However, that does not spoil the book much, although it did slow down the reading for me a bit. Overall this is a must-read book, even if it is a children's book. 4.5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 I re-read this a few years ago and I agree, it's a wonderful story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimitra Posted April 8, 2010 Share Posted April 8, 2010 I absolutely loved the Secret Garden. Such a beautiful ode to nature and life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eva Posted April 22, 2010 Share Posted April 22, 2010 (edited) This is a wonderful book. It is full of fresh steppe breeze and the aroma of flowers. This is one of my favourite books from childhood. Edited April 22, 2010 by Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 9, 2011 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Today I went to the National Trust property Montacute House near Yeovil in Somerset (The Great Hall featured in the 1995 production of Sense and Sensibility ). Their Orangery is currently undergoing extensive work so it's only possible to view it from above via a viewing platform. A guide takes you up and talks about the restoration project and then leaves you to enjoy the views. He said we could ask him anything we liked, so when I got down I asked him about his name... which was Dickon... and sure enough, he's named after the character in the book! It made my day, and he was pleased that I knew its origin as he said most people think it's his surname! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 That is so cool, Janet! I read The Secret Garden very recently and it's definitely a 5/5 book for me. I think I’m going to have to get hold of more work by this author because right on the heels of A Little Princess, this was another full-marks read! Mary Lennox couldn’t be more different from Sara Crewe, although they were both born and spent their early childhoods in India, their experiences and the outcome of their upbringing produces complete opposites – Mary is surly, stubborn, sour and unattractive, and yet this story of her transformation is nothing short of magnificent, so that one becomes very fond of her after a little while. The use of Yorkshire dialect is a lovely touch and never detracts from the ease of understanding, but adds a warmth and homeliness that would otherwise be sadly missing. Absolutely glorious! I also read ALittle Princess by the same author. It's just as wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 He was so lovely too - he said how nice it is when someone recognised the origin of his name! I loved A Little Princess too. I had a look at Fantastic Fiction when I got home yesterday and was staggered by how many books she's written! I knew about Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Making of a Marchioness, both of which are on one my Amazon Wish Lists but I didn't realise there were so many more. I was amused by the comment on FF that she was "the daughter of a small shopkeeper", which made me think of a shopkeeper of small stature, like the one in Mr Benn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fev Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Those of you who enjoy the book, can you please tell us a little more.. what it is you like, favourite characters and why, etc. My favourite character is definitely Dickon - he takes such an innocent pleasure in all things to do with nature, but also seems so wise and mature, introducing Mary to the new surroundings that are so unlike the Indian home she has left behind. He is care-free and easy-going (in contrast to nearly all the other characters) and even Mary likes him, despite her sense of superiority and his being 'only a common moor boy'. In short, even in print he's a charmer (quite literally, when it comes to the birds!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABC_Em Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 This is a fantastic book. As a child, I often read books that were already quite old (The Secret Garden being one, What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge being another!) and loved the different pace of the story and the otherworldliness gained by knowing that the action took place so long before I was born. The Secret Garden was one of my favourites; I loved that Mary Lennox was able to not only learn to treat people better, but that they too can treat her with a level of kindness she'd not yet been lucky enough to receive. I'd definitely recommend it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 (edited) I have lost count of how many times I watched the film and read the book... It's such a simple story when you think about it, but wow, it makes me feel all warm inside every single time. Edited June 2, 2012 by Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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