The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett is a classic well-loved by children around the world. It was first published in its entirety in 1911 and is now one of Burnett's most popular novels.
It follows the story of Mary Lennox, a young sulky girl of age 10 living in India.
She was taken care of from her birth by servants, since her parents didn't want her and were too busy to care for her themselves. As a result of this, she is spoiled and can't do even the simplest of things by herself.
When her parents die in the cholera epidemic, Mary is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven in Yorkshire, England. He lives in a big house called Misselthwaite Manor, and it is surrounded by gardens and beautiful moorlands. Mary is at first astonished at the way of living in England, but absolutely denies having any interest or curiosity in it. She behaves like her usual self - spoiled, selfish and attention-seeking until she begins to realise slowly that her behaviour will get her nowhere in life. With the help of people she meets at Misselthwaite Manor, she gets over her pettiness and starts gardening to make herself strong and healthy. She soon falls in love with roaming her uncle's courtyards and gardens, talking to the old gardener Ben Weatherstaff and petting his tame robin.
One day, while walking on a new path, she discovers a garden with rose trees but she cannot find the door to it. She finds out from her friend and maid, Martha Sowerby, that the garden was the late Mrs. Craven's. After her death, Mr. Craven locked up the garden and also his soul, in his deepest parts.
Then Mary finds the key to the garden's door accidentally and also the door to the garden. She starts reviving the garden with the help of Martha's brother, Dickon.
One rainy day, when she has to stay in the house and is exploring it, she hears loud wails. When she asks Martha about them, Martha shrugs off her queries. Her curiosity aroused, she sneaks to the room from where the sound seems to be coming in the night and finds a young boy in the bed. Colin is Mr. Craven's son and is proclaimed a hunchback by a relative cum doctor. Colin has to stay in bed for fear that his back may bend and as a result, he has never walked out of his room by himself. Mary takes it to her head to help poor Colin and goes about it secretly.
The secret garden is by now coming on well, and Mary decides to take Colin to the garden without anyone's knowledge. The story continues until Colin not only stands, but runs and is finally cured of his so called 'illness'.
This story amuses you, frustrates you, engages you and teaches you some valuable lessons of life.
So the next time you are asked to review a classic in school, you know which book to pick!
It follows the story of Mary Lennox, a young sulky girl of age 10 living in India.
She was taken care of from her birth by servants, since her parents didn't want her and were too busy to care for her themselves. As a result of this, she is spoiled and can't do even the simplest of things by herself.
When her parents die in the cholera epidemic, Mary is sent to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven in Yorkshire, England. He lives in a big house called Misselthwaite Manor, and it is surrounded by gardens and beautiful moorlands. Mary is at first astonished at the way of living in England, but absolutely denies having any interest or curiosity in it. She behaves like her usual self - spoiled, selfish and attention-seeking until she begins to realise slowly that her behaviour will get her nowhere in life. With the help of people she meets at Misselthwaite Manor, she gets over her pettiness and starts gardening to make herself strong and healthy. She soon falls in love with roaming her uncle's courtyards and gardens, talking to the old gardener Ben Weatherstaff and petting his tame robin.
One day, while walking on a new path, she discovers a garden with rose trees but she cannot find the door to it. She finds out from her friend and maid, Martha Sowerby, that the garden was the late Mrs. Craven's. After her death, Mr. Craven locked up the garden and also his soul, in his deepest parts.
Then Mary finds the key to the garden's door accidentally and also the door to the garden. She starts reviving the garden with the help of Martha's brother, Dickon.
One rainy day, when she has to stay in the house and is exploring it, she hears loud wails. When she asks Martha about them, Martha shrugs off her queries. Her curiosity aroused, she sneaks to the room from where the sound seems to be coming in the night and finds a young boy in the bed. Colin is Mr. Craven's son and is proclaimed a hunchback by a relative cum doctor. Colin has to stay in bed for fear that his back may bend and as a result, he has never walked out of his room by himself. Mary takes it to her head to help poor Colin and goes about it secretly.
The secret garden is by now coming on well, and Mary decides to take Colin to the garden without anyone's knowledge. The story continues until Colin not only stands, but runs and is finally cured of his so called 'illness'.
This story amuses you, frustrates you, engages you and teaches you some valuable lessons of life.
So the next time you are asked to review a classic in school, you know which book to pick!
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