The Secret Garden

by Clare West, Frances Hodgson Burnett

Family and Friends is a seven-level primary course which offers you an exceptionally strong skills training programme covering language, phonics, and civic education.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Childrens, School, Audiobook, Novels

80 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1911

About the author

Clare West has over twenty years' TEFL classroom experience in the UK and overseas, and has led workshops for teachers in Switzerland, the Netherlands, Greece, and Argentina. For most of her teaching career she was involved with long-stay students on Cambridge examination courses, and engaged in the development of strategies to improve students' reading and writing skills.

She is now a freelance author, with a special interest in the literary and cultural aspects of language learning. Current writing projects include contributing to the Oxford Bookworms Library and Dominoes series, writing supplementary materials such as grammar workbooks, as well as being the Series Editor for the Oxford Bookworms Playscripts series.

Reviews

[Shaimaa شيماء · Rating 3 out of 5]

أحيانا الأطفال بفطرتهم ممكن يحلوا مشاكل ميعرفش الكبار يحلوها.

[Hye Been Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Secret Garden

This book is about the girl called Mary Lennox from India, and her father works in India. Also, there is a boy called Robin who wants to get the key and open the secret garden. There is nothing to do all day except walk in the gardens and watch the robin flying over the high walls of the secret garden which has been locked for the last ten years.
One day, Mary went out and she found out that there is a secret garden. she thought it was the loveliest and exciting place that she had ever seen and she met Colin one day, and they two trying to open the secret garden. However, at the first met of Mary and Colin, Colin hated Mary. And Mary thought he was the Indian prince. To be specific, Mary's parent get die at India. However, Mr Craven comes home back at last of the story. Moreover, at the end of the story, Colin and Robin gets to find out the key for the secret garden. And one day they suddenly find out the key and they went to secret garden. Also, at the last of the story, Mr Craven comes back to home, and Colin ran out, a tall, healthy, handsome boy, straight in to the Mr Craven arms from the secret garden.

[Reham Elkomy · Rating 2 out of 5]

4/12/2025

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expression and clarity by narrator, Clare West.
This version also provided the simultaneous printed version with charming pen and ink illustrations.
A good option for a child or childrens' storytime.

[Kitty Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the secret garden, where the rose were at their best, and the butterflies were flying from flower to flower in the summer sunshine, children talking and laughing, but now only the robin can fly over the high walls of the secret garden… which has been locked for ten years, and no one had the key.
This book is about a girl called Mary Lennox; she was born in India, where her father was a British official. He was busy with his work, and her mother, who was very beautiful, spent all her time going to parties. Mary never thought of other people, but only of herself. In fact, she was a very selfish, disagreeable, bad-tempered little girl. She left India because of the terrible disease that killed many people in the town and people have all forgotten her. She went to England to live with her uncle, Mr. Archibald Craven and there is the secret garden.

[Jennifer Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mary was a british girl. She was lived in India because of her father's work, but nobody care about Mary. Her father was very busy with his work and her mother spent all her time going to parties. So they paid money to someone care about her was a Indian woman, Kamala. One day her father sent back to England with her uncle.She lived in a big old house. There was nothing to do all day except walk in the gardens. One day she was walk in the garden she saw a secret garden which has been locked for then years. In this book a part of when Mary and her father was meet again after a long days. I like this part, because I could see they were very missed each other from their speech and I dislike when Mary's parents sent her back to England, but I think this book is a good book to read.

[Matin Pyron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this summarised story of "The secret Garden back in 2017 when I was still learning English as an intermediate student lol
But I remember I quite enjoyed it !

[SEEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked and enjoyed it so much! It was easy and short read :)
I'll definitely read the full story! <3

My rating is 4/5.
Hope you like it as I liked it :)

[Ayumi Ogawa · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Publisher: Oxford
Level: 3

2. 10/24 = 40 minutes; 10/25 = 30 minutes; 10/27 = 10 minutes; 10/28 = 10 minutes.

3. Girl
Disagreeable
Key
Garden
Boy
Desease
Happy

4.a. 'In India we don't have conversations with servants. We give orders, and they obey, and that's that.' Martha did not seem to mind Mary's crossness. 'I knoe I talk too much!' she laughed.
b. I liked this dialogue because it was funny for me. Mary moved to Yorkshire from India and she behaved selfishly. However, the new servant didn't mind at all. I thought she was a kind of insensitive person, but it was hard too hate her although she made Mary cry. There was another smart answer of the servant. Mary said ' My servant always used to dress me.' The servant replied 'Well! I think you should Learn to dress yourself. My mother alwats says people should be able to take care of themselves, even if they're rich and important.' She was a powerful servant!

5. I thought this was a heart-warming story. At the beginnig of this story, Mary, who was a main character of this story, was unhappy, and so she was a selfish and disagreeable person. However, she gradually changed and opened her mind by interacting with different people. Also, this story had some other lonely people, but in the end of this story, everyone became happy. I also got happy and satisfied to read the ending.


I'm sorry I was late writing a review.

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely! It's a retold version with audio for people that learn English.

[Haya]

So lovely and so precious🤍🤍

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

BBC full cast dramatization. I listened to this dramatization of The Secret Garden thinking it was an audiobook version of Burnett's classic children's book. I was disappointed that it was not the actual book, but an adapted play version. Still looking the the actual book in audiobook, since the dramatization left many holes in the narrative.

[Dominika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ezt a történetet sohasem lehet megunni. Mikor kisebb voltam, egyszerűen magával ragadt a történet, és azt hiszem, hogy itt szerettem meg igazán az angliai tájat. Kivetni valót egyszerűen nem lehet benne találni, gyönyörű történet. Mary egy igazi kíváncsi kislány, és annyira örülök, hogy nem hagyta magát és felkutatta a titkos kertet, no és persze Colint :)

[Shahrazad Salman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child reading this, I felt miserable.
The story was too sad for me and I was already a depressed child, but at least we got the happy ending

[Đức Bùi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this is my second retold book in English after "The Taming of a Shrew" by William Shakespeare. Although it's a retold story, I enjoy it so much and so curious just like Mary when she discovers the secret garden. I have finished chapter 4 and still continue.
1. Mary is just like my younger sister, who has a nickname Merry. They're all bad-tempered and a bit selfish. I sometimes being so selfish, but be like Mary, it's really bad and truly disagreeable. But I think there is a reason that Mary becomes like that. It may be because the parents are too easy on her, maybe because she is alone too much, also it could be because she had a bad appearance that other people don't like her. But I think it's not inside that she is a totally bad person.
2. Mary has arrived at the moor with a lot of new things to discover. I also impress about Martha and her fearless and friendly conversations with Mary. Also, Dickon is really a wonderful boy. The story of the death of Mrs. Craven is sad, I feel sorry for her, too.
3. I'm very glad to see Mary change in her attitude. I also feel touched by Martha's mom action.
4,5,6. I think these chapters are so lovely and also hilarious. Now Mary is the one who tries to help another bad-tempered child names Colin to be more healthy and happy.
7. This must be one of the happiest endings that this story could have.
Although this retold book is a bit too short for the relationships between the characters and the flow of the original story, this book made me very enjoy when reading. If I had time, someday I'll read the original story of Frances Hodgson Burnett. Finally, I hope that all children could grow up, learn, change and be more beautiful and healthy as Colin and Mary did.

[LIN · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character, Mary, is an orphan who is sent from India to live at her uncle's house in Yorkshire. At first, she is weak, selfish, and bad-tempered, but her life begins to change when she discovers a secret garden. With the help of Dickon, she fixed the garden. During this process, she becomes healthier, learns to care for others, and stops being selfish. She also helped her cousin Colin transform from a sad, sick boy into a positive and lively person.

This story made me realize the importance of returning to nature and focusing on our thoughts in a fast speed life. It also teaches us how care and action can bring change to ourselves and others.

[Mahmoud Bayome · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Garden is a heartwarming story about a hidden garden on the moor that brings joy and healing to those who discover it. I liked how the story shows that fear often lives only in our minds, and that we need to face it with courage. It also teaches children not to be selfish or arrogant. However, I didn’t like that the author credited “magic” for the story’s miracles — I would’ve preferred if it showed that God was behind the healing and transformation. Still, I think it’s a great read for children, with strong messages about kindness, growth, and facing life bravely.

[Hermione G. · Rating 3 out of 5]

No ha estado mal. Lo he leído porque nos lo mandaron en la asignatura de Inglés. Al ser una adaptación de este clásico inglés hay cosas que no tienen mucho sentido expresadas.
Le doy tres estrellas porque creo que el original no hubiera estado tan mal y habría mantenido más intriga.

[JayvynStudios · Rating 1 out of 5]

Book of a third Adaptation film...remake of the second and first based on the original book. Not confused at all. This was mind bogglingly stupid. Questionable character decisions, stilted dialogue, and the ending 😂🤣 wow, how climactic.

[Rikko215 · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a strange original story! I’ve never heard of this book title before... and story starts from India to London to Yorkshire, and many clues confused me to imagine the finale. It’s nothing like I’ve read before, maybe that’s part of the literature’s attraction anyway.

[Shaylyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good! A classic! Not at all what I remembered from reading it as a child, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Rereading favorites/classics from my childhood via audiobook may just be the move for 2023.

[Mneera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story about girl how had bad tempered its full of changes and hop.

[Bharat Thakor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shahaakaka

[Betty Urrejola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it with 3rd graders. Loved it!

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5

[Çetineus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty book

[Tiffany Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book from when i was a kid

[Khaled Helwane · Rating 5 out of 5]

just an Amazing story made me thought and traveled into my childhood and spacetoon channel days with carton "the secret garden" الحديقة السرية ;)

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally read it completely
4/5. Much water
A few twists in the plot, but i liked it anyway.

[HousnaRekina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the story, it's adorable, I love the change of this little girl and how he changed her cousin