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The Secret Garden
After her parents die, young Mary Lennox chooses to stay our of the company of others. She becomes very unpleasant and has no friends. However, Mary's life changes when she goes to live with her uncle in the country, where she discovers a wondrous and mysterious garden.
This is a memorable story of how a lonely young girl finds her place in the world.
Pre-intermediate Level
This is a memorable story of how a lonely young girl finds her place in the world.
Pre-intermediate Level
86 pages, Paperback
Published January 21, 2008
8 people are currently reading
101 people want to read
About the author
Frances Hodgson Burnett
1,487 books4,978 followersFrances Eliza Hodgson Burnett was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), A Little Princess (1905), and The Secret Garden (1911).
Frances Eliza Hodgson was born in Cheetham, Manchester, England. After her father died in 1853, when Frances was 4 years old, the family fell on straitened circumstances and in 1865 emigrated to the United States, settling in New Market, Tennessee. Frances began her writing career there at age 19 to help earn money for the family, publishing stories in magazines. In 1870, her mother died. In Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1873 she married Swan M. Burnett, who became a medical doctor. Their first son Lionel was born a year later. The Burnetts lived for two years in Paris, where their second son Vivian was born, before returning to the United States to live in Washington, D.C. Burnett then began to write novels, the first of which (That Lass o' Lowrie's), was published to good reviews. Little Lord Fauntleroy was published in 1886 and made her a popular writer of children's fiction, although her romantic adult novels written in the 1890s were also popular. She wrote and helped to produce stage versions of Little Lord Fauntleroy and A Little Princess.
Beginning in the 1880s, Burnett began to travel to England frequently and in the 1890s bought a home there, where she wrote The Secret Garden. Her elder son, Lionel, died of tuberculosis in 1890, which caused a relapse of the depression she had struggled with for much of her life. She divorced Swan Burnett in 1898, married Stephen Townesend in 1900, and divorced him in 1902. A few years later she settled in Nassau County, New York, where she died in 1924 and is buried in Roslyn Cemetery.
In 1936, a memorial sculpture by Bessie Potter Vonnoh was erected in her honor in Central Park's Conservatory Garden. The statue depicts her two famous Secret Garden characters, Mary and Dickon.
Frances Eliza Hodgson was born in Cheetham, Manchester, England. After her father died in 1853, when Frances was 4 years old, the family fell on straitened circumstances and in 1865 emigrated to the United States, settling in New Market, Tennessee. Frances began her writing career there at age 19 to help earn money for the family, publishing stories in magazines. In 1870, her mother died. In Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1873 she married Swan M. Burnett, who became a medical doctor. Their first son Lionel was born a year later. The Burnetts lived for two years in Paris, where their second son Vivian was born, before returning to the United States to live in Washington, D.C. Burnett then began to write novels, the first of which (That Lass o' Lowrie's), was published to good reviews. Little Lord Fauntleroy was published in 1886 and made her a popular writer of children's fiction, although her romantic adult novels written in the 1890s were also popular. She wrote and helped to produce stage versions of Little Lord Fauntleroy and A Little Princess.
Beginning in the 1880s, Burnett began to travel to England frequently and in the 1890s bought a home there, where she wrote The Secret Garden. Her elder son, Lionel, died of tuberculosis in 1890, which caused a relapse of the depression she had struggled with for much of her life. She divorced Swan Burnett in 1898, married Stephen Townesend in 1900, and divorced him in 1902. A few years later she settled in Nassau County, New York, where she died in 1924 and is buried in Roslyn Cemetery.
In 1936, a memorial sculpture by Bessie Potter Vonnoh was erected in her honor in Central Park's Conservatory Garden. The statue depicts her two famous Secret Garden characters, Mary and Dickon.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 26, 2025
it's a cute story and it's a classic for a reason. I got the book because of the pretty cover and quick read. Nice palate cleanser if you have been reading heavy subjects.
January 14, 2026
A whimsical and wholesome book to start the year. I very thoroughly enjoyed reading this one and it was super quick.
I saw another review say it was a ‘good palate cleanser’, especially after some heavier reads and I couldn’t agree more. Might have to read it again after I get into some Orwell.
Unfortunately, like most classics of this time period, it started with some casual racism and imperialism, so it doesn’t get a full 5 stars.
But overall, a lovely story.
I saw another review say it was a ‘good palate cleanser’, especially after some heavier reads and I couldn’t agree more. Might have to read it again after I get into some Orwell.
Unfortunately, like most classics of this time period, it started with some casual racism and imperialism, so it doesn’t get a full 5 stars.
But overall, a lovely story.
September 16, 2025
I loved this book so much! The story, the characters and the whole book is full of MAGIC!! ✨☺️
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews