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The Secret Garden
Following Sterlings spectacularly successful launch of its childrens classic novels (240,000 books in print to date),comes a dazzling new series: Classic Starts . The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. Classic Starts treats the worlds beloved tales (and children) with the respect they deserve--all at an incomparable price.
The discovery of a neglected garden transforms the life of a sullen and unloved little girl-and everyone around her, too. When the newly orphaned Mary Lennox leaves her native India and arrives at her uncles mansion in Yorkshire, everything seems strange to her. Then Mary hears of a mysterious garden where no one has set foot in 10 years. With the help of some new friends, she plans to uncover its secrets...and make it blossom once again.
The discovery of a neglected garden transforms the life of a sullen and unloved little girl-and everyone around her, too. When the newly orphaned Mary Lennox leaves her native India and arrives at her uncles mansion in Yorkshire, everything seems strange to her. Then Mary hears of a mysterious garden where no one has set foot in 10 years. With the help of some new friends, she plans to uncover its secrets...and make it blossom once again.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2005
122 people are currently reading
3085 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
November 12, 2014
I loved this book. I'm 11 years old and I never thought that I could finish reading a book. I play sports and I hardly have time to read and one day I went to my grandmas house and my aunt Chelsea and her roommate Natalie took me to the book store and they said I have to read this book.
I started to read this book and I LOVED IT I TOOK IT EVERY WHERE I WENT AND READ.
I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. THAT IS WHY I GIVE IT 5 STARS.
I started to read this book and I LOVED IT I TOOK IT EVERY WHERE I WENT AND READ.
I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK. THAT IS WHY I GIVE IT 5 STARS.
April 8, 2022
Se potessi tornare bimba, e leggere di nuovo un libro per la prima volta sarebbe questo: il libro che mi ha aperto al mondo della letteratura, mi ricordo le bellissime sensazioni che mi ha lasciato addosso
March 13, 2018
I had read this story before in a very abridged and audio version, and I really enjoyed it. Now I read another adaptation of this book (but without audio) and I liked it even more.
May 11, 2024
I have to admit that this is a loved story that has withstood time. I've now reread this book and would happily read it again.
Another favorite is the Velveteen Rabbit.
Another favorite is the Velveteen Rabbit.
December 22, 2015
Such a great book! It teaches a lot about behavior and believing in something, it also shows how important it is to childrens to play outside and get in touch with nature.
May 15, 2019
the theme is that do not just think of yourself think of things around you. like other people, and plants around you.
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October 18, 2025🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5-Star Review of A Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel
A Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel is a stunning reimagining of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved classic, brought vividly to life through breathtaking artwork and heartfelt storytelling. This adaptation captures the timeless magic of renewal, friendship, and healing in a way that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.
The illustrations are absolutely enchanting—lush with color and emotion. Each panel feels like a painting, drawing the reader into the quiet beauty of Misselthwaite Manor and the wonder of the garden itself. The artist perfectly conveys the transformation of the setting alongside the characters—watching the once-gray world bloom with life as Mary, Colin, and Dickon rediscover joy is both visually and emotionally moving.
The story remains faithful to Burnett’s original, yet the graphic format gives it new energy. The expressions and body language of the characters make their emotional journeys more tangible, and the pacing allows key moments—like the first glimpse of the garden or Colin’s triumphant walk—to truly resonate.
Whether you’re discovering The Secret Garden for the first time or revisiting it through this fresh lens, this graphic novel is a treasure. It’s perfect for readers of all ages—a celebration of nature, growth, and the quiet power of hope.
A beautifully crafted and deeply touching adaptation—A Secret Garden: A Graphic Novel is pure magic from first page to last.
November 11, 2017
The book "The Secret Garden" is about a girl called Mary. Her parents died so she went to live with her uncle and there Mary became friends with a bird Robbin, a boy named Colin and Dickon. Together they fond out the Secret Garden and took care of it.
In the book you can see how different the characters are so you can see many different points of view. For example there is this boy Colin, who has never gone outside and he has never stood up. This thing definitely affects on his behavior and also character.
I recommend the book to people who will be interested to read a story with many surprises but also with some sad moments.
In the book you can see how different the characters are so you can see many different points of view. For example there is this boy Colin, who has never gone outside and he has never stood up. This thing definitely affects on his behavior and also character.
I recommend the book to people who will be interested to read a story with many surprises but also with some sad moments.
July 16, 2024
Given as a Christmas gift, it took me a few years to try to read. My aunt wanted to share a favorite stories of hers with me. It was intimidatingly long and serious looking. Gish, when I was brave enough to read it, it’s a story that sticks with you. Lovely and my original gift still has a place on my shelf over thirty years later.
November 21, 2022
I remember liking this book, but I read it a long time ago. I read this one because my mom thought that the original one would be too hard for me to read at the time.
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July 31, 2024Nice suggestion to read
January 29, 2025
This is a good simplified retelling of the original classic. I enjoyed revisiting a classic I enjoyed as a child. My book club will be reading the original later this year. I look forward to it.
December 1, 2025
Okay this was super cute and sweet. I liked it a lot better than the first time I read it.
October 7, 2022
Excellent book for the intended age group. Fun quick read. It was a nice way to spend an hour of my time.
March 7, 2021
Well-written abridgement, it was able to capture the spirit and messages of the original flawlessly. Kept my six year-old riveted.
December 20, 2018
Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date), comes a dazzling new series: Classic Starts. The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. Classic Starts treats the world's beloved tales (and children) with the respect they deserve--all at an incomparable price.
The discovery of a neglected garden transforms the life of a sullen and unloved little girl-and everyone around her, too. When the newly orphaned Mary Lennox leaves her native India and arrives at her uncle's mansion in Yorkshire, everything seems strange to her. Then Mary hears of a mysterious garden where no one has set foot in 10 years. With the help of some new friends, she plans to uncover its secrets...and make it blossom once again.
The discovery of a neglected garden transforms the life of a sullen and unloved little girl-and everyone around her, too. When the newly orphaned Mary Lennox leaves her native India and arrives at her uncle's mansion in Yorkshire, everything seems strange to her. Then Mary hears of a mysterious garden where no one has set foot in 10 years. With the help of some new friends, she plans to uncover its secrets...and make it blossom once again.
July 24, 2009
“I am Mary Lennox. I fell asleep when everyone had cholera, and I just woke up.”
Not a very cheery start, is it? And so a sour-faced, sullen orphan Mary is whisked away from her birthplace India to stay with her guardian, Mr.Archibald Craven at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire.
The manor is a sprawling place surrounded by gardens and desolate moors. Mr.Craven is a reclusive widow and often travels abroad leaving Mary in the care of his unbending housekeeper,Mrs.Medlock and a cheery l’il chambermaid,Martha. In an attempt to pep up the sickly child, Martha regales Mary with stories of her younger brother Dickon. Dickon is a true child of nature...he can talk to animals, spend hours alone on the moors and make anything, absolutely anything grow. Almost a nature-sprite.
Martha also tells Mary about a Secret Garden in the grounds which has been kept locked for the past ten years. No one knows where the key is and even if they did, it would be useless.....since Mr.Craven has forbidden anyone to enter the garden.
By a sheer stroke of luck (or is it thanks to a red-breasted robin?), the now steadily improving Mary discovers the lost key and promptly enters the long-shut garden. Despite the air of seeming lifelessness, Mary sees that there is hope for renewal. With the help of her newly-made friend Dickon, she is soon spending happy-hours digging and planting and growing happier and healthier in the garden.
In the midst of all these developments, she is still disturbed by a mysterious crying she often hears in the manor. She soon finds out that it is Mr.Craven’s crippled son, Colin. The frail child stays in bed, is never visited by his dad, throws tantrums and is convinced that he is going to drop-dead soon! Used to bossing over the household, he meets his match in an equally pugnacious Mary. She snaps him out of his melancholy, befriends him and lets him in on the secret of the garden. As time passes; Mary, Dickon and Colin have some good sprightly fun doing honest labour and watching the garden come alive.
I read ‘THE SECRET GARDEN’ in the Classic Starts version. Simple, abridged…a fresh way to introduce the classics to kids (and useless adults like me). Adding to the charm were the brilliantly shadowed pencil-drawings by Lucy Corvino. It was a charming, light read. You empathize with Mary’s lonliness...get a little impatient with Colin’s moping...and wish that you were exactly like Dickon
Not a very cheery start, is it? And so a sour-faced, sullen orphan Mary is whisked away from her birthplace India to stay with her guardian, Mr.Archibald Craven at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire.
The manor is a sprawling place surrounded by gardens and desolate moors. Mr.Craven is a reclusive widow and often travels abroad leaving Mary in the care of his unbending housekeeper,Mrs.Medlock and a cheery l’il chambermaid,Martha. In an attempt to pep up the sickly child, Martha regales Mary with stories of her younger brother Dickon. Dickon is a true child of nature...he can talk to animals, spend hours alone on the moors and make anything, absolutely anything grow. Almost a nature-sprite.
Martha also tells Mary about a Secret Garden in the grounds which has been kept locked for the past ten years. No one knows where the key is and even if they did, it would be useless.....since Mr.Craven has forbidden anyone to enter the garden.
By a sheer stroke of luck (or is it thanks to a red-breasted robin?), the now steadily improving Mary discovers the lost key and promptly enters the long-shut garden. Despite the air of seeming lifelessness, Mary sees that there is hope for renewal. With the help of her newly-made friend Dickon, she is soon spending happy-hours digging and planting and growing happier and healthier in the garden.
In the midst of all these developments, she is still disturbed by a mysterious crying she often hears in the manor. She soon finds out that it is Mr.Craven’s crippled son, Colin. The frail child stays in bed, is never visited by his dad, throws tantrums and is convinced that he is going to drop-dead soon! Used to bossing over the household, he meets his match in an equally pugnacious Mary. She snaps him out of his melancholy, befriends him and lets him in on the secret of the garden. As time passes; Mary, Dickon and Colin have some good sprightly fun doing honest labour and watching the garden come alive.
I read ‘THE SECRET GARDEN’ in the Classic Starts version. Simple, abridged…a fresh way to introduce the classics to kids (and useless adults like me). Adding to the charm were the brilliantly shadowed pencil-drawings by Lucy Corvino. It was a charming, light read. You empathize with Mary’s lonliness...get a little impatient with Colin’s moping...and wish that you were exactly like Dickon
April 3, 2020
This book is very interesting I couldn't stop reading till I finished it
March 8, 2017
I could listen to this audio book over and over. Actually, I have many nights as the children have fallen asleep and I lay away listening to the beauty of the written language and the wonderful job this narrator does with the characters and the dialects. I had never heard some of the accents, as I have not had a chance to travel England but this book makes me want to visit this area more than ever. In addition, this book is simply good for the soul. The events which occur in this book are tragic, magical and inspiring. I wish every book would bring wonderful thoughts for days and weeks as this one has. It is truly one of my favorite books now. I know I read it as a young person but as I was probably 8 or 9 it was not as relevant to my life as it has been listening with my children, though I could easily be wrong about that observation as I had many obstacles to overcome as a child as well. I recommend this book to everyone in the world.
March 18, 2020
Interesting book
August 26, 2021
aaaah i enjoyed this book a lot. very heartwarming. I'm so thrilled and teary seeing the change of colin and mary's character from stubborn & selfish children to cheerful & hearty children. aaah it makes me wanna read more children's fiction.
October 12, 2012
The Secret Garden was a good book. Even though I read it like 2 years ago I still remember what happened in the book. This isn't the best version of The Secret Garden, but it isn't the worst.
May 18, 2015
The book is very close to the movie!
March 2, 2015
I like this story the most, i couldn't feel myself while i'm reading so that i finished it in a short time!
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October 6, 2017I Love This Classic BOOK! -KELSIE
January 8, 2019
It was my favorite children's book!
August 15, 2019
I read it as a child and it was honestly such a great book as far as I can I remember. I loved it so much that it just has such a special place in my heart.
December 17, 2021
the classic story is a walk into secrets, but this tale is an abridged form that is also good to check out.
April 1, 2024
The Secret Garden~~
What better children's book to listen to than Frances Hdgson Burnett's book The Secret Garden, published as a book in 1911, on a day that celebrates new life? It's a gorgeous story about people and nature as well finding new life and hope. Indeed it follows the seasons. I've read that the author was a Christian Scientist who believed in the power of positive thinking to reward us with new life and her arguably most famous story confirms it.
I've read it before and so this time I listened to an abridged audiobook version found in my public library, which came out in 2019, and is part of a series called Classic Starts for young children. The audiobook lasted a quarter as long as the original (two hours instead of eight) and I listened to it twice because I didn't always pay attention the first time.
The endearing story revolve around a ten-year-old girl, Mary,, who is orphaned when cholera takes her parents and their house servants in India, which was a British colony then. In my audiobook she is sent straight to an uncle living on the English moors, deleting a stay with an English clergyman that really didn't advance the story, anyway. At this one hundred-room house on the moors, Mary isn't happy at first, but learns from the housekeeper that there's a locked-up garden somewhere outside and mysterious crying from a part of the house she's not to enter. The mysteries intrigue her.
I very much enjoyed listening to this shortened version of the classic. It retains all the charming characters at the house on the moors and satisfied my desire for a happy ending for people who learned about the power of positive thinking and health benefits of fresh air, sun, exercise, plants, and having friends.
Most highly recommended for all those young at heart!
What better children's book to listen to than Frances Hdgson Burnett's book The Secret Garden, published as a book in 1911, on a day that celebrates new life? It's a gorgeous story about people and nature as well finding new life and hope. Indeed it follows the seasons. I've read that the author was a Christian Scientist who believed in the power of positive thinking to reward us with new life and her arguably most famous story confirms it.
I've read it before and so this time I listened to an abridged audiobook version found in my public library, which came out in 2019, and is part of a series called Classic Starts for young children. The audiobook lasted a quarter as long as the original (two hours instead of eight) and I listened to it twice because I didn't always pay attention the first time.
The endearing story revolve around a ten-year-old girl, Mary,, who is orphaned when cholera takes her parents and their house servants in India, which was a British colony then. In my audiobook she is sent straight to an uncle living on the English moors, deleting a stay with an English clergyman that really didn't advance the story, anyway. At this one hundred-room house on the moors, Mary isn't happy at first, but learns from the housekeeper that there's a locked-up garden somewhere outside and mysterious crying from a part of the house she's not to enter. The mysteries intrigue her.
I very much enjoyed listening to this shortened version of the classic. It retains all the charming characters at the house on the moors and satisfied my desire for a happy ending for people who learned about the power of positive thinking and health benefits of fresh air, sun, exercise, plants, and having friends.
Most highly recommended for all those young at heart!
December 20, 2024
As a child I remember this being serialised in a comic I bought every week and I didn't like it. I think there was also a seventies TV series and I hated Mary Lennox because I thought she was an ill mannered rude snob which of course she is! But I was sent the book recently after spending time at the Botanic Gardens in Wales and perhaps because I now garden in 2 walled gardens I have a fresh perspective. The nature writing is beautiful and the reader sees the plants and wildlife through children's eyes. From the tragedy at the beginning to the miraculous transformation of Mary, Colin and the garden there are so many moments of joy. Dickon and his mother are warm, comforting, safe characters grounded in the natural world. Something I hadn't appreciated as a child was the rendition on the page of the Yorkshire accent and dialect and I couldn't help but read it outloud. FHB clearly delighted in it as much as Mary. Yes, there is some racist and classist language initially reflecting the prevailing attitudes of 1911 when it was written but those prejudices are not endorsed by any character- in fact Dickons family and the servants are portrayed as wise and kind because of their connection to nature and the landscape. And there is a religious message if you choose to see the 'magic' of the garden as faith as Dickon's mother - or you can interpret it as the magic of the natural world as I do. An unexpected pleasure to read again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews