A Year in the Secret Garden: A Family Activity Book Inspired by the Classic Children's Book

by Valarie Budayr, Marilyn Scott-Waters

Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children's classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.

Genres: Childrens

141 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2014

About the author

CEO and publisher at Audrey Press, and creative director of the popular blog and website Jump into a Book, and co-founder of Multicultural Children’s Book Day; these are the many hats of Valarie Budayr .

Valarie is also the award-winning, best-selling author of Mom’s Choice Award Winner A Year in the Secret Garden and Kirkus Top Pick Dragons Are Real.

As a publisher, Audrey Press has offered readers amazing and innovative titles like the YA thriller, Ascension by Hannah Rials, the wildly popular Donna Ashton book, The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook and most recently HOW TO COACH GIRLS by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley.

Alison Foley, Boston College's Women's Head Soccer Coach, and Mia Wenjen, parenting blogger at PragmaticMom to help coaches, both parent volunteer, and professional coaches crack the code of how to keep girls in sports. HOW TO COACH GIRLS focuses on the key elements to keep girls coming back next season covering topics like Coaching Your Own Daughter to Pitfalls of Choosing Captains to Developing Team Chemistry. This is a hands-on manual to help coaches keep girls in sports!

Valarie's mission is Connecting families to the wonder of being through books. She is passionate about making children’s books come alive via original and unique book extension activities so kids of all ages can experience the stories in new and exciting ways.

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the continuing era of Harry Potter mania, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic "The Secret Garden" is much more subtle in its enchantment, but it continues to withstand the test of time, and through "A Year in the Secret Garden", a new generation of readers can be introduced to this wonderful story.

A Year in the Secret Garden provides the perfect companion to the original book. The book is divided into major sections by months of the year. For each month, a character from the book (e.g., Mary Lennox, Dickon, Colin) is introduced and their role in the story is described. Each month also features a number of activities including planting activities, crafts, recipes, children’s games, as well as snippets of information about some of the themes covered in the story (e.g., death in Victorian England, language spoken in Yorkshire), and so much more!

For example, September is the first month covered in the book. The chapter begins with an introduction to the story and basic information about the main character (Mary) and the house where she moves (Misselthwaite Manor) are presented. Because Mary moved from India to England, the activities featured in Chapter 1 center around Indian culture. Thus, there is a recipe for Indian-style chicken curry (she says with mouth watering) and there are detailed instructions for how to make a rangoli-style paving stone and a magic carpet. Both are very child-friendly activities that will transport them to the great outdoors!

Visually, this book is GORGEOUS! The book uses a combination of hand-drawn illustrations as well as photographs which are peppered throughout the text. The text and illustrations go hand-in-hand and are integrated beautifully page after page. Never mind the children, I could flip through this book for hours myself making note of all of the activities I could do with my children. I see that homeschoolers or even teachers can use this activity guide hand-in-hand with The Secret Garden with their students. The potential for what there is to learn is tremendous.

My Bottom Line:

A Year in the Secret Garden is a treasure trove of activities, crafts, games, recipes and information all related to the classic children’s book, The Secret Garden, bringing to life this wonderful book to a new generation of readers. I cannot recommend this beautifully illustrated and detailed, information-packed book highly enough to parents, homeschoolers, teachers, and librarians. Ages 5+

* This book was provided to me free-of-charge from the author for this blog tour in exchange for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Erika Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, if you are not familiar with the book The Secret Garden, then read that before you read this book. The Secret Garden always appealed to me because of it's roots in Victorian times which is my favorite! A Year in the Secret Garden is based on the original book, with all kinds of recipes, fun crafts/activites and information :) It starts with a great intro to the Secret Garden book and goes along with the book month by month sharing all kinds of great things! I can't even tell you all the wonderful fun this book holds for the readers - but character cutouts, recipes, instructions on how to make and do things just like in the book! The authors love of the Secret Garden book comes through SO clearly and I am a student of literature so I loved it for the explanations and history of what was happening. Stories for each month to go along with the book, I think my favorite was the December part just because I love Christmas and everything that goes with it, and the story of the 2 Kings was so cool! The book also deals with the themes that run through the Secret Garden book, like Death in Victorian England, which was another of my favorite parts (I studied English Literature) :)

There is just so much to do with this book, and I think kids and adults alike would just love it - I am 38 and I want to cut out the characters and make everything! By the time you are finished reading A Year In The Secret Garden you will know everything you could want to about the book. I especially loved the character studies, and the illustrations are absolutely AMAZING! They are gorgeous and colorful, really bringing the meaning of a garden to life through pictures. I love the way the illustrator represents the characters from the story :) I want to make the lemon cookies SO badly! I think I will try them for the holidays.

I had September for my highlight, and for this month the author focuses on India which is where Mary was living before coming to Misselthwaite Manor and the secret garden. There is a recipe for Indian Chicken Curry, how to make a Magic Carpet and more! Mary Lennox the heroine of the book and Misselthwaite Manor are the spotlights for September. This is where the book begins :) I really enjoyed reading this and can't wait to make some of the recipes and crafts! Definitely a 5 star book. I received a complimentary ebook to review :)

[Monique Bucheger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just have to say: "Wow!! What a great concept this book is."

"A Year in the Secret Garden" revisits a favorite childhood book in an intriguing way.

Divided into 12 months, each chapter deals with a food that would be served in that month, spotlights a character from the original book: "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and offers a variety of activities that present day kids would enjoy doing--that the characters in the original book actually did.

For example, in November, kids were given instructions on how to make jump ropes out of plastic bags and were supplied with several classic and unfamiliar 'jump rope songs.' I loved jumping rope with my friends at recess, so this appealed to me on many levels.

Fun facts, information about the time and place that "The Secret Garden" is set in, traditions from both India and Great Britain are explored and shared in a novel way. (no pun intended.) :)

Because of Harry Potter, I've heard of treacle. Because of "A Year in the Secret Garden" I know what it is. I enjoyed learning about year round traditions in India and Great Britain, how a Victorian Christmas and an Edwardian Christmas came to be.

The Yorkshire Phrase book (a directory of common phrases used in the original book) made learning local dialect fun and entertaining. One of my daughters is obsessed with anything British--so she enjoyed the 'new-to-her' phrases. It was fun to discover that a "sprog" was a child--but another word for sweets was "spoggs." Similar phrases--but very different in meaning.

The recipes were time period and setting appropriate and looked absolutely delightful. I plan to try a few of them. "Robin cakes" look like a fun afternoon's activity with a child. They are edible, robin shaped cakes that I would have fun making with my 11-and 14-year-old daughters.

If a child (or adult) is interested in India, Great Britain or the original "A Secret Garden" book, then they will LOVE "A Year in the Secret Garden."

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and unique activity book! Ms. Budayr has written a wonderful book, full of monthly activities, which is awesome by itself, but she also bases it on a classic book – The Secret Garden! Along with the crafts, recipes, and other fantastic stuff, Ms. Budayr has “Character Studies” which tell a little about the main characters and/or the time period that “The Secret Garden” takes place in. It is a great way of learning a bit more about a book that you really like. I think that I will reread The Secret Garden – with this marvelous book right beside me! I like how the activities and text of the book tie into every month of the year.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Oh My Bookness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Winters created a "guide or companion " to the beloved classic Novel The Secret Garden. A Year In The Secret Garden introduces you to the belovedLl Classic tale of The Secret Garden, to a whole new generation and to a whole new way to families familiar with the classic tale with guide photos, as well goes through all twelve months of the year bringing the magical story to life. With the use of historical of information, monthly gardening information and activities, easy to make recipes, step by step crafts brought to life from the pages of a classic tale, The Secret Garden. Now you can bring a little piece of the story into your home to life and into your own home, garden, kitchen, and or pay area.

To give you a example the month of April alone has how to create "Robin Cakes", on pg. 74. To give you a little taste here's what you need to make "Robin Cupcakes", you actually put Cadbury Eggs in the cupcake with fondant robins on top of buttercream frosting. This is a cup cake I'm looking forward to try out because well, it's just looks real good. You the idea for the Robin Cake comes from Mary in The Secret Garden, the Robin in the month of April shows In Mary's Garden.

Continuing to pg. 78, there is beautiful felt patterns , Dickens's felt creatures to be exact. What's great about these patterns its you get three different ones to choose from. The first patten you get is it fox and each piece is numbered in order the pieces go together. The second piece is a Lamb numbered for orderly, and thirdly you get a bunny. What's great you don't have to tear any pages put, you can create as many copies of the patterns you like so you can make as many or use them as craft study with students or while babysitting. With each activity their is a backstory or to to the original story, so how do these felt creatures tie in? Well in The Secret Garden, Dickens has uniquely intimate relationships with the land, described as a god like Pan, he has the ability to charm animals and all creatures who come instantly close to him. Now

As we continue through the month of April, and can you guess......it's also the month my birthday falls in. Now we get to see what other joyous projects and/or crafts that we see in the month of April, In The Year Of The Secret Garden. I already know one I would like to do and that is the Robin Cakes....mmmmmm. just a example of a project that can work for multiple occasions.

As I move forward to the next project, The World Of Mason Bees, I wonder as many as you must be, What Is The World Of Mason Bees? Well that's a great question and a fun spring project to have in your arsenal, especially for all you Hardee's or planters.Mason Bees are non-violent, non-territorial, and hardier than honey making bees. They have two big advantages, they are solitary, work for themselves, and are independent workers. A plus is they are less susceptible to disease. They are quite effective pollinators!
Just two or three can pollinate a full garden or Apple tree.


Need a good staple for a costume or just an extra piece for maybe a British spy costume costume for Halloween or, learning just to learn different currencies. You Can now learn all about British Money, the amount, about different pounds and shillings and more. The Secret Garden, with its companion a great source of materials for class when there leaning about a book because there is facts mixed fun activities pertaining to the story.

The rest of activities and more from May all the way back to January you'll just have to buy the book to see all the creative and fun things to do and snippets about the different characters from A Year In The Secret Garden now allows you have your own array of tamed pets.

[Jenny H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I imagine that if the book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett continued, following Mary, Colin, and Dickon as they grew, the children would have compiled all of the amazing activities, crafts, and recipes that Valarie Budayr wrote down in pen and Marilyn Scott-Waters brought to life in the book A Year In the Secret Garden. We have been in love with this book ever since receiving it to review. Divided into sections by the months of the year, the book brings the magic of The Secret Garden to readers by getting them into the garden, cooking authentic foods, and jumping rope.

About a year ago, I read The Secret Garden to my oldest for the first time. She feel in love with the magic of the book and became obsessed with watching the movie. She would wistfully tell me how she hoped to find a key to a secret garden as we walked through the paths behind our house. I remember feeling that way when I was little, and it has enchanted me to see the book have the same effect on her. The Secret Garden is timeless and effortlessly captivates a child's imagination. I always get sad when I finish rereading The Secret Garden because I want the story to continue, and my daughter has expressed the same sentiment. You can only imagine my delight when I opened A Year In the Secret Garden and realized how breathtakingly beautiful the book is and how it brings a new life to The Secret Garden.

The book offers in depth character reviews, arts and craft activities, deliriously delicious looking recipes, and gardening tips that can make anyone pine for a green thumb. Recently, my daughter made a terrarium and made a point to tell me she would keep the plants alive, unlike our garden. I had sadly let the garden go to the wayside this past summer and fall. However, while reading A Year In the Secret Garden, in the month of October, the author has in depth instructions on how to plant bulbs to end up with an enchanting spring full of flowers.

I never think to plant bulbs by the fall because it is easy, living in the South, to let the plants from the summer linger on and on if the fall is mild, missing the opportunity to plant bulbs. This book has inspired me to plant some bulbs, and now I am giddy with excitement for the spring surprises to come.

We also enjoyed playing with the Secret Garden Cutouts that were featured in the section for the Month of October and provided in the back of the book. Nothing makes my kids happier than scissors, tape, and cut up paper everywhere. While the children enjoyed the activities associated with this book, I was entranced by the beautiful water color illustrations and the scrumptious looking images of foods to make. I am certain that any person who grew up hoping to find that secret key to let them into an enchanting garden will fall in love with the magic inside this book to share with their children.

[Inderpreet Uppal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The secret garden is described as a sheltered paradise of colors and perfumes – a mass spectacle of roses, gillyflowers, lavender, and scented philadelphus. It is a magical place where a child can find hours of entertainment and learning. It is all this beauty but has so much information and things to do that it will keep the most creative mind occupied.
The book has easy to make recipes, DIY activities and art and craft activities to keep even the most inquisitive mind occupied. Simple, funny poems and many creative activities add a lot of substance to the book. The poems are so easy to remember and fun to learn!
MARY MACK
Mary Mack, dressed in black
Silver buttons down her back.
Asked her Ma for fifteen cents
To see the elephant jump the fence.
He jumped so high
He touched the sky
And won’t come back
Until the fourth of July.


Among the many DIY activities the Bird feeders were most easy and fun to make. Making reed flutes , planting seeds, making ice scenes, spot sitting, making nests and bird watching.
A camp fire and a picnic; I doubt that author has left any positive and educative as well as entertaining activity.
Most interesting was the Garden in a Jar; many are frequently sold in nurseries and garden supply stores but making your own is so much more fun. The mason bee house was absolutely splendid and I eagerly turned the pages to know more.
A perfect book not only for the summer activities but all through the year.
Truly it shows the way into the SECRET GARDEN.

Author Frances Hodgson Burnett truly believed that by changing the way you think about something, you can change the outcome. It’s known as “You are what you think”. She wove this deeply-held belief into The Secret
Garden.
I totally loved the idea of the Affirmation Stones.
Affirmations work for everyone. Carrying a little stone inscribed with a
positive thought is a way to stir the magic in you. The book lists 100 affirmations. A great way to teach your child about the power of positive thinking. I found the book a must read for all children and parents.

[SARIT · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are not familiar with the book The Secret Garden, then read it before you read this book. It the most classic book on the shelf and I don't think it only foe children. As a girl I used to read and re-read it so many times that i know it's plot by heart. It is the main reason why I was happy to get this ARC for reviewing.

A Year in the Secret Garden is based on the original book, and it include recipes, fun crafts/activities and information. It is starting with beautiful introduction and goes along with month by month - character cutouts, recipes, instructions on how to make and do things just like in the book!

For each month, a character from the book (e.g., Mary Lennox, Dickon, Colin) is introduced and their role in the story is described. Each month also features a number of activities including planting activities, crafts, recipes, children’s games, as well as snippets of information about some of the themes covered in the story (e.g., death in Victorian England, language spoken in Yorkshire), and so much more!

Here is an example (see http://sarityahalomi.blogspot.com/201...) of September is the month the author focuses on India which is where Mary Lennox the heroine of the book was living before coming to Misselthwaite Manor and the secret garden.


I did love the explanations and history of what was happening. It is also deals with the themes from the original book, like Death in Victorian England.

I also loved the character studies, and the AMAZING illustrations! They are colorful, and really bring out the meaning of a book into life.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review first appeared on my blog Christy's Cozy Corners.

I love The Secret Garden. I've read the book, seen two movies based on the book and listened to an audio version of the book. It is such an endearing and heartwarming story. So when I got the chance to review A Year in the Secret Garden, I was so excited! This book takes each month of the year and gives you ideas how to experience all of the wonderful aspects of The Secret Garden throughout the year.

I am going to share the month of June with you. June starts with a midsummer garden tea party. With recipes for "ladybug" sandwiches, rainbow fruit kabobs and lemon cookies, your garden tea party will surely be a success. June also includes making daisy chains, flower pressing, and more!

My favorite part of the June section of this book is the character study. This explores the Victorian/Edwardian family life. It is so interesting to see how much times have changed since that era. In some ways, I wish things were the same since there was so much more respect from children to their elders.

Each month is filled with exciting new recipes and crafts to try as well as information to read and learn from. The pictures are colorful and little sayings and poems are included as well. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves The Secret Garden!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Garden was one of my favorite books and movies when I was growing up and I would have loved to have this companion book to go along with it. Split into sections by month, each month includes outdoor activities, crafts, recipes and extra information about characters or themes from The Secret Garden that will help children connect with Mary, Colin and Dickon at Mistlethwaite manor.

Looking forward to December, a time of year that you would not usually think about being in the garden, there are plenty of activities to keep children busy. The customs, food, stories and activities of children in Victorian England at Christmastime are the focus of the chapter. A recipe for Yorkshire Pudding might be something new for kids to try, especially with the nick-name of Toad-in-a-Hole. Several craft ideas for winter bird feeders encourage kids to connect with winter animals and a short story of the Oak and Holley Kings will help explain the change of seasons.

Filled with plenty of activities, I loved the cut-out paper dolls and garden model as well as the nature game ideas such as the blindfolded walk. I'll also have to try the cute robin cakes and ladybug sandwiches.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me just begin by saying this is a gorgeous book filled with lots of goodies. I have never read the classic A Year in the Secret Garden and it isn't a requirement to enjoy this book. In fact, after having wandered through Budayr and Scott-Waters book I will search out the classic and read it. These ladies have created a fabulous book that can stand alone or be used as companion to the classic either in a classroom setting, or homeschool setting or for anyone that loves to share great literature and activities with their children.

A Year in the Secret Garden by Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters is divided by the twelve months of the year. Each month is devoted to a giving the reader a glimpse into the original classic story as well as a character study. What makes this book even more valuable is the extensions of activities and recipes which the author has added to each month to aid the reader in understanding culture, time and place of the classic.

See full review on my site http://adalinctolife.blogspot.ca/2014...

[Judith Lloy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It is a wonderful, hands on, practical way to take kids on a journey back in time and see how children and families lived in another era. The illustrations are colorful and whimsical. The photographs are great visual aids to keep kids engaged. And the activities are fun with directions that are easy to follow.

I encourage every family to add this to their home library. And to have a real, full blown, English Garden Tea Party (indoors or out!) at least once, but more if at all possible!! We loved our tea party, and the recipes we tried from the book were delicious!

This is a great book for any family with kids. As a homeschooling family though, a book like this is golden! Such amazing ways to get kids excited about literature, history, even geography! I honestly haven't found a single thing about it I don't like. Even the pages are thick, glossy and durable, also known as kid resistant and life ready! 

[Jane Ritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. I used to teach second grade. I can see using this book with a group of children doing an in-depth study of The Secret Garden. This is a "must have" to go along with The Secret Garden. There are such things as recipes of the times, traditions, and character analysis. After reading the book the first time, I had to read the Secret Garden again. I can't say enough positives about this book and the ideas and activities it could generate. A Year in the Secret Garden really makes the reader feel that he/she is a part of the Secret Garden.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a great book! I love all the activities it provides. It’s full of fun to do things and recipes, information about the story and more. The book covers a wide range of subjects that will (hopefully) inspire children to get off the couch and get outside. The illustrations are big and bright and beautiful!

This is an awesome book for kids to have, especially for when they get bored.

[A Bit of Earth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so much fun and brought The Secret Garden to life in a whole new way! As a little girl who wished she could live out her favorite stories (and one about a magical garden, in particular), I would have absolutely loved to work through the crafts, recipes, and activities in this book! The little historical tidbits and elaborations on things mentioned in the original book like Colin's exercises, the jump rope rhymes, and the Yorkshire dictionary, for instance were excellent. I loved how novel was constantly pulled in, such as with quotations from the book and the spotlights on Burnett's beloved cast of characters. This really helped to strengthen the connections and made this book a great supplement to the original work!

The best thing by far about this book, however, are the simply gorgeous illustrations! They're so bright and vibrant, and their depictions of the characters have so much personality! The illustration of Colin, for instance, has the absolutely perfect expression and is one of my all-time favorite illustrations of him!

There was really so much to like about this book, and it was obviously made with joy and love of the original work!

I only took off a star because there was a continuity error with Burnett's original novel on p. 62. On page 62, Archibald Craven's character study states that he is "brother to Mrs. Lennox." This is incorrect. Lilias Craven is the sister of Captain Lennox, Mary's father, a fact which is often changed by adaptations of The Secret Garden but is, nevertheless, clearly stated in Chapter 2: "Mistress Mary Quite Contrary". The actual quote from Burnett (bolded for emphasis) is: "'Captain Lennox and his wife died of the cholera,' Mr. Craven had said in his short, cold way. 'Captain Lennox was my wife's brother, and I am their daughter's guardian.'" Otherwise, the book was very well done!

[Subhadra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun way to revisit a Classic

If you love cooking, then this book is right up your alley. I was expecting more craft or book-related activities, the lack of which was disappointing.

[Victoria Brinius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for a Secret Garden book club or even for someone that is reading the Secret Garden in school. There are activities and fun games to play. The book is divided by month and I also really liked the recipes. Nothing beats fresh from the garden! Rhymes, seed packets and character info is just the beginning. I highly recommend this book! I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.