Questions About The Secret Garden

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Ashley Menendez None of ya'll read the book or watched the movies, because she was definitely as in love as a 10 year old could be with that boy. The book makes that …moreNone of ya'll read the book or watched the movies, because she was definitely as in love as a 10 year old could be with that boy. The book makes that clear, and in the movie they give them plenty of scenes that make it clear.(less)

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Is this book for children, or is it for teens and adults?

Jemma It's for everyone, I think. It's not like romance or fantasy, but the story line is really beautiful and I really enjoyed it. It's great. :)…moreIt's for everyone, I think. It's not like romance or fantasy, but the story line is really beautiful and I really enjoyed it. It's great. :)(less)

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How do I more accurately guess the reading level of a children's book which we are considering buying as a gift, when different indices (e.g Lexile or Guided Reading Level) have different opinions of the reading level. Different lists of "top children's classics" show The Secret Garden as recommended for Grades 2-4 or 2-5 or 4-8 or 6-8. Some of this variance may depend on whether the child is reading or being read to?

JayD Exactly, reading levels often don’t consider a child’s knowledge of the topic of the book, or familiarity with dialects or culture. The Secret Garden …moreExactly, reading levels often don’t consider a child’s knowledge of the topic of the book, or familiarity with dialects or culture. The Secret Garden assumes familiarity with the village dialect of rural North England in the early 1900’s, and the colonial and class implications of those days. I can see even an 8th grade student in the US being stumped by much of it.
Now, hearing the book being read out loud by someone who can slightly adjust the local speech, and explain the cultural implications where necessary, would make it almost as accessible to a 2nd grader as it was originally.(less)

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what year was this book written?

A Bit of Earth The book was formally published in 1911, but it had been released in a serial magazine in 1910. Most of Burnett's work on the book is thought to have …moreThe book was formally published in 1911, but it had been released in a serial magazine in 1910. Most of Burnett's work on the book is thought to have been completed at her house in Long Island, NY (in the United States) in 1909. It is speculated that novel may have been influenced by the death of Burnett's son, Lionel who tragically passed away from tuberculosis in 1890. Burnett had traveled with Lionel around the world desperately searching to cure him, and the experience seemed to have left her with a mistrust of doctors and the medical system and caused her to develop an interest in the Christian Science movement both of which can be found in The Secret Garden (i.e. Dr. Craven's incompetency and the power of positive thinking/nature in the healing process, respectively). Therefore, she may have begun working on the book or developing the ideas for it much earlier.

There is a very interesting biography about the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett called "Frances Hodgson Burnett: Beyond The Secret Garden" by Angelica Shirley Carpenter and Jean Shirley which discusses her life and the history of her books development and publication. (less)

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I'm trying to read this to my little sister but she doesn't seem to like it. We read Charlotte's Web before and she loved it, but she says there are too many characters. She's nine. Should I wait a year or two to try it again, or will it get better? We're on chapter 4.

A Bit of Earth It does start off a bit slow and the pace of the book itself is not very fast. There are some mysteries that start to develop as the story goes on whi…moreIt does start off a bit slow and the pace of the book itself is not very fast. There are some mysteries that start to develop as the story goes on which may increase some interest, but the story itself depends much more on the characters than on an overarching plot.

Readers who tend to care more about characters than plot when they read will probably really enjoy this book. The characters are very realistic and well-developed, and Burnett gives them very compelling arcs. However, readers who tend to care more about plot than characters when they read will likely find this story lacking or maybe even a little boring.
The plot isn't so much a plot in the traditional sense as much as it is the characters' internal struggles and their discovery of the healing power of friendship and hope.

It's really up to you and your sister and what you like and enjoy when you read. I think it picks up and is comparable to Charlotte's Web in terms of pacing, but when I tried to read it to my little sister (who loves plots much more than characters) she found it boring.
If you decide to hold off on reading it now, I would definitely recommend trying again in a few years. It's a great book and a really beautiful story especially for a character-driven reader. (less)

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