The Secret Garden

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Nov 2006 · ReadHowYouWant.com

About this ebook

This novel is about a secret garden which changes the life of three children forever. It is a moving, magical account of the mysteries of childhood, and how simple things in life can bring so much joy to people. Mary, Collin and Dickens revive a mysterious dead garden and in-return get a lot more than they bargained for.

Ratings and reviews

I love how this book is different from most books I've read. I was starting to dislike reading but this book made me love reading again. So beautiful and so mysterious. How Mary learns love and happiness is amazing

Love it! Just so you know you can find this under top free books as well since it is out of copyright. ;)

I love the fantasy of it. My 10 yr old son read it in school too and they all like it!

About the author

Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote for children and adults, publishing both plays and novels. She was born in Manchester, England, on November 24, 1849. Her father, who owned a furniture store, died when she was only four years old. Her mother struggled to keep the family business running while trying to raise five children. Finally, because of the failing Manchester economy, the family sold the store and immigrated to the United States. In 1865 they settled just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. Hoping to offset her family's continuing financial troubles, Burnett began to submit her stories to women's magazines. She was immediately successful. In the late 1860s her stories were published in nearly every popular American magazine. Burnett helped to support her family with income from the sale of her stories, even saving enough to finance a trip back to England, where she stayed for over a year. In 1879, Burnett published her first stories for children; two of her most popular are A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. In contrast to an extremely successful career, Burnett's personal life held many challenges. Her son Lionel was diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 15, from which he never recovered. His death inspired several stories about dead or dying children. Burnett lived her later years on Long Island, New York. She died in 1924.