Classic Starts: The Secret Garden

(Paperback)

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Age range 6 to 9

Mary Lennox, a young English girl, returns to England from India, having suffered the loss of both her parents in a cholera epidemic. However, her memories of her parents are not pleasant, as they were a selfish, neglectful and pleasure-seeking couple. Mary is given to the care of her uncle Archibald Craven, whom she has never met. She travels to his home in gloomy Yorkshire, a vast change from the sunny and warm climate she was used to, and she becomes miserable and angry and rude. Once when he's away from home, Mary discovers a charming walled garden which is always kept locked. The mystery deepens when she hears sounds of sobbing from somewhere within her uncle's vast mansion. When the normally friendly servants pretend they haven't heard, Mary's curiosity spikes.

Classic Starts is a gorgeously produced, thoughtfully written series of abridged editions of beloved classics. Rewritten to accommodate the reading and interest level of children who are too young to tackle the larger unabridged volumes, this series offers a great way to introduce young readers to favourite tales.