Il giardino segreto

At ten years old, Mary Lennox loses both parents to cholera and is sent from India to her uncle's gloomy house in Yorkshire. There she learns that one of the gardens on the estate has been locked since her aunt's death. With the help of Dickon Sowerby, who knows everything about plants and animals, and a robin that shows her where the key is buried, she starts to bring it back to life. Her cousin Colin, who believes he is dying, is slowly drawn outdoors.

This is a classic for readers who like quiet stories with a strong sense of place. It suggests how care for living things can change a person, and it works as well read aloud as alone.

Inward-looking, contemplative and clear-cut; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?