• Age: 7 to 12
• Grade: 1 to 4

The New York Times wrote of The Secret Garden, “Many authors can write delightful books for children; a few can write entertaining books about children for adults; but it is only the exceptional author who can write a book about children with sufficient skill, charm, simplicity, and significance to make it acceptable to both young and old.” Perhaps this quality of being a book that appeals to children but remains pleasurable for adult readers is the key to the remarkable, enduring popularity of this Edwardian story of horticultural redemption for its protagonists, a cross, unlovely little girl, brought from India to an unfamiliar England, and a sickly boy given to temper tantrums.

This Broadview Edition provides extensive historical materials related to the novel’s publication and reception, as well as up-to-date and nuanced critical context.

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was born in England but moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, with her family in 1865. She began writing stories at an early age and quickly achieved success as a novelist. The Secret Garden was inspired by a real rose garden she enjoyed during one of her many visits to England.

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“Shelley King and Heather Cyr’s edition of The Secret Garden is a delight. Their spotlessly edited text is accompanied by a treasure-trove of footnotes on a myriad of topics, including historical connections, literary references, definitions of lesser-known words, and textual variations. The introduction and appendices provide insights into views of childhood, gardens, colonialism, gender, and class that situate the novel within its cultural contexts. Such a wealth of material and its accessible presentation make this volume an equally welcome addition to not only Burnett scholarship but also libraries, classrooms, and personal collections.” — Anne Hiebert Alton, Central Michigan University

“King and Cyr’s invaluable new edition thoroughly situates The Secret Garden in its socio-cultural contexts. They have assembled a riveting selection of documents in five appendices, with introductions that guide readers through texts highlighting Burnett’s comprehensive understanding of the England in which she lived, its colonial past, and her forward thinking on issues and ideologies of gender, class, wellness, disability, and the natural world. The thoughtful introduction and meticulously edited and annotated novel enhance our ability to understand and enjoy this children’s classic and make this edition an essential resource for the classroom.” — Roxanne Harde, University of Alberta