The Secret Garden opens the door to the innermost places of the heart. It is an extraordinary book, as beloved by children and adults today as it was when it was first published nearly one hundred years ago, and this dramatic reading recounts every word of the original. Hear the inspiring story of how Mary, unloved and selfish, finds friendship and happiness helping her neurotic, invalid cousin become strong and healthy. Nature's powerful magic touches both children as they toil to revive their secret garden. As families listen together, adults may be surprised at some of the modern themes: the mind's ability to create health, the strength of group optimism, and the restorative power of nature. Mary calls it "magic" - the mystery of life itself, birth and renewal, love and joy.
Reviews
...
This timeless classic has been produced a number of times; the book offers a wonderful opportunity for a narrator, and Wanda McCaddon eagerly takes up its various challenges. McCaddon deftly handles the story's variety of accents, distinguishing between class and regional accents, including the broad Yorkshire spoken by Dicken. Though at times McCaddon doesn't distinguish as clearly between some characters' voices--her Colin and Mary sound quite alike in places--this has little ill effect. Because McCaddon is so engaged by the story and because Hodgson Burnett's characters are so distinct, they leave little room for confusion. The overall effort is very satisfying. This unabridged version is a great choice for family listening. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
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THE SECRET GARDEN is a wonderfully symbolic story about children finding love and happiness through their mutual delight in the magic of nature and in each other. Much of the novel is dialogue spoken in the broad dialect of Yorkshire. Actually, this regional language is so dynamic that it becomes itself a force for character change in the novel. As the two upper-class children open up, their stiff, upper-class speech deliberately changes to that of the relaxed musical country Yorkshire. Fitzgerald "sings" the dialects convincingly. Her young people sound perfectly their age and are full of the emotional excesses of children. Susan Fitzgerald masterfully interprets the score of this lovely work, clebrates the melodious language of Yorkshire and projects living characters through her musical speech. P.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine
The New York Times...
"A blend of power, beauty, vivid interest and honest goodness. Yes, if this is magic, it is good magic."
About the Author
A gifted storyteller, Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) wrote over 50 novels and plays, and was best known for Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden, which she wrote in 1911. Since then it has been the basis for several movies and an award-winning Broadway musical.
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