The Secret GardenThe Secret Garden
Score Classic
What it's about
Mary Lennox is a sour, spoiled ten-year-old when her parents die in a cholera outbreak in India and she is sent to live with her gloomy uncle at Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire moors. Exploring the grounds, she finds a garden that has been locked for ten years, and with Dickon, a boy who can charm animals, and Colin, her secret invalid cousin, she brings it back to life, and herself with it.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best-loved children's books ever written. It's a story about healing, nature and friendship that adults enjoy as much as children.
You'll love it if you liked
Little Women
Anne of Green Gables
A Tree Grows in BrooklynGood to know
Its opening in colonial India reflects the attitudes of 1911. Dickon and the servants speak in strong Yorkshire dialect.
By the numbers
- Readers75 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller52 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
Black Boy: A Record of Youth and Childhood
The Killer Angels
The Hobbit
All Things Wise and WonderfulExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Secret Garden worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the best-loved children's books ever written. It ranks #859 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Secret Garden about?
Mary Lennox is a sour, spoiled ten-year-old when her parents die in a cholera outbreak in India and she is sent to live with her gloomy uncle at Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire moors. Exploring the grounds, she finds a garden that has been locked for ten years, and with Dickon, a boy who can charm animals, and Colin, her secret invalid cousin, she brings it back to life, and herself with it.
How long does it take to read The Secret Garden?
About 8 hours (331 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Secret Garden?
If you liked it, try Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.