This is a beautiful modern retelling of The Secret Garden. It retains all of the magic of the original story while introducing the importance of rewilding.

This was so pure, this was so wonderful! I loved it and have already told a colleague to get their hands on a copy! The storytelling was superb and I learnt things about nature and gardening that I didn't know, even as a grown up! The perfect mirror the the original secret garden with similar, yet improved and more...um, politically correct characters that you couldnt help but love. It didn't shy away from some of the sadness of nature as well as the joy that can be found in nature. I really enjoyed this and think Anthea Simmons has done Frances HB proud with this wonderful retelling.

Introduction
The Secret Garden is a classic children's novel; I think most adults would have at least a general sense of the story. It's been filmed and turned into TV series and there's at least one sequel. This, however, is a retelling, an up to date version - Mia and Christopher have mobiles, her parents were influencers rather than colonisers - and the characters use the modern concept of rewilding the garden rather than restoring it to its former manicured state.

Plot Summary
When Mia's parents die, she is taken in by her mother's brother, who lives in a large house in Devon. As in the original, there's a sickly cousin, a local boy who loves animals, and a mysterious locked garden - but Anthea adds a lot of twists and ideas that the original story didn't have.

Characters
As the Mary character, Mia starts out spoiled and rude, but she changes her tune much more quickly than Mary did. Christopher, the Colin character, has a much better reason for his hypochondria; Daniel, the Dickon, is much the same, practical and down to earth. Christopher's father is rarely home, like Colin's, but this time around it seems to be because of his job, not because he's afraid of his son. The Martha and Ben characters are quite similar to their originals.

One thing I did note was that everyone is more sympathetic to Mia's status as an orphan than they were to Mary's in the original. Of course, when the original was written, Mary would have been expected to simply get on with things, so it's very accurate.

Writing Style
This is written for confident readers, so while there are descriptions - including some gorgeous ones of various animals, birds, and the moors around the house - there's nothing too lyrical or complicated, and the story itself is quite straightforward. There are plenty of twists, but nothing is hidden or complicated.

Themes and Messages
As a Secret Garden retelling, there's a lot about nature. Daniel is constantly emphasising that in nature, something is always eating something else, and there are a couple of scenes that show that clearly. There's also some background themes of family and helping other people, but they don't overwhelm the story.

Setting
The original was set in the moors of Yorkshire, and the locals used that dialect. This retelling has moved to Devon, and the moors and surroundings are beautifully described, almost becoming their own character. It's not just an aesthetic change; the moors feature in a very important scene and are background to various others.

Strengths
Good adventure
Touches on important issues of wildlife and nature
Shows that people can change

Weaknesses
Changes happen very quickly, but then it's not a very long book
There are some scenes showing animals eating other animals, which may be upsetting for some children

Personal Connection
I love the original story and have fond memories of the movie from the 90s. This retelling honours the spirit of the story while bringing it up to date and adding modern elements.

Conclusion
Great read for a confident reader looking for a good adventure, or anyone interested in nature and rewilding.

Further Reading/Viewing
You can't beat the original, of course, and the beautifully shot movie. Holly Webb wrote a sequel a few years ago, set during WWII. For more information about rewilding, try this title.

A sweet, modern retelling of The Secret Garden. I always feel a little apprehensive before reading retellings but this really stuck with the beautiful story of character growth and friendship and caring for mature. It also felt unique in its own way and I really loved the characters

I've always loved the Secret Garden and you can absolutely tell that the author of this book loves it too. This is a beautifully modernised retelling of the secret garden, and hopefully it will bring a whole new generation into the excitement and love of gardening, secret gardens, wildlife and the power of the outdoors.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC of this book

The Secret Garden was one of my absolute favourites as a child so I was intrigued to read this and see how it compared. Having wanted to share the original but often found it dated I absolutely loved this new spin. Modern, fresh and relevant it is a fabulous reworking. The story is close enough to the original to be similar but updated perfectly. A fabulous story.

At first I wasn't sure about this book, as the main character, Mia, is so whiny, spoilt and annoying. Yes she's just lost her parents, but she doesn't seem that bothered about that, more upset she's being taken away from her staff to live with a family member she's never really met.
But actually, it started to work with the story and the other characters and I quickly began to really enjoy the book and characters as a whole, especially kind Daniel and his love for and way with animals.
This is a beautiful tale of character growth, the effects the friendship can have on your life (the good and the bad), but most of all it's a tale teaching us how to be good guardians of the earth, of nature and all the animals and plants around us, not just those we find cute a fuzzy.
This was a fantastic read and I highly recommend it.