One of the things I learned by reading this book is that I know the story of 'The Secret Garden' so well that I can't actually say with any kind of objectivity whether this is a good adaptation or not, because I have no idea how many details I might have been filling in myself that would leave a new reader feeling confused. That having been said, I quite liked the art (especially Mary's hilarious sour faces) and while initially the book seems to have completely skipped over any of the unfortunate implications of the beginning of Mary's story in India, there's a very nicely-done writeup in the back of the book that explains the decision to gloss over it and gives context for that period of British history,.

The storyline and the graphics are pretty cute. Most of the panels are scenes and greenery Delhi have compels well with the story since it’s about a secret garden. The ending is really nice as well. Totally would recommend kids to read this.

The cover does not give the beauty of this book justice, literally the cover is amazing but the art inside the book is so captivating and cute i love it.

I never read the original story to this but i did see the movie, i mean i own it on VHS! I feel that anyone would love to read this but the most that will get out of it would be the older generation.

The message this story gives in general is great for any age and the garden is the BEST part.

This was such a beautiful story, I'm so glad he didn't die!
And the illustrations were splendid!
One of the best graphic novels I have ever read!

I was a Secret Garden fan as a kid, and must have read it at least fifty times in my life, so I was a bit apprehensive about how it would translate to a graphic novel format. I am happy to report that those concerns were unnecessary, because the illustrative style of this book perfectly matches the tone and evocative emotions of the original work. The emptiness of the moors, the magic of growing things, the hurt and sourness of Mary, the torment of Colin, and the magic of Dickon are captured with loving detail and a clear eye in these pages. The atmospheric sense of the manor is alive on every page, and I almost expected it to hear an ASMR manor+moor soundtrack and see some foggy wisps to cross the page as I was reading. I would happily buy this for a young fan of graphic novel classics, probably over age 7 or 8, and I would also pick it up for adults who experienced the magic of the secret garden in childhood.

I will also note that my memory is that the original secret garden has some hurtful stereotypes and narratives that were a product of its time, but those things seem to be updated with compassion in this version. Colin's disability, for example, is not presented so much as a negative problem to be cured or erased, as it is part of his broader perspective and identity. I was glad to see this subject handled with some tenderness. It is tough to update a classic and keep the important stuff while bringing contemporary thinking about marginalized identities, but I think this is a thoughtful example of how to do that.


I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This graphic novel has a more simple art style, especially the faces and this gives it more of a cute vibe. I loved the landscape and full-page illustrations though.
I think this has a younger target demographic, the story seemed simplified, it's quite the quick read, and it left me wanting more. It was missing the emotional impact for me.
I really appreciated the information about the author and the time period at the back of the graphic novel.
Overall a cute and quick read, but left me wanting to read the original novel.

A really cute adaptation of the children's classic! I loved the original book and I was hoping to love this one too. I'm glad to say that I certainly did. I usually am wary of adaptations but this one certainly did not disappoint. I loved the artwork and the beautiful moor and flowers. I enjoyed that all important plot points were touched on, because it's not an easy job to make sure everything that is important to the story is conveyed in graphic novel format.

Would def recommend for middle grade, YA as well as adults. It's a well loved book after all, and if you've read it as a kid, you'll love it. If you haven't, lucky you! You're discovering a classic.

I admit I've never read the original "The Secret Garden." I did watch a couple of scenes from 1993 movie, just in case it might count. The graphic novel here is a modernish adaption and while I am unable to tell you if it stays true to the original story (the author admits to having deliberately omitted some parts), I can say with absolute certainty that it is very easy to read and the illustrations are wonderful. Sometimes, there isn't any dialogue at all on a couple of pages, but those pages are the prettiest. Although it might be meant for children, I'm sure adults will enjoy it too.

This is a decent adaptation of The Secret Garden that will delight another generation of children. The adaptor has chose to remove the parts of the book set in India, concentrating on after Mary arrives at Misselthwaithe Manor. That removes the problematic views of the British rule of India in that time period. Through the pictures and story, you can feel the magic of the Secret Garden, and this is a great way to introduce readers to the world. Muted colors gives the book an antique feel, and the pictures will appeal to everyone both young and old.

*4.5/5

You know the story of a little spoiled, yet lonely girl, Mary, who after spending all of her life in India, leaves to stay with her uncle, following the death of her parents. And if you don't, here's what happens next: she moves in to her uncle's mansion, where she befriends one of the servant girls, Martha, the gardener, Dickon who is Martha's brother and eventually meets her cousin Colin, a sick kid who is equally spoiled and lonely. She also falls in love with the mansion's secret garden, which used to belong to Colin's mother and after her death, her uncle kept it locked, leaving it to die.

But Mary is determined to keep it alive and restore it to its former glory, which she does along with her friends.
As the story progresses, we see Mary opening up to the people around her and becoming more independed and happier. In a sense tho, all of the characters go though changes and help each other grow, especially the three kids of the story (Mary, Colin and Dickon)

This graphic novel is a great adaptation and a nice way to be introduced to the story, in case you have not read the original. Personally speaking, I am one of the people who fall into this category, since I have yet to read the original and don't know if my thoughts on this one will apply to that too. But, I have read some other short adaptations of the story, watched a cartoon adaptation as a kid and I also think I remember having watched parts of the 1993 movie as well, so I knew what to expect.

I really liked the tone this was written in, it is very easy to read (took me less than an hour, I love that for me ❤️) it is very easy to connect to the characters and the artwork was fantastic! I also loved how in between scenes there were little flashbacks of Mary's life in India. They definitely help you understand and sympathise with her.

My only complain, is that this should be a little bigger. Because I would love to see more scenes of the main characters interacting with each other, and I would love to know some of them better. But yeah, other than that, this was a positive reading experience.

The graphics are usually what draw you in and keep you interested in a graphic novel. These illustrations were a little too plain for me. I usually love reading back through a graphic novel and seeing the details I missed the first time. It did progress from muted grays and browns in the beginning, as expected, towards more colorful illustrations at the end but not enough to make me what to read through it again.

I loved Mariah Marsden's graphic novel adaptation of <i>Anne of Green Gables</i>. However, I found <i>The Secret Garden</i> less satisfying. If I hadn't already known the plot, I would have been confused about many details - why was Mary sent to Misselthwaite Manor? What's wrong with Colin? I also felt like the personalities of some of the characters like Archibald Craven, Ben, and Dickon didn't come to life. Still, I do think this will introduce a favorite classic to some new readers. Hopefully it will encourage them to read the original.

this graphic novel adaptation took the best parts of frances hodgson burnett's secret garden and brought them to colourful life, much like mary, colin and dickon with the garden.

it portrays a strong sense of the interconnectedness between life, nature, and relationships with beautiful and expressive art. the flow between the illustrations and words completely immersed me in the magic of the story, even in its segmented format.

i’m happy the racist, colonial themes were left out and appreciated the detailed explanations and definitions in the back. it was executed flawlessly for its intentions, in my opinion. i can’t wait to introduce this version to my young daughters before they read the classic and watch the movie.

First of all, thank Netgalley for providing me with this graphic novel. Having said this, I make it clear that my review will be completely honest.
The graphic novel is the novelized version of the book of the same name The Secret Garden, a book that although I have not read (but I have) I already knew the story, since when I was a child I used to see the animated series that existed and the movie. It was a story that I loved and I liked to see the evolution of the characters, in this novel it shows us the story of Mary, who recently lost her parents and now has to live with her uncle, here she discovers that she has a living cousin locked in his room since he is sick and will die young so the servants of the house consent to everything, turning him into a spoiled child. We will also meet Dickon, the brother of one of the house maids, who will show him the beauty of the outside world. By accident Mary discovers a secret garden that belonged to her uncle's wife, but when she dies it is closed, and for fear that they will not let them go to this place anymore they decide to keep it a secret, here they can be free, and we can see how characters evolve, learn to be better people and influence adults.
A beautiful story, obviously the story is summarized here, but it does not take away the beauty, the drawing is simple but it gives it a special touch, it is according to the story.
for me it deserves a 4 out of 5 stars since the adaptation could have been a little longer.

The Secret Garden was my favorite book for most of my childhood and this adaptation is wonderful! The plot remains the same, but now the garden is alive and vibrant just as I read it to be years ago. Great for any fan of the original interested in a beautifully illustrated version or for a reluctant reader of the classics to dip their toes in. This book would be accessible for first or second graders to read and would be a great first look into the classics!

Such a fun and heartwarming read. I loved the simple elements of childhood imagination, the reality of earth magic. The illustrations were beautiful and captivating, the expressions of the children very fun to watch and discover.
The only concern I have is the fast pace that sometimes made it hard for me to trully experince the magic and the contagious happiness of the children.

I think I just love the original too much. The illustrations are beautiful, and the core of the novel are there. My favorite line is even there (Might I have a bit of earth?. But it feels like so much is left out. New generations will love this. It's such a perfectly condensed version of an enduring classic. I was able to read an advanced copy thanks to NetGalley

I liked the art style but did not enjoy the story. Nearly all the characters annoyed me and you do not get enough backstory to know why they are like that. The magic in the garden was none existing. The dialogue felt really childish and because te was not a lot of it, it felt dull.

I read it with the intention of reading a simple version of a classic and leaving with no idea what the morel of this book was.

Perfect if you would like a quick recap of the book this graphic novel is based on, you get the feel of the story with excellent illustrations and only a few words.

The Secret Garden by Mariah Marsden and illustrated by Hanna Luechtefeld was such a fun read! It brought me back to a very cozy time during childhood where you enjoy the outdoors and find yourself in nature while enjoying spring. The illustrations were stunning and were able to make me feel as if I were in the book with the main character and traveling with her. This was a nice update to the original The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This book can be enjoyable for many age groups and can be a great read for the Spring time!