LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
August 2024 Book of the Month
A reworking of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic, this has all the magic and colour of the original but with a thoroughly contemporary feel and focus.
Mary Lennox is now Mia Townsend. Orphaned when her wealthy socialite parents are killed in a helicopter crash, to the passing dismay of their Instagram followers, Mia is sent to live with her reserved Uncle James in his remote old house on the edge of Dartmoor.
Countryside, house, lifestyle are as far from Mia’s old life as it’s possible to get and, spoiled though neglected, as well as lost and afraid, she reacts like Hodgson Burnett’s Mary by being insufferably rude to absolutely everyone.
Following the original, it’s the discovery of a secret garden that transforms Mia’s life, awakening her to the beauty of nature and prompting new friendships with her cousin Christopher, recovering from heart surgery, and housekeeper’s grandson Daniel. Rather than restore the formal beauty of the garden however, the children rewild it, making it a haven for birds, bugs and native plants.
Readers will be just as fascinated as Mia by the extraordinary new world she discovers. The setting, from the cold bedrooms of Mis Tor House to the wild beauty of the moors are vividly depicted, and the characters are just as real. This is both a terrific homage to a much-loved classic and an excellent book in its own right.
Andrea Reece
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About
The Secret Garden Rewilded Synopsis
Spoilt rich kid Mia's world is turned upside-down when she is orphaned and whisked away to Mis Tor Manor on the edge of Dartmoor to live with her uncle and cousin Christopher. Mia is appalled to find herself in the remote countryside, in a freezing, crumbling manor. Grieving and missing her old life, she takes an instant dislike to Christopher, who never leaves his bedroom due to illness.
Yet little by little, Mia starts to discover the beauty of this wintry world, and befriends local boy Daniel, who loves animals and teaches her how to ride a Dartmoor pony.
One day she discovers a hidden door, covered in brambles and ivy, which leads to a walled garden … A special, secret place which needs someone's care to bring it to life once again so nature can flourish.
Cover art by Rachael Dean.
This modern retelling of The Secret Garden commemorates the centenary of author Frances Hodgson Burnett’s death.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781839134203 |
| Publication date: |
4th July 2024 |
| Author: |
Anthea Simmons |
| Publisher: |
Andersen Press an imprint of Andersen Press Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
265 pages |
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Press Reviews
Anthea Simmons Press Reviews
‘A book that inspires children to put their phones down and connect with wild nature’ - Guy Shrubsole, Author of The Lost Rainforests of Britain
Author
About Anthea Simmons
Anthea Simmons is a vicar’s daughter and the eldest of six children. She grew up in Cornwall where she was pony and book-mad. After a highly-successful City career, she ‘retired’ to the country to bring up her son, ride, garden, write, paint and teach. More recently she has become involved in a social enterprise dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion in the UK’s board rooms through an apprenticeship scheme. This works brings her into contact with people from all backgrounds and has sharpened her awareness of the need for access to opportunity. She lives in East Devon with (in the holidays) her Chemistry undergraduate son Henry, and her polydactyl ginger cat, Caramac.
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A note from the author, Anthea Simmons;
‘Believable magic; freedom from adult supervision; a powerful, wonderful secret that binds three very different children together. These, for me, were the ingredients that made The Secret Garden one of my favourite books and why I felt drawn to update the story. We are facing an environmental and biodiversity crisis, and while it is up to adults to address these issues, we underestimate the power children have to influence us once they have caught the nature bug! Reconnecting with wildness is important for all of us. I hope my retelling kindles a passion in the hearts of readers for wild places, wild nature and wildlife and gives them hope that the magic of transformation is always possible.’
