The Night Garden

by Polly Horvath

From Newbery Honor and National Book Award–winning author Polly Horvath comes this magical middle-grade novel about a garden that grants wishes.

It is World War II, and Franny and her parents, Sina and Old Tom, enjoy a quiet life on a farm on Vancouver Island. Franny writes, Sina sculpts, and Old Tom tends to their many gardens―including the ancient, mysterious night garden.

Their peaceful life is interrupted when their neighbor, Crying Alice, begs Sina to watch her children while she goes to visit her husband at the military base because she suspects he’s up to no good. Soon after the children move in, letters arrive from their father that suggest he's about to do something to change their lives; and appearances from a stubborn young cook, UFOs, hermits, and ghosts only make life stranger. Can the forbidden night garden that supposedly grants everyone one wish help them all out of trouble? And if so, at what cost?

The Night Garden is a poignant and hilarious story from the acclaimed children's author of Everything on a Waffle.

“Horvath infuses her novel with such heart, zest, and humor in the small moments that she’s created a book her devoted fan base will cherish. Notably, the denizens of Vancouver Island have a delicious lack of separation between adult and child―all are wholeheartedly curious, beautifully flawed, and deeply amusing.” ― Booklist, starred review

“Events glide from the domestic to offbeat to the supernatural without any friction, creating a world where anything is possible . . . [A] story of community and love and families in all their messy glory.” ― The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Historical, Canada, Childrens, Fiction

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 12, 2017

About the author

Polly Horvath is the author of many books for young people, including Everything on a Waffle, The Pepins and Their Problems, The Canning Season and The Trolls. Her numerous awards include the Newbery Honor, the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, the Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature, the Mr. Christie Award, the international White Raven, and the Young Adult Canadian Book of the Year. Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She has taught ballet, waitressed, done temporary typing, and tended babies, but while doing these things she has always also written. Now that her children are in school, she spends the whole day writing, unless she sneaks out to buy groceries, lured away from her desk by the thought of fresh Cheez Whiz. She lives on Vancouver Island with her husband and two daughters.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/pollyh...

Reviews

[Brooke — brooklynnnnereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Polly Horvath novel that I have read but it most certainly will not be my last!

What an incredible, funny, quirky, and enjoyable read. The story was unique, mysterious, and entertaining. From the beginning, I didn't know where it was going to go or what was coming next. The mystery and intrigue lasted throughout and ended with me reading the last quarter at a rapid speed due to the excitement of the adventure. Additionally, this novel was laugh-out-loud funny. I don't even mean that in a figure of speech way, I am serious. The sarcasm, the subtle jokes, the obvious ones--there were some pretty hilarious moments (do not even get me started on how long I was laughing over the lost Brownies scene).

Along with the amazing story, each character had an important role and I enjoyed each one so much that I can't pick a favourite. Franny may have been my favourite for her sarcasm alone but from Sina and Old Tom to Miss Macy and the Hermit, I loved them all. Heck, I even loved the role of Crying Alice and Fixing Bob.

Although this book is geared towards a younger audience, trust me on this one: if you enjoy a good, lighthearted, funny, and cute story....you will love this one. It's one of those reads that could easily become a classic as it's timeless and enjoyable for those at any age. This book has a big ol' stamp of approval from me and I will be wholeheartedly recommending it to many.

*Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a strange and funny tale with quirky characters. Going into it I had expected a Gothic Middle-School mystery with a hint of paranormal but got something quite different. Let's put it this way, if Anne of Green Gables, The Secret Garden and Lemony Snicket were mixed together out would pop The Night Garden as their bookish concoction.

Franny (ie. Anne) is our wayward orphan who speaks her mind and is left with Sina and Old Tom (Marilla and Matthew). We have the eerie Night Garden (a dark, murky, supernatural version of Mary Lennox' famous garden) and a mishmash cast of peculiar characters (a la Snicket). The off-beat and often funny dialogue made this book for me. It had the right amount of sarcasm and great one-liners that had me, quite literally, chuckling out loud.

But ... I was surprised and more than a little let down that the Night Garden, the title 'character', barely made it into the book and was underutilized. I had expected less of the missing plane mystery (which just wasn't riveting) and more focus around the eerie goings on in the garden.

In the end, this is a strange tale with some memorable, quirky characters, eye-catching cover and solid writing. There's a lot going on and for the most part it worked but more focus on the mystery and the Night Garden would have made this a better read for me.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Puffin Canada for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Melora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not awful, but not as enjoyable as some of Horvath's previous books. The implausible dialogue is amusing for a while, but soon the arch, precocious narrator's oh-so-clever conversation becomes wearing. There are some sympathetic characters, but the Madden family, who provide the main action are made so excessively irritating that I was unable to summon the slightest concern for their plight. Eventually a series of stupid decisions by various characters snowballs into an absurd climax. More appealing are the interactions among the narrator's little family of quirky introverts and their eccentric neighbors, especially the bebopping Gladys and the sequined-underwear sporting Miss Macy, and even the narrator's artistic aspirations and efforts at profundities come across as sweet. The Victorian house, with its rambling gardens and grounds, touched with wisps of magic and teaming with hermits, Brownies, and poker playing soldiers offers great promise, so it is particularly disappointing that the action provided by the idiotic “Fixing Bob” and his woeful wife, “Crying Alice,“is so unsatisfying and the resolution is so predictable. The various strands here -- war, artistic growth, family loyalties, UFOs, ghosts, and so on – never really form an interesting whole, and I only finished because I was in a reading in a comfortable deck chair and it's not a long book. Two stars might be a little harsh, but I wanted to indicate that this is really not one of her better efforts.

[Geenie Yourshaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

We loved this book. It was interesting, the characters were likeable and the end had me first crying then laughing out loud!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one starts with the wild wackiness I expect from Horvath but after the first chapter the story mellows into a nutty but truly sweet tale of family, home and our responsibility to each other. "We all drink from the same pond," says Sina. Observations on writing and creativity flow through the story and while the young narrator Franny often sounds far older than her years, I was still charmed by her voice and story. Touches of magical realism through the rumored wishes provided by the Night Garden added a wonderful element.

This was a lower-key Horvath but one I thoroughly enjoyed as anything Horvath stands above the throng. Give this to your savvy readers who will appreciate something different.

[Munro's Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE some Poly Horvath books. Everything on a Waffle qualifies as one of my favourite children's books. Ever. Trolls was such a strange blend of whimsy fun and darkness that it also left a strong impression with me. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny delighted me to no end - oh, those crazy stupid bunnies with their all-important detective hats!

Others I have been a little bored by, or have failed (gulp) to finish. I'm not sure I could even give you the titles as they made such little impression upon me.

The Night Garden fell much more into the first category than the second, I am happy to report. Set in Sooke during WWII, the setting is very close to home, which I always appreciate. The characters are admittedly silly and outrageous. Lemony Snicket is not a bad comparison. However, unlike many authors who employ quirky well past the realm of realism, I find Horvath's writing to be FUNNY (NB: I also think Snicket is hilarious. Just not all the impostors).

I chuckled my way through The Night Garden's dialogue and the main character's commentary. It wasn't at all realistic, but it was sharp, funny, and an astutely insightful exaggeration of personalities. The touch of the metaphysical also worked fine for me - I liked the Night Garden and the danger it represented, and the trouble it got people into. And while I liked that Horvath shied away from any pat or perfect endings, I would have liked a little more closure on some of the relationships that were developed during the novel (friends were made, and then they departed with very little fuss in either case, and that left me a little adrift). And while I enjoyed the story, I didn't fully notice any point or message to it. Not a terrible thing to have a non-messagy book. But I think my inability to find a main theme points to a certain lack of heart at the core which would have taken it from very enjoyable in my books to a fully excellent read.

Good for smarty-pants kids as young as 9 and up to age 13. Lots of fancy words and sophisticated observations. Very good for adults who like kid's books.

-Kirsten

[Sarah Ellyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll try not to be too "gushy", but I can't say enough good things about this book. At first I thought it was going to be similar to A Series of Unfortunate Events, with a foster child and burning houses, but it wasn't at all. I admire how Polly Horvath wrote from the perspective of a pre-teen without filling the dialogue with petty drama. The narrator does have her quiet world turned upside down, and she does have to deal with change and jealousy, and that awkward "in-between childhood and adulthood" phase, but the witty and tenderhearted way she processes all of it is so refreshing. My favorite part of this book is that Polly Horvath skillfully walks the line between reality and the fantastical world that we want to be exist. She just gets it. She puts in words what we all feel about chasing that magic that we can't quite reach and for that I am grateful.

[Mountain Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! I read it a while back, it's terrific. The historical fiction, the mystery, the comedy. It is so good.

[Constance · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I can't settle myself to read, Polly

Horvath provides a delightful escape. Always .

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in a rural area in 1945 our orphan Fanny together with her guardians must learn to cope with caring for a neighbour's children as their mother goes to stop her husband from doing something terrible. We follow their adventures and the mysterious Night Garden which they are forbidden to enter.

To be fair, I really think I am not the target audience for this Tale. I enjoy children's fiction, but it has to be very well written and extremely engaging. The story seemed like it was trying to be a mashup between Anne of Green Gables and A Series of Unfortunate events. The author was trying so hard to make her characters quirky and unique  it just ended up feeling strained. The conversations were so unrealistic, especially the dialogue between adults and children. Everything was so nonsensical....and I mean every single character. This is not generally a writing style that I prefer and therefore struggled through this book. If you enjoyed Tahereh Mafi's Furthermore you might enjoy this more than I.
A copy of this ebook was provided to my through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
for more reviews and other bookish things visit my blog https://unlikelymagic.com

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

FIRST OF ALL u guys! i read a book! i haven't read a book in WEEKS. second of all this book was an absolute delight from start to finish - Polly Horvath straddles the line SO well between borderline crackfic and mystical historical fiction.
Every single character is distinct and crisp and a delight, and there are plenty of answers to questions but also questions posed that aren't answered and some that aren't meant to be answered.
I loved the meandering thoughts on creativity and where it comes from and how inspiration strikes.
A little bit of a deeper read than her other books, but thoroughly enjoyable.

5/1/21
Guess who checked this out from the library again without realising they already read it? YEP got halfway through before I was like......hang on a second. Fortunately it stands UP to a re-read.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle school book-this is the type of book I loved to read at that age! Funny, odd characters and some magical realism in a setting that made you want to camp outdoors and climb trees, I liked the sense of humor and the quirkiness of it all.

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s early spring 1945. In the small coastal town of Soote, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, the kids have been given their summer vacation in the spring while the roof of their school is being fixed. Which is OK by twelve-year-old Franny Whitekraft, who’s very content to hang out at home with her adoptive parents Sina (short for Thomasina), a sculptress, and Old Tom, who loves nothing more than to tend to his many gardens on their 270 acre farm, East Soote Farm.

So far, the WWII hasn't really impacted their lives except for the soldiers located on their property. That is, until Crying Alice Madden arrives and manages to talk Sina into watching her three children, Winifred, 11. Wilfred, 9, and Zebediah, 6, while she goes to Comox to see what was going on with her husband, Fixing Bob. He's a mechanic in the Canadian Air Force, who is in charge of the Argot, an amazing top secret plane that can stay in the air for hours beyond any other plane. Crying Alice is sure he is up to something he shouldn't do and hopes to stop him from making that mistake, whatever it is. Into this mix comes Gladys Brookman, a young woman interested in bebop and men, and hired as a cook while the Madden children stay at East Soote Farm.

Soon things settle into a routine. Franny and Winifred begin to hang out together, Old Tom and Wilfred work in the fields planting potatoes together, and Zebediah seems drawn to the cabin of a hermit that is allowed to live in the woods on the farm. But pretty soon, it becomes apparent that Zebediah is writing to his father, and not sharing the letters he receives back from Fixing Bob with his siblings. Winifred is consumed with a desire to find his letters and read them, but when she and Franny finally do find them, she doesn’t know what they say.

Meanwhile, Franny relays the story about the night garden to the Madden kids, the one place that no one is allowed to enter. The night garden grants one wish per person, and the wish cannot be undone, often leading to complications and serious consequences for the wishers. Naturally, when he discovers just what Fixing Bob is up to, Zebediah, who shares his father’s love of planes, wants nothing more than to join him doing the thing he shouldn't be doing. Before anyone can stop him, Zebediah is over the locked fence of the night garden and then just gone. To try and temper things, Winifred, Wilfred, and finally Old Tom do the same thing and as a result, things get really complicated and zany ( though I’m not sure zany is a strong enough word for what follows).

The Night Garden is actually a fun book to read with all kinds of quirky twists and turns, yet never so complicated or so complex you forget who is who or what has happened. It is narrated in a very straightforward voice by Franny, an aspiring writer who has a pretty good grasp on exposition. And her timing is perfect, revealing information only as it is needed.

The story actually starts with the story of just how Sina and Old Tom managed to acquire Franny, and the ending circles back to this story in a very interesting way. As you read, you may recognize elements of other stories - orphans, magic gardens, hermits who know things that make you wonder how they know them and Horvath has woven these into her story so they are recognizable, but still original. And despite the realistic setting, this is not really a war story, or, for that matter, even historical fiction despite the time it is set in. There are some anachronisms, but the story is basically fantasy, so maybe, since they aren't biggies, they don’t really count here. Instead, think of this as a rather, a unusual adventure about family,and love with a good dose of magic thrown in.

The Night Garden is a fun book that should appeal to anyone looking for a bit of whimsy and anyone who is just looking for a good story.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an ARC received from the publisher

[Tiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

First of thank you so much Penguin Random House for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!! I enjoyed mostly all of the characters! Sina, Old Tom, Franny, Winifred, Wilfred, Miss Macy, they were all awesome! Another thing I enjoyed was how the parent figures were present in this novel so that way you got that family aspect in there! The plot was interesting as it was during World War II in Victoria, British Columbia. The book was funny and quirky, it was honestly very light-hearted. However, I feel as if I was expecting more and that my expectations weren’t met. Some parts were fast paced, and I enjoyed the beginning and ending lots. The parts in between though ranged from not putting it down to just trying to pull through it. Don’t get me wrong though, it was such an easy read and it was comforting how light hearted it was, and it had funny lines, I just think for me my expectations weren’t really met. I also felt as if the pacing was strange during the whole book. At some parts I couldn't put it down and at others I had to push myself to keep reading. Overall, I'd recommend it to you if you're in the mood for a light and easy read, that's quirky and funny.

[Jean Oram]

I had this odd feeling while reading the first half of the book like I’d read it before and I hadn’t. It was very strange—that deja vu feeling. A fun book set in BC with an unlikely cast of characters.

[miahowell158 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very fond of many of Horvath’s books, but this wasn’t one of them. It started out being promising, but fairly soon was just all over the place with too many characters and too much action. Phew!

[Kaylie Quispe · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was overall a great book but at sometimes I was confused because this book was written in the ww1 and ww11 era. So the characters in the book talked a little weird and said some things that didn't necessarily make sense to me.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute. It took me awhile to read just because it is so slowww. Nothing really happens until the last half of the book. Once it does finally get exciting, it was pretty good. I did enjoy how well-spoken the narrator is, especially for her age. I also appreciated the little found-family dynamic that takes place. So all-in-all, it was a good book. However, I won’t be reading it again.

[Jennifer Rayment · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful tale for a more mature 9-10 year old (not for content -just for the more sophisticated language) Lots of quirky characters, snappy dialogue and the familiar Canadian setting are the highlights of the tale for me. I felt the characters a little too wise for their years, but hey not necessarily a bad thing. It drags a wee bit and I really wanted to actually know more about the night garden itself, but all in a ll a lovely read.

Favourite Quotes

"It does go to show that so much of your experience is based not on fact but on what you choose to believe about things. "

"Still, that wasn't touched, maybe just a little bit odd, and odd people were often the most interesting."

"And sometimes you have to deal with what is in front of you whether you want to or not."

[Linda Zelig]

I don't care that I picked up this book in the Children's Section of my library. It was enthralling and captivating and mysterious. Every chapter ended with an unexpected or surprise bit of information. What a sneaky means to keep you turning the pages! I loved it!

[Ellen Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an easy read, interesting, quiet, funny, and a bit annoying, especially the Madden Family. I did feel that this story was woven with elements from Anne of Green Gables and the Secret Garden, but it is still very original.
I found Franny too grown-up for her age, and Gladys was plain irritating. I don't know how Sina could've kept her for that long.
Sina and Old Tom were two adorable ducks... I love the way they get lost in their old words, and when they do notice each other, they startle each other.

I'm going to admit something, which is really funny: When Sina told Franny that she made a wish once, and they tried to un-wish it and it didn't work, I thought that Sina wished to be tall. LOL >_< What a dunce, right?

Overall, this was a good book, but not too satisfying.

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another marvelous literary masterpiece from the talented and prolific Polly Horvath. And I continue to be amazed at how different each of her books is from any of the others. Such a great writer she is. This is a clever and entertaining story, full of colorful and delightful characters. At the same time, it manages to be thoughtful and thought-provoking and frequently poetic and gently philosophical in its observations. We are thoroughly loving our discovery of more and more from Polly Horvath, who has been writing for over twenty years and seems to be going as strong as ever.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Polly Horvath's writing--her characters, her humor, her knack for describing the beauty of Victoria Island, her ability to spin a plot that incorporates magic into the mundaneness of everyday life. This book ended with a crescendo of epiphany that some may call heavyhanded, but I call nurturing. Everyone, especially children, need to have great wisdom bestowed upon them, and Horvath manages to do that with every book she writes.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one. It was odd - there's mermaids, hermits, magic, ghosts, UFOs, Brownies (like Girl Scouts), unwanted guests all around, a touch of history, loads of hilarious subtle and not-so-subtle jokes, and some very poignant moments. In a nutshell, it's life.

How she (the author) put it all together is as mysterious to me as the Night Garden.
Definitely recommend if you like quirks, mystery, and adventure.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and fast read for those who enjoy mystery, unusual characters, and a touch of the supernatural. Perfect for fans of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Serafina and the Black Cloak, and Greenglass House.

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the war overseas, life was fairly predictable and peaceful in the spring of 1945 for the family at East Sooke Farm. Twelve-year-old Franny Whitekraft had her writing; her mother, Thomasina (Sina for short), had her sculpting; and her father, Old Tom, had his gardens—his many, many gardens. There was the English garden, herb garden, Japanese garden, Italian garden, kitchen garden, statuary garden…but perhaps the most mysterious and closely-guarded garden of all was the night garden. That garden Old Tom kept locked up nice and tight. So, days floated by with little fanfare until one day, Crying Alice (that’s Mrs. Alice Madden to you and me) showed up on the Whitekraft doorstep and dropped off her three children: Wilfred, Winifred, and Zebediah. You see, her husband, Fixing Bob (who does maintenance on the Canadian Air Force’s special plane), is going to do something stupid and she simply has to go and talk some sense into him. Now, if three new houseguests weren’t enough, just throw in a UFO, ghost, psychic, several mysterious letters, mermaids, and a missing plane and you’ve got a recipe for anything BUT a predictable and peaceful spring.

This is the second book by Polly Horvath that I’ve had the pleasure of reading (the first being The Canning Season) and she continues to amaze and please with her witty dialogue and amusing situations. Horvath not only entertains her young readers, but she manages to educate them as well. She’s an English teacher’s dream as she dishes out a veritable smorgasbord of delicious words to savor: presaged, traversed, bereft, contiguous, compeers, and ilk. Aren’t they scrumptious? She also delights us with an assortment of quirky characters that we feel inexplicably drawn to—not in spite of their flaws and rough edges, but because of them.

The Night Garden is a non-stop, heart-thumping thrill ride that will excite and enthrall readers of all ages. It is a story of family and a love that is blind, slightly deaf, and a little bit thick, but love amongst family is often like that. The Night Garden also provides us with many valuable lessons—from Miss Macy’s advice on being prepared (“Always wear clean underwear.”) to Franny’s philosophy on self-sacrifice (“Well, we were all put on this earth to suffer.”). But perhaps it is Old Tom himself who best sums up the greatest lesson of all, “Never, ever, ever have houseguests!” Old Tom is seldom wrong.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"See the sun sinking over the edge of the sea? This day is done. This day will never come again. Everything has changed. Remind yourself of that every morning and every night, and then you won't come to expect anything but what is. It's expecting anything but what is that makes people unhappy."

What a surprising and fantastic read this is! In Polly Horvath's terrifically magical The Night Garden, the Newbery Honor and National Book Award winning author takes readers on a beautiful, often funny, often extraordinary adventure.

This middle grade novel takes place in 1945 on Vancouver Island, over the course of the last months of World War II, with twelve year old Franny Whitekraft as our narrator. Franny has been living with Old Tom and Sina since she was a baby due to "a series of mistakes involving their neighbors", which included a fire and an adoption worker having a heart attack. Franny lives a life of comfort and habit with her mom and dad in their Victorian home on a rambling property called East Sooke Farm, just outside of Victoria. Franny and her parents' regular- some would argue "medieval"- life comes to major, irrevocable upheaval when a desperate, overwhelmed and emotional neighbor they call Crying Alice has to attend to her possibly unstable husband named Fixing Bob, a plane mechanic for a top secret Canadian military plane called the Argot. Crying Alice not only needs to leave her three children in the care of Sina, Old Tom and Franny, but also has no idea of when she might return for her children. While all three Whitekrafts attempt to adjust to Winifred, Wilfred, and Zebediah in their lives, the bizarre mystery of Fixing Bob's potentially fatal trouble comes to light, and the closely guarded magical night garden that Old Tom forbids anyone from entering takes center stage. Horvath weaves a great number of elements in The Night Garden; readers may wonder how on earth the hermit who lives off the East Sooke Farm property, or the Whitekraft's terrible yet unintentionally funny new cook named Gladys, or the inclusion of Sina believing she has seen a UFO, or the actual wish-granting night garden itself will tie together... but they all do in the end, in some truly unexpected, very moving ways. There is also a bit of wonderful madcap humour in The Night Garden, which brings some levity and bursting humour as the novel delves into more serious scenes and some frightening, heart-stopping moments.

Overall, a wonderful and unexpected read that effortlessly blends magic, poignancy and adventure with a good dose of surprising comedy. I was very taken in by The Night Garden; deeply invested in Franny's dry and frank narration of the incredible moments of her twelfth year from beginning to end. Readers who enjoy Canadian children's literature, the work of authors such as Kit Pearson, Katherine Applegate, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Wendy Mass, or titles such as Once Was a Time by Leila Sales that work magical elements into affecting stories might especially adore the beautiful peculiarity of The Night Garden.

I received a copy of this title courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.

[Kim Tyo-Dickerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Polly Horvath's stories. Quirky, endearing characters with hilarious asides and observations throughout, and a pace that is built around enjoying the reveal of each of her characters' motivations and unique eccentricities, like this summation of Mrs. Hornby, a local Englishwoman transplanted to the Vancouver Island setting:

"She had the square body, square jaw, short hair, and sensible clothes of women of her ilk and looked as if there would be no nonsense about her. She's the person you'd go to if you needed a sudden tourniquet or the proper rules for a croquet match (p. 155)." I laughed out loud at that "sudden" moment of levity in an otherwise leisurely portrait of the presumed stuffy Englishwoman. Horvath excels at a gentle Canadian irreverence and lighthearted poking at odd behaviors and decisions that is never mean-spirited. Always charming, like fireflies at night, a full moon rising over a secret garden, or rocking in a rocking chair as children race through the woods on a quest for hidden letters.

The big themes of adoption and finding family are at the heart of all the Horvath novels I have read, and The Night Garden is no exception. This leisurely, loving book actually brings the painful loss of first families, the guilt of benefitting from that loss, coupled with the miraculous serendipity that brings a child to a new family for a new life together into a beautiful circle of understanding.

As an international school librarian, I would see myself reading the opening chapters out loud to my middle school students and then watching as the right reader sidles up to me afterwards asking me to take The Night Garden home with them. Grades 5 and up will appreciate this World War II historical family story and unexpected adventure.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

She's a wonderful writer--this book could have been five stars and a favourite, save for a fatal flaw, unfortunately, which is that the plot didn't really kick in until 2/3 through the book, and the genre didn't really kick in until 3/4 through the book.

Let's put it this way: in the opening pages (i.e. first half of the book) various characters encounter a mermaid, a UFO, a ghost, and a forbidden wish-granting garden ... or do they? And forgive me, but I want to know which fairly early on. This would have been a wonderful Diana Wynne-Jonesian book that embraced the fantasy from the beginning, or, alternatively, a delightful series of non-fantastical adventures featuring a truly likeable, fun cast of characters both at the home and in town, with mini-adventures essentially resolving themselves each chapter.

But, by having her cake and eating it too, I was frustrated for most of the otherwise beautifully written book. Am I supposed to believe in UFOs, ghosts, mermaids, wishes? When will I find out if these unlikely incidents are true or explained away, and why do I have to wait so long?

So irksome, because in all other respects this was an absolute treat. I loved all the characters, the tone, the humour, the dialogue, all of it except the plot structure--and once the writer committed to fantastical vs non-fantastical at the 3/4 mark, it all went well ... but why did I have to wait that long?

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).