Secret in the Garden

by James Mayhew

A beautiful, deluxe peek-through picture book inspired by the classic story, THE SECRET GARDEN, by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

It's a hot day and sitting outside is a girl who has just finished reading her favorite book, THE SECRET GARDEN. As she is about to fall asleep, a bird flies overhead and drops a key into her lap, and her adventure begins. The girl discovers a world of magic and friendship within the walls of her own secret garden.
Children will love the process of discovery in this story, as they peek through the holes on every spread and turn the pages to reveal each hidden surprise. Adults sharing the story with their children will appreciate the echoes of an adored book from their own childhood.

Genres: Picture Books, Classics

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

James Mayhew's first book for children was Katie's Pictures Show, (Orchard Books 1989) establishing the long running series about a child's adventures in an art gallery. Many of his books have a cultural agenda and James is passionate about introducing children to art, music, opera, ballet and traditional tales.

He has published over 60 books, and illustrated and written for many other colleagues including Philippa Pearce, Martin Waddell and Jackie Morris.

As a storyteller he has devised and performed a series of sell-out concerts for children with the de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra, and has participated in prom performances at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

He has also created designs and illustrations for the Kirov Mariinsky Opera of St Petersburg and in 1994 won the New York Times award for one of the ten best illustrated books on the year (The Boy and The Cloth of Dreams).

He has made regular appearances at the National Galleries in Edinburgh and London and visits many schools, and arts and literary festivals.

James is a member of the Art Worker's Guild and the Society of Authors.

Reviews

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a peek-through book of a girl that finds a secret garden and befriends a little girl named Mary. The light in the illustrations is magnificent.

[superawesomekt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6-year-old daughter is a bird and nature lover, so she loved this book. The cut-outs give a delightful and durable peek-through element. (I am heartily sick of minutely constructed lift the flap books that get destroyed by children using them. Unless it's a basic lift the flap, I much prefer this format for peek a boo books).

My daughter has an abridged version of The Secret Garden that she has listened to, so she loved that Dickon's animals are featured as well as Mary Lennox's items (e.g. key, jump rope). I think this is a better independent read for an elementary student who is familiar with the Secret Garden, than as a read-aloud for a very young child.

I generally don't like referential books like this, but the illustrations are lovely and my daughter liked it so much that I'm upping my rating to 4 stars.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A red robin drops a key into Sophie’s hand. The key opens a hidden gate and leads into a garden where Sophie finds a squirrel, a greenhouse, a fox cub, a rose garden, and a lamb. And when she peeks up into a tree, what will she discover?

This picture book, inspired by “The Secret Garden,” will delight young readers with its charming story of friendship. Special peek-through pages allow the child to peek into the story and discover surprises hidden in the garden. The colorful illustrations accompany the narrative are certain to delight all readers.

Recommended.

[E & E’s Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh gosh, this book is delightful for any Secret Garden fans! A little girl enters a secret garden and finds woodland animals holding objects they belong to a child that she befriends, whose name is Mary 😊 There are cute-outs that creatively have a peek-through aspect that makes it so fun to guess what happens next!


*library book. Read to Elliot at 21 months

[abbie]

This sweet book takes its inspiration from The Secret Garden. I appreciated the cut outs and how they revealed a secret on each page, and the encounter between Sophie and Mary was dreamlike—who wouldn’t want to meet a book character in real life?

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and sweet follow up to the Secret Garden chapter book. Lots of surprises for my kids.

[Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book inspired my daughter to water color and create her own peek-through illustrations! The illustrations are beautiful.

[Marianne Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my 3 year olds favorite books. I would have readers more like a 3.5 to 4 myself but gave it a 5 out of the sheer joy my daughter gets out of thr peek through pages.

[Library Lady Terri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea that this was a more contemporary girl who as reading The Secret Garden and then she found a secret in the garden.

[Catie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations in this one, but also the tie-in to the original "The Secret Garden". Kids will have fun looking for all of the animals hidden in the greenery.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's book with peek through pages.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the pictures and the way the cut outs blend in.Shows the power of books and how the imagination works with it.

[Lorna Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

About a young girl to play with in a garden. What I like about this book are the illustrations of a lush landscape.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by the classic story The Secret Garden. This is a book of inferencing-type questions: What can it be?

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I do like this, I think the story it too short for the book. It seems rushed.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

My 4 year old liked the peek through windows along with the rhythmic "What could it be?".
Read with Naomi.