I enjoyed this retelling of the Secret Garden -- however, I hope that readers today will still read Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic.
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*I got this book for review*
I really adored this retelling. I have always loved the secret garden movie and i loved how this book twisted it so it was modern but also set in nyc. I also loved tackled both anxiety and depression, I loved how this book focused on trio of main characters and this book just put a smile on my face. I really also enjoyed the art style (My arc was not fully done) but the parts i saw is my favorite type of art style. It was such a great and quick read and such a fun one!! If you enjoyed the movie as a kid, def check this one out! ( )

*I got this book for review*
I really adored this retelling. I have always loved the secret garden movie and i loved how this book twisted it so it was modern but also set in nyc. I also loved tackled both anxiety and depression, I loved how this book focused on trio of main characters and this book just put a smile on my face. I really also enjoyed the art style (My arc was not fully done) but the parts i saw is my favorite type of art style. It was such a great and quick read and such a fun one!! If you enjoyed the movie as a kid, def check this one out! ( )

The Secret Garden is one of my lesser favorite classics (it has been ages since I have read it). BUT this beautiful graphic novel retelling has made me want to go back and read it once again!

It is all the elements of The Secret Garden as one knows it (orphaned girl goes to live with uncle, finds a mysterious garden that has been shut off for a reason, meets a hidden away cousin....) You know the rest. BUT it updates the story.

Set in NYC
Uncle has not been the same since the death of his husband
Cousin suffers from crippling panic attack
Girl doesn't know how to handle grief
Rooftop garden due to "urban" living

I HIGHLY recommend this book to audiences. It tackles the tough topics of grief and unseen mental struggles with aplomb! Also for this being a debut illustrator, I thought they did a particularly great job! ( )

Mary Lennox lives an isolated life in Silicon Valley with workaholic parents; when they die in an accident, Mary is sent to live in New York with her Uncle Archie, who she has never met. And she continues not to meet him: instead, household staff and neighbors take care of her. Mary visits Central Park and museums, gets to know the bodega (and Ben and the bodega cat Robin), and makes friends with neighbor Dixon. When Mary discovers the existence of Uncle Archie's dead husband's rooftop garden, she searches for the key and enlists Dixon to help her bring it back to life. She also discovers her cousin Colin, who has a panic disorder and rarely goes out. Through Mary and Dixon's friendship, Colin becomes more confident, and wants to help with the garden. Mary (presumably) starts a social media account (The_Secret_Garden) to document their progress, and though they worry about Archie's reaction when he discovers what they've done, he surprises them.

A retelling both faithful and fresh.

Quotes

"I can't make myself feel something just because I'm supposed to." (Mary to Mrs. Medlock, 9)

"I want them to see how beautiful something can be if you care for it." (Mary, 200)

"People grieve in different ways....where we failed wasn't in how we processed our grief, but how we maybe weren't there for one another when we needed it." (Uncle Archie to Colin, 219)

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that people are surprisingly resilient. When it seems like everything is dead, buried, and cold things can still find a way to come to life. When the rain comes, it might set us back a bit, but ultimately, it helps us be stronger. In that way, life is like a garden. Things change with the seasons, for better and worse, but in the end, we can still grow. (246) ( )