- two children, sick in their own ways, find much improvement of health from interacting with nature and the outdoors
- main theme: spoiled, rotten behavior mystically transformed into good and beautiful
- convo: Eastern pantheism, universalism, credit and praise due to God is given to “Magic” throughout, deaths are mentioned, wine/beer mentioned, brief racism in beginning of book (but negatively portrayed), a drunk man mentioned
- language: wench used as “little girl,” x1 stupid, dang, L*rd x2, jackass
Type: chapter book
Ages: 8-12
Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Allow me to begin with compliments–most readers will adore this story, as is apparent by its endurance through a few generations so far. The story begins with nasty children and ends up with beautiful, loving and kind ones. From dark to light. Winter to spring. Burnett masterfully crafts descriptions that bring this transformation to life, and it’s exciting to visualize.
The question Christians need to address is who actually deserves the credit for a conversion of heart? For flowers budding in the spring? For relationships restored? For attitude reversals and physical strength improved? The answer is God, of course. The all-sovereign Creator God. If that is obvious to you, then good. You are reading with a biblical worldview.
However, if you find yourself confused with the book’s sudden stream of self-affirmations and chanting rituals (to praise the “Magic”) and aren’t sure how to run that through a biblical lens, I encourage you to do a little digging. There is an increasing amount of good literary criticism out there for Christian readers, but I’ll give a shout-out to two which directly address the false worldview of Burnett.
First comes Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey. This is a lengthy book, but it’s extremely readable. And there’s no fluff about it. In chapter 4, she uses The Secret Garden as an example. About the Eastern worldview woven into the story, Pearcey says:
“It is a prime illustration of the principle that if we do not learn how to do worldview analysis–and teach our children as well–we will have no defense against the alien worldviews we encounter in the surrounding culture. And then we are likely to absorb them without even being aware of it.”
One more book I recommend is the opposite in one sense: it’s very short! But it’s succinctly informative and brings our attention, as Christians, to the right things. Amanda Ryan, in Canon Classics Worldview Guide: The Secret Garden, addresses this “Magic” and covers more components of the book than Pearcey’s one page spread (though I highly recommend Total Truth for all Christians in general).
The Secret Garden comes to a lovely and satisfying completion. Ultimately, Christian readers (the majority of my audience here) can read this book AND like it–namely, because all things good and beautiful come from the Lord. All truth is His truth, even if it is communicated by a non-believer.
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”
“And they both began to laugh over nothings as children will when they are happy together.”
I hope this review helps you and your family. Happy reading!