With flowers starting to bloom, warmer weather on the horizon, and sunsets after 7 p.m., spring is in the air. If you’re looking for the perfect book to get you into the spirit of the season, the 1911 classic novel The Secret Garden is a “delightful read,” say Goodreads users.
Clocking in at just over 300 pages, the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, who you may know as the author of A Little Princess, tells the story of a young English girl whose life is turned upside down after the death of her parents.
Sent to live with her reclusive uncle in Yorkshire, spoiled Mary Lennox explores the grounds of her new home, discovering a hidden door to an overgrown garden thanks to a helpful robin. She sets out to restore the garden in secret, and in the process helps her sickly cousin Colin heal, and finds joy in life again.
Related: The ‘Most Beautiful’ Rose Was Inspired by This ‘90s Music Legend
Book vlogger Carolyn Marie Reads placed it on her list of “Must-Read Classic Literature” for spring earlier this month, stating in a YouTube video that it is the “perfect springtime story because we go from the manor and the world outside of the manor, the garden, feeling very dark and gloomy and dead, to being reborn. Not only the garden blooms, but everything in the story blooms: the people, the house. It’s just such a perfect book.”
Goodreads users agree, giving it an average 4.17 out of five stars with a whopping 1.3 million ratings and 35,000 reviews. One reviewer in particular called it “delightful,” pointing out the book’s strong character development and proclaiming, “Charming hearts since 1911, The Secret Garden is a whisper of a dream long remembered and the magic of spring and new beginnings.”
Another five out of five review said, “this was such an amazing, gorgeous and touching book. Mary’s story was absolutely compelling to read and I could NOT put it down. The way the garden was described made me want to pick up my shovel and head out to fix things up on my own. And the conclusion of this story? Absolutely perfect.”
Next: How to Get Starbucks’ ‘Absolutely Gorgeous’ Disney Tumbler That Sold Out Immediately
This story was originally published by Parade on Mar 31, 2026, where it first appeared in the Books section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Comments are closed.