Penguin Readers Factsheets
T e a c h e rs n o t e s
The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
S U M M A R Y
irst published in 1911, The Secret Garden is still a favourite
F childrens classic. Three films of the book have been made,
the most recent in 1993.
Mary Lennox was born in India to English parents. Her mother
wasnt interested in her and she was looked after by an Indian
servant. Mary was a spoilt, ill-tempered and unhealthy child. When
she was nine, her parents died and she went to live with her
reclusive uncle in a big old manor house in Yorkshire. Here, Mary
meets the housekeeper, Mrs Medlock, and a friendly maid called
Martha, who helps to look after her. Mary spends her time in the
gardens and meets the dour gardener and a cheerful robin. One
day she finds a secret garden. It has walls all around it and she
cannot find a door. For once in her life Mary is interested in
something. The gardener tells her the garden belonged to her
uncles wife, and has been locked since she died ten years ago.
With the help of the robin, Mary finds a key and the door to the
garden. At first, everything looks dead in the garden, but when she
finds some little green plants, she decides to make the garden
green and beautiful again. Marthas brother, Dickon, an animal
lover, brings Mary a spade and some seeds and she shares her
secret with him. Together they begin to work on the garden. Mary
grows happier and healthier.
One night she hears someone crying. She follows the noise and
finds Colin, a sickly, wilful child who is actually her cousin. Colin
thinks he is going to be a hunchback like his father so he stays in
bed all the time. Mary and Colin soon become friends and Mary tells
him there is nothing wrong with his back. Mary and Dickon decide
to take Colin to the garden. Colin begins to help tend the garden
and soon he is able to walk again. Mr Craven comes home and is
overjoyed to see his healthy son. The magic of the garden has
healed Colin and brought happiness to Mary.
ABOUT FRA NCES HO DGSON BUR NETT
Frances Hodgson Burnett was born on 24 November, 1849 in
Cheetham Hill, Manchester, England. She was the eldest daughter
in a family of two boys and three girls. Her father, a well-to-do
ironmonger and silversmith, died when she was four. The family fell
on hard times and moved to Salford, a much poorer area of
Manchester. Frances witnessed the lives of poor people, which she
would later deal with in novels such as That Lass oLowries (1877).
She also became fascinated by dialect, which she used
successfully in The Secret Garden.
When Frances was sixteen, the family emigrated to the United
States and settled in New Market, near Knoxville, Tennessee. They
lived at first in a log cabin and Frances briefly set up a school. There
were eight pupils who paid in kindwith vegetables and eggs. When
Frances was 18, she submitted a story to Godeys Ladys Book.
Within a few years she was being published regularly in Godeys,
Petersons Ladies Magazine, Scribner s Monthly and Harpers. In
1873, after a year s visit to England, she married Dr Swan Burnett.
Burnetts first novel That Lass oLowries, which had been
serialized in Scribners, was published in 1877. Like her short
stories, the book combined a detailed portrayal of working class life
Pearson Education 2001
level
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ELEMENTARY
with a romantic plot. After moving with her husband to Washington
DC, Burnett wrote the novels Haworths (1879), Louisiana (1880), A
Fair Barbarian (1881) and Through One Administration (1883), as
well as a play, Esmeralda (1881), written with actor-playwright
William Gillette. In 1886, Burnetts most famous and successful
book, Little Lord Fauntleroy, appeared. Burnett had two sons,
Lionel, born in 1874 and Vivian, born in 1876. Vivian inspired Little
Lord Fauntleroy. Much of what he said and did as a child found its
way into the character of Fauntleroy.
After the failure of her marriage, Burnett divided her time between
England and Long Island, New York. She continued her writing, and
in 1905 The Little Princess was published. Burnett had been
interested in gardens and nature since she was a child and while
living in Long Island developed an interest in gardening. It was while
devising a layout for her garden in Long Island that she wrote her
most famous book, The Secret Garden. Nearly 100 years later it is
still read and enjoyed by children. Burnett continued to write until
her death in 1924.
BACKGROUND AND THEMES
Recurring themes in Burnetts novels are the transforming power of
love and the reversals of fortune. Her stories are very romantic.
Someone in them is usually forlorn, sickly or miserable ... And there
is someone else, who is brave, strong and helpful. The characters
have to go through all sorts of trials and tribulations. But in the end
things come out right for everybody in a fairytale sort of way.
In The Secret Garden, both Mary and Colin are sickly, unhappy
children. Both have absent parents and they feel unloved and
unlovable. Mary and Colin are spoilt children and are used to
getting their own way. The book shows that spoiling brings misery
and unhappiness.
When Mary moves to Yorkshire, she begins to take an interest in
the gardens and eventually manages to get into a secret garden
that has been neglected since Mrs Craven died. Working in the
garden restores Marys health and brings her happiness. She
begins to like people and to believe that people will like her. She
shares her garden with Colin and he too grows well and strong. The
magic of the garden coming to life after years of neglect transforms
the lives of both Mary and Colin. The garden acts as a means of
health and as a symbol of their growing personalities. The Secret
Garden also encourages independence. It suggests that children
should be self-reliant and have faith in themselves, that they should
listen to their own hearts and consciences as adults are not always
right.
Yorkshire is a large county in the north-east of England. There
are many pretty villages in Yorkshire with stone cottages and
attractive churches. There is also a lot of moorland. The Yorkshire
moors are very well known in England. They provide magnificent,
dramatic scenery and are loved and admired by residents and
visitors alike. A small plant called heather grows on the moors. In
the summer months these plants are pink and purple and the
moors look like a sea of colour.

Penguin Readers Factsheets
T e a c h e rs n o t e s
Communicative activities
The following teacher-led activities cover the same
sections of text as the exercises at the back of the
Reader, and supplement those exercises. For
supplementary exercises covering shorter sections of the
book, see the photocopiable Students Activities pages of
this Factsheet. These are primarily for use with class
readers but, with the exception of discussion and
pair/groupwork questions, can also be used by students
working alone in a self-access centre.
ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK
1 Put students into pairs. Teach the word secret or ask
students to look it up in their dictionaries. Tell students
to look at the picture on the front cover of the book
and to discuss these questions.
(a) When do you think the story happens? Say why.
(b) What is the garden like? Why do you think it is a
secret garden?
(c) Who are the children? How old are they?
2 Put students into small groups. Have a competition to
see which group can list the most things that can be
found in a garden.
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION
Chapters 15
1 Ask students to work in groups of three. They role
play a conversation between Mrs Medlock, Martha
and Ben Weatherstaff. They all talk about how they
met Mary and what they think about her.
2 Put students into small groups to discuss this
question:
At the beginning of the story, Mary wasnt a nice child.
Talk about her life in India. Why do you think she
wasnt nice?
Then discuss ideas as a class.
Chapters 610
1 Have a quiz! First look through the section and write
20 questions. For example:
What moved the plants under the robin?
Divide the class into two teams. Ask each team a
question in turn. Teams score two points if they get
their own question right. They score one point if the
other team cant answer a question and they can.
2 Ask students to work in pairs. They role play a
conversation between Mary and Colin.
Colin tells Mary why he is in bed, and asks questions
about the garden. Mary tells Colin why she is in the
house, and tells him about the garden.
Chapters 1115
Put students into groups of four. Divide each group into
two pairs, A and B. Pair A writes ten sentences telling the
Pearson Education 2001
level
2
story from page 26 to the first paragraph break on page
34. However, they put their sentences in the wrong order.
Pair B does the same for pages 34 to 39. Each pair then
hands their sentences to the other pair who have to put
them in the right order.
ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK
1 Put students into small groups and ask them to talk
about what Mary and Colin are like at the beginning of
the story, and how they change by the end of the
story. How does the garden help them to change?
2 Put students into pairs. Ask them to choose a new
picture for the front cover of the book. (This cannot be
one of the existing pictures in the book.) Then as a
whole-class activity, write up all the ideas on the
board. Students then vote for the one they like the
best.
Glossary
It will be useful for your students to know these new words. They
are practised in the Before You Readsections of exercises at the
back of the book (Definitions are based on those in the Longman
Active Study Dictionary.)
Chapters 15
ago (adj) used to say how far back in the past something happened
cross (adj) annoyed or angry
grass (n) a very common plant with thin green leaves that grows
across fields, parks, etc.
hunchback (n) someone who has large raised part on their back
key (n) something that you put into a lock in order to open a door
moor (n) an area of high land covered with rough grass or low
bushes
plant (n) a living thing that has leaves and roots and is usually
smaller than a tree
robin (n) a common wild bird with a red chest and brown back
rose (n) a common sweet-smelling garden flower that grows on a
bush that has thorns
secret (adj) known about by only a few people
servant (n) someone whose job is to live in another persons house
and do jobs such as cleaning and cooking, especially in past times
side (n) one of the two areas left or right of an imaginary line down
the middle of something
spade (n) a tool with a long handle and a wide flat part at the end
used for digging
voice (n) the sound you make when you speak or sing
Chapters 610
dig (v) to move earth or make a hole in it using a tool, your hands,
or a machine
grow (v) to develop and become bigger or longer over a period of
time
magic (adj) having special powers used to make strange or
impossible things happen
part (n) a piece of something such as a film, area or period of time
seed (n) a small hard thing produced by plants that a new plant will
grow from
wheelchair (n) a chair with wheels, used by people who cannot
walk
Pub lis hed a nd dis tribut ed by Pearson Educ ati on
Factsheet written by Yvonne Harmer
Fac tshee t ser ie s dev elope d by Lou is e James
Penguin Readers Factsheets level

Students activities 1

2
The Secret Garden 3

Photocopiable 4
Students can do these ectivities alone or with one or more
other students. Pair/group-only exercises are marked. 5

Activities before reading the book 6

1 Read the Introduction in your book. Now close the is Martha different from the servants in India? Do you
book. What can you remember about Frances think Martha will be good for Mary? Why/Why not? ELEMENTARY
Hodgson Burnett?
Chapters 4 & 5
(a) What year was she born?
1 Who says these things? Who to? What are they
(b) Where was she born?
talking about?
(c) How old was she when she moved to America?
(a) Were the same, you and I.
(d) How many books did she write?
(b) Thats very sad.
(e) Why did she write stories for newspapers and
(c) It was the wind.
magazines?
(d) What is this place?
(f) What book did she write in 1886?
(e) He hasnt got a family.
2 Work in pairs. Look at the picture on page 4. What
(f) What are you doing here?
do you think it is like to live in this house?
2 Who do you think is crying in the house? Where are
they? Write down your ideas.
Activities while reading the book
CHAPTERS 610
CHAPTERS 15 Chapter 6
Chapter 1 You are Mary. Write to Mr and Mrs Crawford. Tell them
Answer these questions. about the secret garden. Tell them how the robin helped
(a) Where did the Lennox family live? you go into the garden.

(b) Why did Mrs Lennox give her baby to an Indian Chapters 7 & 8
servant? 1 This is what happens in chapters 7 and 8. Put these
(c) What did Mary look like? words in the right places.
(d) Why did the servants never say no to Mary? part ill worked secret green told happy met
(e) Why did everybody forget about Mary? seeds wanted spade
Chapters 2 & 3 Mary went to the (a) garden every day. She didnt
1 Match the two halves of the sentences. look (b) now, she was very (c) in the garden.
(a) Mr Archibald Craven was One day she (d) Dickon. He had her (e) and
(b) Mrs Medlock was (f) Mary (g) Dickon her secret and they (h)
(c) Mr Cravens house
hard in the garden. Mr Craven (i) to see Mary.
(d) A moor
Mary said she would like a small (j) of the
(e) Dickon is
gardens. Mr Craven said, Make it (k) and
(f) Mr Craven closed one of the gardens
beautiful.
(i) Marthas brother.
(ii) a hunchback. 2 Talk with another student or write your answer. Why
is Mary well and happy now?
(iii) has red-blue grass.
Why do you think she told Dickon her secret? What
(iv) when his wife died. do you think about Dickon?
(v) fat with a red face and small black eyes.
(vi) is 600 years old and is in Yorkshire.
2 Talk with another student or write your answer. How

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Penguin Readers Factsheets
Students activities
Chapters 9 & 10
1 These sentences are wrong. Make them right.
(a) Mary woke up because she heard the crying
sound again.
(b) She ran through the house and came to an open
door.
(c) Colin was about twelve years old and had big
blue eyes.
(d) Colin doesnt want people to see him because
hes very thin.
(e) Mary wants the servants to find the key to the
garden.
(f) Martha is happy that Mary knows about Colin.
(g) The doctor wants Mary to see Colin every day.
2 Work with another student.
Student A: You are Colin. Tell Mary why you never
leave your room. Tell her about your mother and
father.
Student B: You are Mary. Ask Colin why he is crying.
Tell him about Dickon.
3 Talk with another student or write your answer.
Do you think that Colin is really ill? What do you
think will help him?
CHAPTERS 1115
Chapters 11 & 12
1 What happens first, second, third, fourth ...? Write
19 next to the sentences.
(a) Mary goes to the secret garden.
(b) Martha asks Mary to talk to Cohn.
(c) Mary tells Colin about the secret garden.
(d) Dickon comes into the room with a bird on his
arm.
(e) Mary and Dickon work in the garden.
(f) Mary finds some books from Mr Craven.
(g) Colin says he would like to meet Dickon.
(h) Colin is angry because Mary didnt go to see
him.
(i) Mary tells Colin that hes not going to be a
hunchback.
2 Work with another student. Look up the word
relationship in your dictionary. Talk about Marys
relationship with Colin.
Chapters 13 & 14
1 Answer these questions.
Pearson Education 2001
level
2
(a) Why did Colin tell Mrs Medlock that he didnt
want to see anybody in the gardens?
(b) Why didnt Dickon want to talk about the old
tree?
(c) Why did Mary think there was magic in the
garden?
(d) Why did Colin want Ben to come into the
garden?
(e) What is Mrs Sowerbys idea?
2 Talk with another student or write your answer. How
does Colin change in these two chapters? Do you
think there is magic in the garden?
Chapter 15
1 Finish these sentences.
(a) Mary was nicer and happier because
(b) Before he met Mary, Colin
(c) Nothing helped Mr Craven because
(d) When Mr Craven was in the Austrian mountains,
he
(e) Mr Craven goes back to Yorkshire because
(f) Colin said he was better because of
(g) Mrs Medlock threw up her hands because
2 Talk with another student or write your answer.
(a) Why do you think Mrs Sowerby wrote a letter to
Mr Craven saying, Your wife would like you to
come home?
(b) Why do you think Mr Craven thought he was a
bad father?
Activities after reading the book
1 Work in small groups. Look at the names of the
chapters in the book. Write a different name for each
chapter and write one sentence to say what happens
in that chapter.
2 Talk to another student. Which person in the book do
you like best? Explain why.
3 You are Mary or Colin. Write about how the magic of
the garden helped you.
Publish ed and distrib ute d by P earson E ducat ion
Factsheet written by Yvonne Harmer
F act sheet s eri es deve l oped b y L ouise J ames