Frances Hodgson Burnett: The Secret Garden

Three main characters:

Marry Lenox a ten-year-old girl who, after the death of her parents in India,
is sent to live with her uncle Archibald Craven in Yorkshire/England.
Colin Craven  Archibald Craven's ten-year-old son 
Dickon Sowerby Martha's (a young maid) twelve-year-old brother. He
spends most of his time out on the moor, playing with animals on fresh air.
Summary
Marry Lennox is a ten-year-old disagreeable girl growing up in India. The
terrible disease (cholera) killed many people in her town. Her parents die
because they got infected too. Mary is sent to England to live with her uncle
Archibald Craven in his huge mansion, Misselthwaite Manor. When Mary
arrived she was sent to her new room where she meets her servant, Martha
Sowerby. Martha tells Mary about her new home and introduces her through a
story to the people who live there. Mary finds out about a secret garden that
has been locked away for 10 years. Martha explains that this garden has been
closed by Mr. Craven because it was the favorite garden of Mrs. Craven and
also the place where she tragically died. One afternoon she discovers a garden
with a wall but a locked door. Mary feels curious about the garden and later
finds the key to it. Without telling anyone she begins gardening there. Mary
meets and befriends Dickon Sowerby, the brother of her housemaid Martha,
who begins to help Mary tend to the garden. In the following days, she hears
several times a strange crying noise at night in the mansion. One day she
decided to discover what the sound is. She finds that the crying is coming from
a room of an ill-looking boy who introduces himself as Colin Craven, Mr.
Craven's son. Colin has been purposefully hidden by his father and he has been
told his whole life that he is sick. Mary started hanging out with Colin
persuading him to lead a normal life. She told him about the secret garden.
Colin wanted to see it for himself so she brings Dickon to meet him and they
take Colin to the garden in his wheelchair. Three of them secretly continue to
work on planting and nurturing it. Colin slowly learns to walk on his own two
feet. At that time Mr. Craven was traveling in Europe and one night he had a
dream about Mrs. Craven calling him to come into the secret garden. That
morning he received a letter from Susan Sowerby (Dickon's mother) in which
he asked him to come home, but she didn't give him a reason. He thought of
his dream and decided to return to England. When he arrives back at the
manor, Mrs. Medlock (servant) tells him about Colin's strange state and says
that Colin is out on the grounds. Mr. Colin hears voices inside the garden and
goes there. He was shocked to see children there, especially his son Colin. They
told him all about the garden, magic, and Colin's recovery. Mr. Craven was
surprised and the household servants were shocked when they saw Mr. Craven
and Colin walking happily back to the house.
Did you like book? Why? Whynot?
I liked the book and enjoyed reading it. The plot of the book was mysterious
and interesting. My friend recommended me this book and at that moment it
didn't sound interesting. The book had no boring parts and it was easy to read
it. My favorite part of the book is the description of the Secret garden. the
description was detailed and I could imagine what that garden looked like. The
only thing I don't like is the end of the book. I expected something more
interesting in the end.
New words i learnt:
Obey  carry out (a command or instruction)
Crossly  in angry way
Crooked  bent or twisted out of shape or out of place
Horrid very unpleasant or disagreeable
Aloud  not silently or in a whisper
Moor  an open area of hills covered with rough grass
Supper  an evening meal