I want to thank Harper Audio and Netgalley for an advanced copy of The Secret Garden's audiobook in exchange for an honest review. This is a classic that I have been wanting to return to for several years now, and I was elated to see that an audio version was available for request. It made the experience of rereading a childhood favorite all the more special!

The book itself has always been a favorite of mine. Frances Hodgson Burnett pens such a beautiful narrative. The setting itself is so vivid in detail; it is truly mesmerizing to read (and now listen to!) Mary Lennox was, and still is, one of my all time favorite protagonists of a children's book.

The audio version of the book itself was quite different than what I was expecting. I loved the music and other sound bits that were added to give that extra depth. While it may have been the formatting or the app, at times the music overlapped with some of the narrative and that made it a bit difficult to understand. While I was following along with the text so it wasn't that difficult to understand, others who do not have the physical text may struggle to understand what is occurring. With that being said, I do believe that Glenda Jackson, the narrator, did a fantastic job of bringing the story to life.

Overall, I did enjoy this audiobook. I will be recommending it to individuals who are looking for new ways to bring this old tale to life!

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to preface this review with saying that I don’t particularly enjoy the writing style of classic books. I have seen the movie in the past, but have never read the original work.

This book is about Mary, a stubborn, mean girl who is orphaned and sent to live on her uncles estate. She is told to never go exploring in the house and that one of the gardens is off limits and locked. What would any little girl banned from doing things do? Exactly what she was told not to. She discovers she has a sickly cousin living in another area of the house. They become fast friends and want to discover the magic of the Secret Garden.

The story of the secret garden and growing friendships is very sweet. Both Mary and her cousin Colin grow into themselves. However, the problem I have with classic books is that there is a lot of dialogue and not inner monologue. Mary goes from being stubborn and mean to being sweet without actually showing development.

As far as the actual audio of the book. There is a LOT of background music. So much so that it was a bit distracting from the story. Also there is a robin in the story and any time he is mentioned, there is bird chirping. I have nothing against birds, but it was a bit too much for me.

Also, the worst part of all is that it was clear that some of the chapters were in the wrong order. Mary is in the secret garden in chapter 9, but doesn’t find the key until chapter 12. She is also friends with Dickon in chapter 10 but doesn’t meet him until chapter 13. The audiobook needs another comb through before it is published.

A very sweet book with childish wonder. I listened to the audiobook on NetGalley - very cute, good for children, had music and birds chirping and other such background noises that really helps a child engage with the story.
And let's face it, who doesn't love a story with a happy ending!

This book is a childhood classic, but listening to the audiobook version as an adult was a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend to anyone who grew up loving this story and the characters. Fall in love all over again with Mary, Colin, Ben Weatherstaff, Martha, Dickon, and the little red robin. My only (minor) issue with this audiobook version was that the sound quality sometimes was a bit off, but it could have been a problem with my ear buds.

I will listen to Glenda Jackson read anything. She has one of those timeless voices that could be reading the phone book and still make people care. Her adaptation of The Secret Garden is flawless and brought me back to the last time I saw Glenda Jackson perform in King Lear on Broadway which was magical (though The Secret Garden was a lot more accessible and easy to listen to!). There was a lot of added music and sound effects, some of which were great (the classical music) and some of which was unnecessary and distracting (train sound effects) which made the audiobook feel more like a radio play at time. This was fun but definitely took some getting used to. The actual sound quality was a little muffled, like Glenda Jackson was talking to me through the phone but I got used to it. What I love about classic children's books as audiobooks is that it's like having a bedtime story read to you. I look forward to more editions from this collection!

Thank you to NetGalley William Collins/Harper Audio for the opportunity to listen to an advanced edition of this audiobook.

This is at least my third time reading The Secret Garden but only the second time in recent memory. It's a classic and though Mary and Colin will always be annoying and spoiled, that is literally a plot point so I can't let it bother me too much. It's a cute, magical story about the power of friendship and nature.

The Secret Garden has long been one of my favorite childhood stories because of its valuable message- that you have to cultivate happiness. Mary is a child who has been orphaned after an outbreak of cholera in India, where she was living with her parents. She is sent home to England, to Misselthwaite Manor, the home of her uncle, a very lonely and unhappy widower. She is a dour, lonely, and unhappy child who makes her first friend in an English robin. Her second friend is a boy named Dickon, who helps her connect with nature even more, and together they restore the Secret Garden of the title, eventually with the help of Mary's initially wretched cousin Colin, a boy who also learns to cultivate happiness, friendship, courage, and health.

The Yorkshire dialect English in the novel, which was written in a serialized form in the late Edwardian era, may be difficult for some modern children, and so the audiobook edition of the story may help children understand the dialect more easily.

This audiobook is narrated marvelously by Glenda Jackson (I think it may have originally been recorded in 1994?) however the audiobook is the abridged version of the novel. Additionally, the presence of music with an awkward dynamic range that competes with the narration in some passages was a bit frustrating. Those two factors (the abridgment and the dynamic range issues) resulted in my giving this production four rather than five stars. Still an enjoyable production.

I received a digital audio review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you publisher and netgalley for this early copy!

I was happy to get an audiobook of this favorite classic. But sadly, I could not listen to it because the audiobook would not download on my phone. I will not be requesting any more audiobooks from now on.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Narrated by: Glenda Jackson
Publication Date: September 10, 2020
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Description from NetGalley...
“After the death of her parents, Mary Lennox is sent to live in the remote Yorkshire countryside with her rarely seen uncle. With no one to play with, she resents the landscape and the gloomy house. But then she discovers a key, which unlocks the hidden door to a secret garden…”
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“William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.

Academy Award Winner Glenda Jackson captures the magic of the story that has been adored by adults and children alike for generations.”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @harpercollinsuk @wmcollinsbooks @deccarecords for the audiobook ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
This had to be my first September book review. I have loved The Secret Garden since I was a little girl. This was one of the first books I read that made me love reading. This abridged audiobook was fantastic. The narrator was superb. And, I enjoyed the background sound effects and music throughout the entire book. It just added such a wonderful atmosphere to the story. If you’re a fan of The Secret Garden, you may not want to miss this!

I received an audiobook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I actually never read The Secret Garden as a kid, though I do remember watching the movie. The book honestly didn't do much for me. I know a lot of people really love this story, but I didn't really enjoy reading it or get anything out of it. A lot of the book just felt repetitive and boring. There wasn't anything necessarily wrong with it, just not my taste.

As for the actual audiobook... It was well done and I really liked the narrator. There were a lot of sound effects and music, though certain effects were a bit over-the-top. Overall, a really good audiobook edition that I'd recommend to those who maybe already love this book and want to try listening to it!

I give it a 2.5 /5 stars.

Because this book is older, it sometimes sounds stuffier than today's children's books. American children may have difficulty identifying with Mary or any of the other children because of the language and their dependence on servants.

The story is a relatively short one and can be consumed in an afternoon. At first, the story is about Mary and her adjustment to life in England. She is fascinated by a story she hears about an old locked garden on the property. When Mary meets her cousin Colin, the story begins to focus on their friendship and the quest to find a way into their secret garden and save it. Toward the end, the story focuses on Colin's relationship with his father, whose misguided grief over his wife's death causes him to overprotect his son.

The audio recording periodically contains background music and sound effects. I find these types of effects the most distracting, but only the Indian music detracts from the story. It's harder to focus on the words with the music playing because it's just as loud as the words. Occasionally, certain passages are loud and others are quiet which is annoying because the reader has to adjust the volume to hear, or is startled by a sudden louder passage.

Glenda Jackson is a great narrator for this story. She perfectly captures the aristocratic sound of the adults in the story and gives the book a decidedly more English feel.

I took Children’s Literature as my fine arts credit my senior year of college and that’s the last time I dove into this classic. But it was a childhood favorite and I loved the 1993 movie growing up. This abridged audiobook is delightful and done beautifully with charming audio extras like birds chirping in appropriate places. I wasn’t sure about it being abridged, but it was done so well and I got to experience a great story in a small time span.

This NetGalley file did have some scenes out of order though, so that was a bummer (I think this will be fixed when it is published).

This abridged audio version of The Secret Garden has been beautifully remastered for new generations.
The shortened version is cohesive and perfect for little ones just being introduced to Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic. It's also great for those who grew up loving the book to listen to.
Glenda Jackson did a fantastic job narrating. It's as if an English governess is telling a bedtime story, and the sound effects added make the story fun and atmospheric.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for the ALC.

How I got to adulthood (and grandmotherhood) without having read this classic, I will never know. That is why I jumped at the chance to listen to the great Glenda Jackson read The Secret Garden.

This is, apparently, an abridged version, but if you are new to this story, as I was, you’d never know it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Argo Classics and Harper Audio for the chance to listen to this audiobook.

This was such a cute classic. I had never read this before, but I had seen the cartoon movie years and years ago.
As a kid watching the movie, I just remember the idea of a house having a secret garden as so magical, and as an adult it still holds magic. I feel like any child would be entranced by this story and this secret garden.
I loved Mary's discovery of Colin and both of their insistence on Colin getting better. Mary was such a sweetie to Colin and cared for him even if he got a temper. They were very good for each other.
Mary's discovery of the garden was such a fun adventure, it felt like I was there discovering it with her and it was adorable that she wanted to keep it from dying.
I really enjoyed finally reading this classic book and I'm happy I finally did!

My August classic was The Secret Garden- which I listened to on audiobook narrated by the fantastic Glenda Jackson. She did an amazing job capturing the magic of this book and the additional background noises (birds chirping, light music, etc) added to the story.

Growing up, The Secret Garden was one of my favorite movies, but I’d never read the book. Mary Lennox finds herself alone in India after a pandemic (of course right), kills her entire family. She is soon sent to her uncle’s home- a huge estate full of closed rooms and mysterious spaces. Mary is soon charmed and humbled by the people she finds in England- especially her sickly cousin.

This is a charming audiobook I’d highly recommend. And there is a new movie coming out soon! Exciting!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Collins for this audiobook in return for my honest review. It comes out September 10, 2020.

I listened to this the other day while I was doing chores when I went for a walk and then when I made dinner.
I had seen one of the movies but had never read the book so I was excited to give this audiobook a try. I am so glad I did because I actually enjoyed this story.

Very well done and the narrator did a fantastic job as well.

This was one of my favorite movies growing up- watching on VHS :) I had never read the story before though. When this audio book came up I knew I had to listen and I am so glad I did. I will be sharing this with my children. The narrator is fabulous and the story is so up-lifting. I absolutely loved it !

In a very broad summary... Mary Lennox finds herself all alone in India after a cholera pandemic takes her family. She is sent to her uncle's home where she discovers a crying boy that changes her outlook on life completely. Oh, all the characters just make you love them.

Thank you NetGalley for an Advanced Listening Copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

***ARC copy received from NetGalley for honest review***

I don't recall ever reading The Secret Garden before; I was only familiar with the movies. I was pleased to discover upon finishing the listen of this charming audiobook that the book was every bit as heartwarming as any other version of this story I have come across, maybe more so. The narration was lovely and British and there were even sound effects and music in parts. I did have some trouble with the download itself (There seemed to be skipping issues), and this copy appeared to be an abridged version though there was no mention of this that I could find beforehand. Overall, I am so happy to have completed this version of the story, it was such a quick "read", and I really enjoyed it!

*received audiobook for free from netgalley for honest review* Really good audiobook! tbh never read this book but i know ive seen the movie when i was younger, would like to rewatch it now that ive seen the movie

This book is a classic, there are a lot of formats of this title.. This one is a great audiobook option if you want to have fun and relax. I really enjoyed the voice they chose. I recommend listening for 20 or 30 minutes each night so it won´t finish soon (2 hours 58 min.). If you have children I guess they are also going to enjoy it. It is a great option for educators and homeschool.