The Secret Garden

First published in 1911, this children novel tells the story of Mary Lennox. She is a sickly and spoiled little girl, who is orphaned to dim prospects in a gloomy English manor - her only friend is a bed-ridden boy named Colin whose prospects may be dimmer than hers. Then, Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and locked with a missing key. One day, with the help of two unexpected companions, she discovers a way in. At this point, the magical powers of transformation fall within her reach...