The Secret Garden

Tittle: The Secret Garden

Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Published: 1911 ( UK & US ) 

Publisher: Frederick A. Stokes (US) William Heinemann (UK). 

Pages: 375 pages ( UK&US) 

Cover: Hard Cover

Genre: Children's Novel

Illustrator: M. L. Kirk (US) Charles Robinson (UK). 

  Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels Little Lord Fauntleroy, A Little Princess, and The Secret Garden. Frances Eliza Hodgson was born in Cheetham, Manchester, England.

Mary Lennox changes drastically over the course of The Secret Garden : she evolves from a spoiled, unloved and unloving creature to a girl who is full of spirit and surrounded by friends. 

Colin Craven 

The young master of Misselthwaite Manor. Mary meets him after hearing crying from somewhere in the manor house several times. Ten years ago, around the time of Colin's birth, his mother, Mrs. Craven, died after falling out of a tree in the secret garden. 

The lesson of the book was, that life is very difficult so don't push yourself too hard. Take your time, nurture your spirit, take time out, if it's really too much , go into hiding until you are ready to cope with life again. Find your own secret garden, where you can be at peace and heal your soul.

Why did you decide to read this book?

I have read the opening of this novel, and I became intrigued by the story of the character Mary, who is spoiled yet faces the drastic changes in her family's situation following a disease outbreak. This forces her to move to her uncle's house in another city.

Were you glad that you decided to read it? Explain. 

Of course! The story is very interesting to me, especially with the main character's struggle to help her friend named Colin overcome his despair.

What did you like least?

I find the language too stiff, especially when expressing the character's emotions. Additionally, as I'm not very experienced in reading novels, there are some words that still feel foreign to me, such as "horrid" (meaning bad or terrible) or "crooked back."

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Explain.

It seems so, because this novel offers lessons, especially for young people, about not rushing to handle problems. It also emphasizes the need for us to take a moment to rest and clear our minds for better clarity.

On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was this book for you? (1 = easy, 10 = difficult) Why?

Number 6, I think to understand the plot and content of the book, we must first be interested in its story, especially since there are quite a few characters in the book with somewhat unfamiliar names.

The Little Prince

Tittle: The Little Prince

Author: Antonie de Saint-Exupéry

Published: 1943

Pages: 120 pages

Cover: Soft Cover

Genre: Fable, Novela, Speculative Fiction

  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry French aviator and writer whose works are the unique testimony of a pilot and a warrior who looked at adventure and danger with a poet’s eyes. His fable Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) has become a modern Classic. 

Why did you decide to read this book?

I started reading the book because I was intrigued by its title, 'The Little Prince', and after seeing the summary of the story, I became even more interested because it piqued my curiosity about the content of the book.

Were you glad that you decided to read it? Explain. 

Of course, because the book provides me with knowledge, namely not to underestimate small things as they can have a big impact as time goes on.

What did you like least?

There are some words and phrases that I don't quite understand, such as 

'" Thunderstruck, lovely peal of laughter "

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Explain.

Certainly! For those who have younger siblings or need children's stories, I highly recommend this book because its language is understandable, it provides knowledge, and has appealing illustrations.

On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was this book for you? (1 = easy, 10 = difficult) Why?

I would give it a rating of 4, as I quite enjoyed the content of the book and the language style, which is understandable for beginners who need to learn English while enjoying the book's content.

Play Today- Guide for families

Tittle: Guide for Family Play Today

Author: Jane Bertrand

Published: August 17, 2023

Pages: 28 pages

Publication Type: Guides - Non-Classroom

Authoring Institution: Ministry of Education (British Columbia) 

  " The Play Today B.C. Handbook is a guide to support high quality, play-based learning experiences in the early years, primary grades, and even into the middle years of childhood."

Why did you decide to read this book?

I am reading this book because I want to help my younger sibling who is in elementary school during their learning process, so they don't get bored easily. Also, as an older sibling, I want my younger sibling to enjoy discovering new things in learning.

"..In these early learning resources, the benefits of play experiences are highlighted so that adults are assured that play experiences are valuable to children for their learning and development. "

Were you glad that you decided to read it? Explain.

Yes, I enjoy reading it because this book informs about learning techniques for children such as: approaches play, free play, inquiry play, collaborative play, playful learning, and learning games.

What did you like best about this book?

In the chapter on Inquiry Play, I applied that chapter with my younger sibling when we were outdoors, and my sibling asked various questions.

What did you like least?

This book actually needs to be supervised by parents as well, because learning new things, especially practicing more freely, can sometimes be dangerous if not properly measured. For example, learning to make origami could result in paper cuts, or studying nature requires supervision due to many dangerous animals or vehicles.

Would you recommend this book to a friend?

Of course, especially if they have younger siblings or want to learn these learning tricks well to supervise their younger cousins or nephews and nieces.

On a scale of 1-10, how difficult was this book for you? (1 = easy, 10 = difficult) Why?

I'd say 5, not too difficult or easy in terms of language. Of course, there are some words whose meanings I need to look up, or sentences I need to study carefully to not lose focus.