About the Author

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was an Anglo-American playwright and author. She is best known for her children's stories, in particular The Secret Garden, A Little Princess, and Little Lord Fauntleroy. Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina is a professor of English at Dartmouth College. She is the author of Frances Hodgson Burnett, Black London, Carrington, Looking for Bijah and Lucy, and editor of The Annotated Secret Garden. She lives near Hanover, New Hampshire.

Reviews

Gr 4-8-When ten-year-old Mary Lennox's parents and their servants all die of cholera, she is sent from her home in India to live with her frequently absent uncle in Yorkshire, England in this classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett. She follows the sound of crying one night and discovers that she has an invalid cousin who is every bit as spoiled as she used to be. Soon the two become friends and she shares the secret of the hidden, locked garden that she discovered. The garden becomes an oasis of hope, where they both grow into happy, healthy children. The story comes to life under the dramatic narration of Anne Flosnik. Her British accent lends authenticity and a sense of time to the story as she transitions smoothly between the various characters' voices and dialects. Students can listen to the narration and follow along with the text on screen. The sprinkling of vintage illustrations add little to the production. The menu at the beginning of the DVD allows readers/listeners to go directly to a specific chapter and is accompanied by a classical tune. This would be a great literacy tool for struggling readers.-Kathy Miller, Baldwin Junior High School, Baldwin City, KS Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.