When I Feel Angry - Cornelia Maude Spelman

[Guest review by Fabida]

Book Review: ‘When I Feel Angry’

Anger is an emotion that affects everyone, across continents, male and female, young and old, making it pretty much a universal feeling.

But like Cornelia Maude Spelman shows us in her book ‘When I Feel Angry’, it is how we respond to that emotion that makes us the person we are. This is an excellent book to help young children understand this anger and learn to deal with it.

Title: When I Feel Angry (Part of the ‘The Way I Feel’ series)

Author: Cornelia Maude Spelman

Illustrator: Nancy Cote

Plot: A little bunny finds that a lot of things make her angry, and when she feels angry she wants to do and say hurtful things. But she also learns that feeling something and doing those things are completely different and that she should take care not to hurt others in the process.

Review: This is a lovely little book, perfect for preschoolers. I would go so far as to say that even adults like us could gain quite a bit from reading this!!

Little Bunny first learns to identify the emotion called anger and she finds that many different events can trigger anger in her. All sorts of scenarios are covered – things that are out of our control can make us angry, as can something someone does or says to us, or sometimes even we can make ourselves angry when we get frustrated!

Nancy Cote has done a brilliant job of expressing Little Bunny’s facial expressions, especially since pictures are what’ll get to the child more than words. The text is in first person and in simple English, which will help children to express their feelings clearly, for example: ‘I feel angry when I have to stop my game’. This will be especially useful for children prone to tantrums, who can’t seem to use words to say exactly what they want.

The book also provides positive ways to control anger, and to curb violent impulses like wanting to hit someone. In the kind of world we have today, these lessons can’t be underestimated. My son gets angry quite frequently, but when I remind him of the book, he does make an effort to calm down (though some explosions are inevitable!!).

I would whole heartedly recommend this book to all mothers, however old your child is, and whether they have an anger problem or not. Learning to control your anger and express your feelings are skills that everyone needs and your child will be grateful to you long after the bedtime book reading sessions are done.

This review first appeared as a guest post on The Mom Views.

[This review is a part of the Children's Day Celebration Challenge hosted at ALOP]

- Fabida

Matilda- Roald Dahl

1st PUBLISHED: 1988

GENRE: Fiction, Kids' Stuff

ISBN: 978-0-141-32266-7

SYNOPSIS:

Matilda Wormwood's father is a mean crooked crook. And her mother's just plain stupid. They think Matilda is a nuisance who should watch more TV and read fewer books! But her lovely teacher Miss Honey thinks Matilda is a genius. Matilda has few extraordinary tricks up her sleeve so her horrible parents and even more horrible headmistress had better watch out. 

EXCERPT:

"Daddy," she said, "do you think you could buy me a book?"

   "A book?" he said. "What d'you want a flaming book for?"

"To read, Daddy."

   "What's wrong with the telly for heaven's sake? We've got a lovely telly with a twelve inch screen and now you come asking for a book! You're getting spoiled my girl!"

ANINDITA SPEAKS:

I got this amazing book as a gift from one of my dearest cousins, right before I left for my visit to China. I usually take very long to finish a big book, but I read this one late into the night and finished it in less than a week! 

Matilda is a kind, polite, selfless and intelligent girl. She is a genius, but she sadly has no true friends. Just like David Copperfield's father warns his headmaster, Matilda's dad tells Miss Trunchbull to be careful as she is very "wild". Matilda is always bullied by The Trunchbull although the other kids in Crunchem Hall Primary School seem to like her.   

This novel by Roald Dahl encouraged me to read more and more. Little Matilda read books like, Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, Animal Farm by George Orwell, and Kim by Rudyard Kipling among many others at the age of four!

I loved this book and could not find anything that I disliked except a few characters like Miss Trunchbull the headmistress, and Matilda's parents. Miss Honey is my favorite character apart from the heroine. I loved the way Roald Dahl ended this story. Read the book to find out about Matilda's adventures as a brilliant kid who saves the day!

NUMBER OF PAGES: 232

PRICE: Rs. 197/- (Flipkart)

RATING: 5/5

Note from Arpita- Anindita is my ten year old sister. She goes to Modern School and is in the fifth grade. And yes, she wrote the review without my help. I'm entering the Diwali Giveaway on her behalf since she does not have a blogger ID. Here's wishing a very happy Children's Day to everyone on ALOP!

Note from Anindita- Thank you, ALOP, for letting me do my first review here! I'm so excited! 

Five Get into trouble by Enid Blyton

This giveaway challenge as much as it was interesting and tempting , it caught me at wrong time. 5 days vacation at home and trust me , my mom wants to see me as far as possible from reading. but still , I did find this old , yellowed copy of "Famous Five" adventure while cleaning my book rack.

Ah ! the memories of reading many of these books in school library.

Five get into trouble is the eighth book in the Famous Five series and it opens into a delightful breakfast scene where the Five ( the kids + the dog Timmy) decide to go on a bicycling trip while their parents are away.

The descriptions of the country side , the picnic setting , the food spread , the villages they cross and the enthusiasm is so infectious that you really feel yourself transported into the scene.

Timmy and George make me smile the most with their bonding and love for each other. Julian is the perfect elder brother sort of guy . The sweetest little one Anne  and the naughty one Dick just completes the picture of friends you would love to surround yourself with.

The Five meet Richard at one of the lakes, owned by his dad and so the adventure begins as trouble follows this boy. Its like they say , "this guy was definitely bad news!" but you can't help feeling bad for him either as he is blamed for the troubles.

Dick is kidnapped 'cause of mistaken identity and the rest have to find him ASAP. They get trapped , threatened and even have to hide with a convict to escape the men responsible for all this mess up.

A little predictable (of course! ) but yes , it is sure an awesome read. a good , much needed break from the thrillers and crime fictions available today in market. The settings , the people , the writing  is all simple and endearing.

Thank you ALOP for this awesome opportunity to relive some of my childhood.

:)

Price : Does it matter ? 

A Christmas Tale by Geronimo Stilton

A CHRISTMAS TALE

Author: Geronimo Stilton (pseudonym for Elisabetta Dami)
ISBN: 9780439791311
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Scholastic India
Number of Pages: 64
Genre: Children's Literature

Language: English

Age Group: 6 + years

Price: Rs. 200 (Available for Rs. 144 on Homeshop18.com )

About the Book: A Christmas Tale from the popular Geronimo Stilton series of books for children is about the prerequisite of family during the occasion Christmas. The story of the book revolves around a talkative little mouse, Geronimo Stilton, who lives in the New Mouse City in Mouse Island. When it is finally Christmas time in the city, he is extremely sad because he finds out that he will be spending Christmas all alone as his family and friends are travelling out of town. Hence, they will not be spending Christmas eve with him. Geronimo, thus, does not feel excited in the Mouse Island as he feels uninvited and left out of everything that is happening. Will this be his loneliest Christmas ? Will he spend Christmas all by himself, with the only company of his fish called Hannibal?

Swarnali Speaks : I bought this cute book to read out to my little niece and I can say that this is a great book for the tiny tots to start their reading habits with. 

The story is simple and is in first person narrative. Geronimo Stilton is the publisher and editor of The Rodents' Gazette , the most popular newspaper in Mouse Land. Geronimo is all set with gifts ,decorations and yummy food spread for his Christmas party . But as sad as it is, he is deserted by his extended family on Christmas eve as they all set out for different trips leaving poor old Geronimo to celebrate Christmas on his own. And what fun is Christmas if you're not with you loved ones? So our dear Geronimo sets out to find company for the evening and boy, does he succeed? You bet, he does. But how? Read the book to know more :D

This book is a delightful and humorous read. I remember how I used to love picture books as a kid. The book is filled with pictures and illustrations which not only entertain the tiny ones but also help them understand the meanings of difficult words. So they learn new word meanings and get entertained. The story is simple and is written in simple and easy words so that the kids do not find it difficult to understand. 

Have you ever tried to teach good manners to a kid? If you've tried , chances are the kid will forget it the very next second you teach them :P What comes as an added bonus in this book is that the story is not just entertaining and funny but also teaches the kids the important lessons of life. It tells how important friends and family are and that festivals are occasions for all to be together and have fun. It also helps them understand the importance of values like mercy, kindness, benevolence and love without being preachy.

The niece loved reading aloud portions where Mrs.Ratillis (who has a cold) speaks, "Dear Gerodibo, I dan't find Doonflower" ( "Dear Geronimo, I can't find Moonflower" :D :P ). The names of places like Mouseland, Cheddarton, Mouseport, San Mouscisco, Slipper Slopes Glacier ; the names of the characters like Rattina, Mousart (our very own Mozart of mouse world :P) , Shortpaws, Spicytail, Gingermouse and Christmas carols like "Rudolph the red -nosed rodent" (reminiscent of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer) are very intelligent and entertaining  You can get the kid to draw and color pictures from the book after you finish reading the book and sing along the Christmas carols.

Rating :5/5

The Famous Five on a Treasure Island - Enid Blyton

Author: Enid Blyton

Genre:  Fiction,Childrens book

Publisher: Hodder and stoughton

Synopsis(As given at the back of the book) :

The very first Famous Five adventure, featuring Julian, Dick, Anne, not forgetting tomboy George and her beloved dog, Timmy! There's a shipwreck off Kirrin Island! But where is the treasure? The Famous Five are on the trail - looking for clues - but they're not alone! Someone else has got the same idea. Time is running out for the Famous Five, who will follow the clues and get to the treasure first?

AaishanniA:

Aunt Fanny's hot scones,fresh plums and tomatoes from the garden. Long cycle rides. Bathing in the sea. Hot tempered Uncle Quentin. Sneaking around in torchlight. Solving mysteries in all kinds of situations.

When I think of the Famous five that's what first comes to my mind along with a huge chunk of my childhood memories.  I loved all of Enid Blyton's books without exception but to me,  Famous five was the icing on the cake. The Famous Five are Julian (13), Dick (11), Georgina who refuses to be called anything but George (11) and Anne (9) and dear old Timmy( George's dog). Julian, Dick and Anne are cousins with George and every holiday they meet up and somehow land up in awkward or mysterious situations. They have an exciting zeal to solve these mysteries which leads to their success in doing so. 

This is the first book of the series, where Julian, Dick and Anne have nowhere to go for their holidays and thus their father suggests that they go to his brother's (Their uncle Quentin) house at Kirrin Bay. He mentions that his brother has a daughter who is Dicks age and thus it would be fun for her as well.

When they reach Kirrin Cottage, Aunt Fanny and Uncle Quentin are awaiting them but Georgina is not to be seen anywhere. Aunt Fanny has been shown to be a warm, comforting mother figure who takes care of the children very well during each vacation. Uncle Quentin is  a very well known scientist but unfortunately has not been recognized to his potential and thus feels bad that he cannot provide to his family as much as he would want to which comes off as him being hot tempered, the slightest noise can set him off. Aunt Fanny warns them that George (She wouldn't answer to anything but George) can seem a little harsh at first but after she opens up a little proves to have a heart of gold. When she finally appears Julian, Dick and Anne aren't sure whether they want to be friends with her as she comes off as bossy, rude and self centered  But slowly they begin to like one another and become inseparable. Now that George can has gained their trust, she shows them one of her greatest secrets her dog Timothy, a mongrel puppy she has adopted but has hidden from her parents as they hadn't approved of him the first time she took him home. Aunt Fanny’s Family had inherited a small peculiar looking island with a wreck on the bottom which she gave to George as her own special place and the cousins decide to go and explore it. And so the adventure begins. The children visit the far side of Kirrin Island and peer down into the water to see an old wreck below the surface. It once contained gold, George explains, but no one ever found it. Due to a fierce storm the wrecked ship is brought up to the surface. The children are excited! The ship has been explored by divers before, but never above water! Perhaps they can find the missing gold! Do they find the gold ? Well, I wouldn't want to spoil it for everyone so you would just have to read the book to know ;)

Enid Blyton’s books have delighted generations of children. Famous Five is one series that can be read and re read an infinite number of times no matter what your age. Claude Voilier has continued series in French and a number of them have been translated into English. But in my opinion nobody beats Enid Blyton. A lovely read and trip down the memory lane :’)

Rating: 5/5

Price : 150 Indian Rupees
          

Grimm's Fairy Tales for Children

There are some things so inevitably related to childhood that the first thing that most of us would remember would be the magical and whimsical stories we come to call and love as fairy tales. Glorious collections such as the Arabian Nights or Tales from the Panchatantra are always there in our minds. One of the bigger collections of such fairy tales is the collection of two hundred and eleven tales collected by the Brothers Grimm. December of this year, 2012, would be the bicentennial anniversary of this collection.

Anyone remembers Snow White and the Seven Dwarves? How about Rapunzel or maybe the sibling tale of Hansel and Gretel? We all would. These are all part of the Grimm’s Fairy Tales collection. We’d be acquainted with them very well, as with the more told stories of Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella. I don’t think a gist of these stories would be needed, but I’ll tell a couple of the lesser known (comparatively to these tales) tales.

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Golden Goose is the tale of a young man, named Simpleton, who is the youngest of three brothers. The eldest brother goes to chop wood. Proud, and vain, he refuses to help a man by giving him a morsel of rich cake or a sip of wine, and on his way back, meets with an accident. A similar fate meets the second brother. However, Simpleton does help the man, though he has only an overcooked biscuit and soured beer. For his generosity, he is rewarded by the man who points to a tree, and Simpleton, chopping it down finds a golden goose. He takes it and heads to the palace. On the way, each person who tries to pluck a feather of the goose gets stuck, the first person to the goose’s tail feather, the second to the first and so on. The princess at the palace has never laughed in her life. Seeing this procession, she does, and the king, as a reward for making his daughter laugh, gives her hand in marriage to Simpleton.

The Elves and the Shoemaker is a story of a poor cobbler and his wife, who need the money to pay rent. The kind cobbler gives his last pair of shoes to a needy lady, and has enough leather to make only one pair of shoes. Seeing his kindness, few elves come silently in the night to help the cobbler, and make a pair that the cobbler sells for a big profit. With the extra money, he buys food and also more leather to make shoes. The elves return and make two pairs of shoes, one the cobbler gives to another needy person and another to a rich customer that the previous day’s customer had recommended. Curious as to who was making the shoes, the cobbler and his wife stay up on the third night, and find the shoddily clothed elves. To repay them, the couple knit them clothes, but in doing so, lift the elves from their obligation. The cobbler and his wife never see them again.

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These are but two of many such priceless tales.

In this book of selected tales from the collection, other tales like Tom Thumb, Rumpelstiltskin and the Frog Prince are also there. Want to hear a bedtime story, kids? If you do, this book has some tales you’d love and remember for a long time to come.

Book title: Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Book authors: The Brothers Grimm

Book genre: Children’s fiction

Book price: Rs. 133 (HomeShop18)

Book publishers: Puffin Books

Book ISBN: 9780141331201

Aesop's Fables for Children

I was nine or ten years old when I first read Aesop’s Fables. It was from an exchange library that my 5th grade English teacher made compulsory. Each of my classmates gave a book to it which we loved to read, and every two weeks, we would take a new book from it. Aesop’s Fables was the first book I took out from the many that were in the “lucky draw” box. It was this book, and the library that made me realize I loved to read, and I have not forgotten these evergreen, moral showing tales even after these many years.

Aesop’s Fables gave me fun stories to read… evergreen tales of wit, wisdom and enjoyment. I think stories like The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, The Fox and the Grapes, The Milkmaid and her Pail, The Wind and the Sun, The Goose with the Golden Eggs… these are unforgettable to those who have read it, and we’d recollect them to our children too. At that age, I wasn’t very much after the moral part, but I think it helped my parents that these stories taught that too, and they used to quote from them, teach me what they meant, and I’d smile as I understood.

---

I share a gist of few stories.

The Goose with the Golden Eggs is the story of a farmer, who finds a golden egg in his goose’s nest. It happens each day, and he’s happy with all the riches that come his way. However he gets greedy, and wanting all the riches at one go, he cuts open the goose, and loses the riches he would have got with patience.

The Fox and the Grapes is the story of a fox who sees a bunch of grapes dangling high above him in the orchard, and jumps at it, trying a lot till he realizes that the grapes is too far for him to jump. He calls the grapes sour, and moves on.

The Crow and the Pitcher (who wouldn’t have read this one?!) is the story of a thirsty crow, who sees a little water at the bottom of a pitcher, that he can’t reach. Rather than give up and go away, he sees a few pebbles on the ground and puts them into the pitcher, one by one till the water rises to the top, and he can quench his thirst.

---

The number of fables credited to Aesop are many, over five hundred. Many publishers have over the years selected from them at random and published them. These books are available from as little as Rs. 50. These stories would be a part of childhood reading that would be unforgettable.

Book name: Aesop’s Fables
Book author: Assorted stories of Aesop
Book genre: Children’s fables
Book cost: Rs. 50 onward
Publishers: Various publishers

The Last Straw - Jeff Kinney

NAME OF THE BOOK: The Last Straw

1ST PUBLISHED: 2009

ISBN: 978-0-141-32492-0

GENRE: Under 18/ Kids' Stuff

SYNOPSIS:

Greg's dad wants him to change his wimpy ways, toughen up and enlist in other "manly" endeavors. And when he threatens to send Greg to military academy, Greg realizes he has to shape up...or get shipped out.

EXCERPT:

You know how you're supposed to come up with a list of resolutions at the beginning of the year to try to make yourself a better person? Well, the problem is, it's not easy for me to think of ways to improve myself, because I'm pretty much one of the best people I know.


ARPITA SPEAKS:

First of all, I know this is going to make me sound like a control freak, but the reason why I picked this up was because I wanted to keep a track of the kind of fiction my kid sister reads. (Yes, it makes it look like I'm bossy when it comes to her; something that a certain someone on ALOP happily reminds me from time to time.)

ANYWAY, coming to the point, this book from the Wimpy Kid series is all about Greg Heffley's desperate attempt to fight the cruel world around him in their struggle to change him into a different person. (Note: exaggeration.) Our hero tries hard to hold on to everything that defines him: lethargy, wiles, and 'funk'. Greg is, in other words, exactly the kind of person who would want to weasel out of doing any substantial work. And for a wimp, he is quite proud of himself.

Greg does every possible thing to get you to profusely thank your stars that you do not have this sort of a guy anywhere in the vicinity. However, everything seems funny when it's happening to someone else, right, so I was obviously enjoying reading about his antics. While this does not really come across as the stuff that makes best sellers, the book is nevertheless entertaining- even if it is pretty lame.

The journal is full of ridiculous excuses that Greg comes up with, either to get out of joining a football team or writing his term paper, which will make you shake your head and wonder whether Greg is contesting for the Stupidest Joke of the Year Award (if there is one). In spite of the cheesy jokes and slapstick humor, the Diary has some portions that will definitely make you laugh out loud- I am talking about the hilarious illustrations, possibly the only impressive thing about this series. The best is probably the picture of Greg's younger brother who, according to one of my friend's mum, looks remarkably like an overgrown insect.

This is the sort of book you'd pick up when it's lying around and you'd rather read than watch something equally ludicrous on TV. Otherwise, you may skip this one.


RATING: 2.5 on 5

PRICE: Rs.199/- (Puffin)

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism

AUTHOR: Georgia Byng

ISBN: 0-330-39985-3

1st PUBLISHED: 2002 by MacMillan Children’s Books

GENRE: Under 18/ Kids’ Stuff

SYNOPSIS:

Orphan Molly Moon was found as a baby in a box marked ‘Moon’s Marshmallows.’ For ten miserable years she’s lived under the cruel rule of Miss Adderstone in grim Hardwick House. But her life changes overnight when she finds a mysterious book on hypnotism and discovers an amazing talent- the power to make people do anything she wants them to. Escaping from the orphanage, Molly flies to New York in search of fame and fortune. But her adventures in hypnotism lead her into the clutches of a dangerous enemy…

EXCERPT:

Sometimes, when bad luck comes your way, you think it will never end. Molly Moon often felt this way about her luck, which wasn’t surprising since she was so often in trouble. If only she’d known that her luck was about to change, she might have enjoyed the following day, for at the end of it Molly would feel that all sorts of wonderful things were going to happen to her. But that morning, from the moment she opened her eyes after a sound sleep on her lumpy orphanage mattress, Molly’s day started to go wrong…

ARPITA SPEAKS:

With Christmas just round the corner, this is the book that matches perfectly the spirit of the season. Very subtly, such that you might not even notice it initially, Georgia Byng brings to light the miracle of kindness in the story of a little girl who hated her life, and dared to change it.

Molly Moon’s life at the orphanage is as pathetic as one can imagine, with Miss Adderstone’s pet Hazel and her gang bullying her at every possible opportunity. Of course, things are not always so bad when kind Mrs. Trinklebury comes to visit, or when Molly and her best friend Rocky find a few stolen moments of joy with the adorable younger children. It is when Rocky gets adopted by an American family that Molly decides to break her ties with the inhabitants of Hardwick House, for the only person she could call family left her forever.

Molly’s emotions, not just at this point but throughout the novel, are wonderfully easy to relate to; her search for an identity, her craving for a family, her sense of insecurity and bouts of jealousy, her dreams of making it big and the delight at actually making it big, as well as the impact that fame and fortune have on little Molly are incredibly realistic. The twist in the story comes with the entry of the formidable Professor Nockman:

He smiled. Perhaps it was a good thing that this girl had found the hypnotism book. Maybe she was better at it than he could ever hope to be. So when he found this M. Moon, all he need do was control her. After all, she was only a child. She could give him a ride to the top…

The narrative of this book- originally meant for children- is elementary, but the storyline is engaging enough to interest readers from all age groups. The novel is full of unexpected surprises and the little nuggets of humor make it three hundred and thirty pages of pure pleasure.

RATING: 4 on 5

PRICE: Rs.238/- (Flipkart)

The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

 

[review on request]

THE SECRET GARDEN

FIRST PRINTED - 1911

AUTHOR - Frances Hodgson Burnett

BEST-SELLERS - A Little Princess ; Little Lord Flauntleroy

SYNOPSIS - Mary is alone. Her parents are dead and no one remembers her. When she is found, she is sent back to England to her Uncle's place. There, in the Manor, she hunts for a hidden garden that no one has been to in the last 10 years. Slowly but surely, Mary's life is changing.

EXCERPT - She slept a long time, and when she awakened Mrs. Medlock had bought a lunchbasket at one of the stations and they had some chicken and cold beef and bread and butter and some hot tea. The rain seemed to be streaming down more heavily than ever and everybody in the station wore wet and glistening waterproofs. The guard lighted the lamps in the carriage, and Mrs. Medlock cheered up very much over her tea and chicken and beef. She ate a great deal and afterward fell asleep herself, and Mary sat and stared at her and watched her fine bonnet slip on one side until she herself fell asleep once more in the corner of the carriage, lulled by the splashing of the rain against the
windows. 

It was quite dark when she awakened again. The train had stopped at a station and Mrs.Medlock was shaking her.

FL Speaks - WHAT A BOOK!!!! I mean what a book!!! Introducing Mary, who was a British child of ten, living in India during the British Raj regime. Her description made me hate her. She was spoilt, surrounded by Indian servants. Yet there was something about her that made me pity her too. She was the only child and she was always sick. Her mother never had time for her and she was never allowed to meet othe people. During the Cholera breakout, most of the people living in the bungalow died, the rest of the servants ran off. No one remembered her, because she was hardly seen. Finally someone gets to her and sends her back to her uncle who lived in England.

Its from here onwards, that i started loving this book. England was new to Mary. The servants behaved differently and Mary realised that the customs were different than India. She had to learn to dress herself and tie her own shoes, as is expected from a lady. She started roaming around and the fresh air was good to her. Mrs Warden, the housekeeper told her of a garden that once belonged to her aunt was now locked by her uncle for the last 10 years. And being a child, it became her determintaion to find a way. She became close friends with on her maid's younger brother and they found the secret garden and they promised to make it alive again and keep it a secret.

Mary later finds out she has a cousin in the house who is always sick. Soon Mary and Colin's friendship grows much to the astonishment of the family staff. This is the story of Mary and Colin. This is a story of how life should be lived. I laughed out loud with those two, i felt their pain and their anguish. I believed in their spirit as they tried not to let obstacles stop them. A children's book. Yes, this is a children's book. Its amazing a children's book can tug at your heart. I spent all night reading this book and just couldn't let go. The little schemes they come up with, the play acting they did, the belief in themselves makes me want to go back to childhood.

There is something about children that draws magic. No i am not talking of voodoo or sorcery. Just call it Magic. Its this belief in something that changes Mary's life. Its this Magic that brings her to Colin.

THIS IS A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE. No its not written by Tolkien ot Rowling or Sheldon. Yes, its for kids. But no matter how old you are, if you are still a kid at heart, this book will take you back to those days. The story gets a bit repetitive at times and few of the pages will actually make u laugh in disbileif, but isn't that what the kid in you does. Believe in something. Believe in innocence. Believe in magic. We all need a reminder now and then. We all need A SECRET GARDEN now and then. In a long, long time, a book, actually made me cry.

My Rating - 5 out of 5. Nothing less.

PRICE - INR 99/- by Penguin

E-Book Link - The Secret Garden

P.S| I don't know how to thank you SMITA for asking us to review this book. Thank you.