The Secret Garden

July 14, 2003
Soothing and mellifluous, native Briton Bailey's voice proves an excellent instrument for polishing up a new edition of Burnett's story. Bratty and spoiled Mary Lennox is orphaned when her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak in India. As a result, Mary becomes the ward of an uncle in England she has never met. As she hesitantly tries to carve a new life for herself at imposing and secluded Misselthwaite Manor, Mary befriends a high-spirited boy named Dickon and investigates a secret garden on the Manor grounds. She also discovers a sickly young cousin, Colin, who has been shut away in a hidden Manor room. Together Mary and Dickon help Colin blossom, and in the process Mary finds her identity and melts the heart of her emotionally distant uncle. Bailey makes fluid transitions between the voices and accents of various characters, from terse Mrs. Medlock and surly groundskeeper Ben to chipper housemaid Martha. And most enjoyably, she gives Mary a believably childlike voice. A brief biography of the author is included in an introduction. Ages 6-12.

This timeless classic has been produced a number of times; the book offers a wonderful opportunity for a narrator, and Wanda McCaddon eagerly takes up its various challenges. McCaddon deftly handles the story's variety of accents, distinguishing between class and regional accents, including the broad Yorkshire spoken by Dicken. Though at times McCaddon doesn't distinguish as clearly between some characters' voices--her Colin and Mary sound quite alike in places--this has little ill effect. Because McCaddon is so engaged by the story and because Hodgson Burnett's characters are so distinct, they leave little room for confusion. The overall effort is very satisfying. This unabridged version is a great choice for family listening. J.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine