The secret garden on 81st street : a modern graphic retelling of The Secret Garden
(Graphic Novel)

Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel gets a graphic makeover in this adaptation set in modern-day New York City. Prickly Mary Lennox is sent from California to live with her widowed uncle, Archie, in his echoey brownstone after her parents die. While she's initially reluctant to warm up to the city, uncovering secrets about the rooftop garden cultivated by her uncle's late husband, Masahiro, helps her frosty nature begin to thaw. Apart from the updated cast and setting (Mary is biracial; her uncle and Colin are Black), Weir adds a contemporary spin to the plot around Colin--rather than a mysterious ailment, he's beset by crippling panic attacks. His anxiety disorder is treated sensitively, thanks to the presence of his therapist, and the garden becomes a therapeutic site for Colin, Mary, and, eventually, Archie. With pleasantly cartoonish figures and a warm palette, Padilla makes great use of the panel space, focusing on expressive faces, wider scenes of the city, and, importantly, the garden to cultivate emotional depth and atmosphere. This easy introduction to a classic novel will appeal to readers of character-driven comics.

Gr 4--7--After the sudden death of her parents, Mary Lennox leaves her lonely life in Silicon Valley for a fresh start at her uncle Archie Craven's apartment in New York City. Initially standoffish, Mary blossoms while exploring the city and forging friendships with neighbor Martha, friendly bodega owner Ben, and bodega cat Robin. After discovering the missing key to a rooftop garden, Mary seeks help from Dickon, Martha's brother, to transform the neglected space. Keeping their work on the garden secret is paramount, especially after Mary uncovers the reason behind the mysterious third-floor noises: her previously unknown cousin Colin, who believes something is wrong with his heart and stays inside out of fear of a heart attack, though doctors have diagnosed him with anxiety. Restoring the rooftop garden to its former glory will require Mary and Colin to band together and dig into their grief. This graphic novel retelling of The Secret Garden hits the essential plot points of the original but offers more inclusive representation, with LGBTQ characters, people of color, and those dealing with mental health issues. Mary, Colin, and Uncle Archie all struggle to overcome loss. Colin's anxiety and panic disorder are handled sensitively thanks to the presence of a therapist and informative character discussions. The subdued colors and cartoony illustrations will pull in young readers. A love letter to New York, the story depicts well-known locations like Central Park. Mary, Colin, and Uncle Archie are brown-skinned; Martha and Dickon are white. VERDICT Readers will appreciate this ultimately hopeful story of loss and change. Hand especially to young readers seeking fictional works that deal with grief and anxiety.--Pearl Derlaga, York County P.L., VA

In this graphic novel reboot of Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic, Mary Lennox's Uncle Craven lives in a present-day New York City town house; Mary's parents worked in the Silicon Valley tech industry before their untimely deaths. Mary soon meets her uncle's prickly housekeeper and her gregarious babysitter, Martha, and she becomes fast friends with Martha's younger brother, Dickon. Mary gets to know the city, exploring its iconic cultural institutions and food scene and befriending the local bodega owner and his cat. Mary learns from Martha that her uncle's standoffishness stems from the devastating death of his husband, Masahiro, but she senses that her new home holds other secrets as well after hearing unexplained noises during the night. Martha also mentions the beautiful rooftop garden that Masahiro cultivated--and Mary is determined to find it. Accessing the garden and finding Colin, an ailing cousin who suffers from panic disorder, living upstairs, Mary teams up with Dickon to nurture both. Mary and Dickon are kind and supportive, and Colin's therapist provides professional guidance. As the garden grows, so do the opportunities for friendship and healing in a story that modernizes this timeless storyline. The simple panel layout and clear, colorful illustrations with easy-to-read speech bubbles make the plot easy even for young readers less familiar with graphic novels to follow. Most characters are brown skinned; the housekeeper, Martha, and Dickon read as White. Empathy and self-discovery fuel this updated classic. (Graphic fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel gets a graphic makeover in this adaptation set in modern-day New York City. Prickly Mary Lennox is sent from California to live with her widowed uncle, Archie, in his echoey brownstone after her parents die. While she's initially reluctant to warm up to the city, uncovering secrets about the rooftop garden cultivated by her uncle's late husband, Masahiro, helps her frosty nature begin to thaw. Apart from the updated cast and setting (Mary is biracial; her uncle and Colin are Black), Weir adds a contemporary spin to the plot around Colin—rather than a mysterious ailment, he's beset by crippling panic attacks. His anxiety disorder is treated sensitively, thanks to the presence of his therapist, and the garden becomes a therapeutic site for Colin, Mary, and, eventually, Archie. With pleasantly cartoonish figures and a warm palette, Padilla makes great use of the panel space, focusing on expressive faces, wider scenes of the city, and, importantly, the garden to cultivate emotional depth and atmosphere. This easy introduction to a classic novel will appeal to readers of character-driven comics. Grades 3-6. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 4–7—After the sudden death of her parents, Mary Lennox leaves her lonely life in Silicon Valley for a fresh start at her uncle Archie Craven's apartment in New York City. Initially standoffish, Mary blossoms while exploring the city and forging friendships with neighbor Martha, friendly bodega owner Ben, and bodega cat Robin. After discovering the missing key to a rooftop garden, Mary seeks help from Dickon, Martha's brother, to transform the neglected space. Keeping their work on the garden secret is paramount, especially after Mary uncovers the reason behind the mysterious third-floor noises: her previously unknown cousin Colin, who believes something is wrong with his heart and stays inside out of fear of a heart attack, though doctors have diagnosed him with anxiety. Restoring the rooftop garden to its former glory will require Mary and Colin to band together and dig into their grief. This graphic novel retelling of The Secret Garden hits the essential plot points of the original but offers more inclusive representation, with LGBTQ characters, people of color, and those dealing with mental health issues. Mary, Colin, and Uncle Archie all struggle to overcome loss. Colin's anxiety and panic disorder are handled sensitively thanks to the presence of a therapist and informative character discussions. The subdued colors and cartoony illustrations will pull in young readers. A love letter to New York, the story depicts well-known locations like Central Park. Mary, Colin, and Uncle Archie are brown-skinned; Martha and Dickon are white. VERDICT Readers will appreciate this ultimately hopeful story of loss and change. Hand especially to young readers seeking fictional works that deal with grief and anxiety.—Pearl Derlaga, York County P.L., VA