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Parenting
Why The Secret Garden Still Heals Hearts: Book Review, Themes and Parenting Takeaways
Why This Classic Still Matters?
Mistress Mary, Quite Contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With Silver Bells and Cockles Shells
And Marigolds all in a row.
This unlikely Children’s poem has many versions and in The Secret Garden (1911) written by Frances Hodgson Burnett the above versions threw to light how children of judge children best.The books theme is about how kids grow best playing in Nature’s lap.Even in the absence of parents,Mother Nature can heal broken hearts.In this Secret Garden book review I will tell you about “healing through nature”.Its not just a “children’s classic”,its a treasure for the
Its about a little girl who belongs to no one.But she is not denied material comforts,just love.She has never been hugged and even when she receives it she is awkward.
One Liner
Orphaned Mary Lennox discovers a locked garden that transforms her and those around her forever.
Short Summary
Mary Lennox moves from colonial India(a lot of her description is disturbing to those who are unaware of the British Empires colonial past) to Yorkshire after losing her parents. She finds a hidden, neglected garden and slowly brings it back to life with new friends. As the garden blooms,how does Mary and her cousin Colin change?
Key Themes Parents and Teachers Will Love
Healing power of nature: Outdoor play and gardening linked with better mood, health, and resilience.
About second chances and learning from nature.
The power of belief and mindset: Colin’s health and its relationship with his fear and negative beliefs
Its about Growth Mindset Before it had a name
Through her journey,we find healing comes from self reflection.
Nature has a big role to play
We must play.
We must let chldren be.Too much minding and meddling robs then of growth.
Sometimes helping others heal ,heals us.
Nature is important for wellbeing.
Children need Children for playing.
Sunlight and fresh air is good for everyone.
Children should neither get their way all the time nor should they be forever deprived.
Children learn from watching.Loving them teaches them about learning to love.
Some stories never grow old.
Structure and discipline is as important as play time and healthy food for kids.
Children learn better when they are interested to learn.
Growing a garden changes you forever.I wrote about this in How to Walk ,Write and Garden for the Healthy Life You Want .
What Stands Out in This Book
The garden as a symbol of inner healing and emotional regulation.
Strong focus on nature, fresh air and playtime instead of only “sickroom care” and structured exercise.It talks about how nature is essential for kids .
Who is this book for?
Kids
Ideal age range: roughly 8–15 years; younger children will love it ,if read aloud .
Mom’s of kids
Father of kids who want a better understanding of what little girls like.
For nature lovers.I read it as an adult and absolutely loved it.
Pediatricians,Social Scientists exploring nature as a parameter for wellbeing.Its a classic example of epigenetics/environment affecting childhood development.
How is this classic is perfect for modern day parents and conversation about Mental health ?
- The story talks about grief, loneliness and making friends without it becoming preachy.
- It talks about outdoor time being crucial for children especially those with anxiety, irritability,attention deficit, low energy.My book on How to Walk ,Write and Garden for the Healthy Life You Want talks about the same for adults.
- Its the perfect book to support the current conversations about children needing more green time vs screentime.
“If you enjoyed this Secret Garden book review, share it and check my other classic children’s book reviews for more nature-and-wellness reads.
- Anne of Green Gables ,Anne of Avonlea are some other favorite Children’s classic with strong nature themes.
- Book review:Handbook of Day to Day Parenting Tips https://healthwealthbridge.com/book-review-handbook-parenting-tips/
- Books by Dr.Amrita Basu https://healthwealthbridge.com/books-by-dr-amrita-basu/
- A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers will Rule the world … https://healthwealthbridge.com/a-whole-new-mind-summary/
Peer‑reviewed evidence on green nature time for kids(compiled with the help of Perplexity)
- McCormick R (2017). “Does access to green space impact the mental well-being of children?”
- Review concludes that green space is associated with better mental well-being, overall health and cognitive development, improved attention, self-discipline and even higher test scores.
- Dadvand P et al. (2015). “Green spaces and cognitive development in primary schoolchildren.”
- Found that more greenness around schools was linked to better 12‑month progress in working memory and reduced inattentiveness in primary school children.
- Dockx Y et al. (2022). “Early life exposure to residential green space impacts cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children.”
- Residential green space at ages 4–6 was associated with less hyperactivity and better attention and visual memory, independent of air pollution.
- Saenen ND et al. (2023). “Residential green space improves cognitive performances in children.”
- Panel study showed that children aged 9–12 living with more surrounding greenery had better cognitive performance, even after accounting for traffic-related air pollution.
- Cronshaw G et al. (2025). “The role of neighbourhood greenspace quantity on mental health and cognitive outcomes in childhood.”
- Longitudinal analysis from the UK Millennium Cohort found that greenspace quantity influenced trajectories of conduct problems and cognitive ability across childhood.
- Review: “Green space access in the neighbourhood and childhood obesity.” (Obesity Reviews, 2020).
- Systematic review: access to green space was positively associated with physical activity and negatively associated with TV time, BMI and overweight/obesity in children.
- Built environment & obesity reviews (2021–2024).
- Reviews highlight that green/open spaces, playgrounds and natural features support outdoor play, reduce sedentary time and improve cardiorespiratory fitness in children.
- Systematic review on greenspace, bluespace and cognition in 0–18 year olds (2023).
- Summarises evidence that exposure to green and blue spaces is linked with better cognitive outcomes in children and adolescents.
Citations
[1] How to WALK,Write & Garden for the Healthy Life you want |Wellness Secrets #DrAmritaBasu #audiobook https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBks1zGb9IA
[2] How to Walk Write and Garden for the Healthy Life You … https://www.storytel.com/in/books/how-to-walk-write-and-garden-for-the-healthy-life-you-want-mind-body-spirit-10169870
[3] How to Walk Write and Garden for the Healthy Life You Want https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/audiobook/how-to-walk-write-and-garden-for-the-healthy-life-you-want
[4] Browse Audiobooks Read By Amrita Basu https://www.audiobooks.com/browse/narrator/310373/amrita-basu
[5] Audiobook Archives https://healthwealthbridge.com/tag/audiobook/
[6] Does Access to Green Space Impact the Mental Well-being … https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28882650/
[7] Early life exposure to residential green space impacts … https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8885429/
[8] Green spaces and cognitive development in primary … https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4491800/
[9] Outdoor environment and obesity: A review of current evidence – PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11585820/
[10] Residential green space improves cognitive performances … https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36998070/
[11] The role of neighbourhood greenspace quantity on mental … https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40125921/
[12] Green space access in the neighbourhood and childhood obesity https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7988598/
[13] The Built Environment and Childhood Obesity – PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11443065/
[14] Childhood obesity: an ecological perspective – PMC – PubMed Central https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9510906/
[15] The relationship between natural environments and obesity – PubMed https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39445442/
[16] Exposure to greenspace and bluespace and cognitive … https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36731600/
[17] Healthwealthbridge by Dr.Amrita Basu | Podcast on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1Y54sFhYMF1aBOhEragWY2
[18] How to Walk Write and Garden for the Healthy Life you … https://www.facebook.com/HWBdramrita/videos/how-to-walk-write-and-garden-for-the-healthy-life-you-want-by-dramrita-basuaudio/2361772270928971/
[19] Audiobooks narrated by Amrita Basu https://www.lovereading.co.uk/audiobooks/narrator/amrita-basu
[20] How to Walk Write and Garden for the Healthy Life You Want … https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSEabB_iB62/
[21] Dr.Amrita Basu ( Misra) https://x.com/misra_amrita/status/1935317119157289469
Sharing is good Karma!
How to Raise a Reader: 10 Tips from a Bookworm Mommy #MondayMommyMoments 47
Raising a reader is even more difficult than being a reader. My grandma from the paternal side was a career woman in the 60s and 70s. My mom and all my aunts had full-time jobs at a time when women hardly studied or thought about being financially independent.They were all book lovers.Parents, and grandparents all have a role to play in giving us our reading genes. Moms I feel have the biggest role to play.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
When I was a kid I remember I spent my summer vacations reading fairy tales with my mom and coloring the pictures and sketches that came with the books. Sometimes they didn’t need to be colored, but try telling that to a five-year-old.I never remember my mom ever pushing me to read a book.I read books, newspapers magazines anything I could get my hands on. The second-hand/much-loved book library at Golpark was a treasure trove. The books were often torn, sometimes dirty and dog-eared, and sometimes outright smelly but if it was a Perry Mason(later ), an Agatha Christie, a Famous Five I would read it. My father used to take me there and the reading cost was a flat rate of Rs 10 and a deposit of Rs 100 depending on how many books you took.
A cost-effective, eco-friendly, just right for book-friendly people.
My daughter likes reading her fairytale books with plenty of pics. She loves being read too. As a family, we read all the time for fun, education, as a weekend activity, and family activity too. We study together all the time. My hubby, unfortunately, doesn’t read storybooks. But that’s what having a voracious mother for a reader helped. I read to her when she was a baby, I told her stories when she was inside me. Now we read to each other.
Tips from a Bookworm Mommy to Raise a Reader
#1 Read to her even if you think she doesn’t understand. Remember your voice, emotions, and vocabulary all have a role to play in her growing up. Not audiobooks and not storytime on YouTube .read to her even if it’s one page per day. Audiobooks are important but not just then!
#2 Tell her about why you love reading. Talk to her about the joys of learning to read. Tell her stories about your first books and how you made friends over a shared interest in books.
#3 Read something you would enjoy too.I still love reading Famous Five and Faraway tree and all Enid Blyton books. So Start reading something which works for both and it won’t be a chore.
#4 Comics are not all bad. The wonder woman, Superman, Phantom, Birbal, and even Archie’s comic books taught us something. So don’t ban things. Just keep a watch on what she consumes. What she reads she will learn. So more positive the message the better it is.
#5 Try picture books when they are very young. I believe it’s never too early to buy books. It’s a journey, better to start slowly and steadily. The tactile pleasure of turning pages is incomparable.
#6 Have books at home. My shelves are full of colorful children’s books, my own and some new ones. My daughter likes picking up one and trying to read when she finds us reading our books. That’s an easy one to establish a love and respect for books.
#7 Have book reading tea parties with her friends. Where they each read a chapter of a fun book they pick together. It’s a cool way to make reading interactive and is like a Grandma goose storytime. Just better
#8 Ask her to read the same book or different books or mix them up. Both help in wiring up the brain to recognize and pronounce the words and similar ones. This helps in fluency and better reading skills.
#9 Carry a book for her when you have to wait somewhere. Don’t give her your phone give her the book.
#10 Take her to libraries and bookshops with you. Some of my fondest childhood memories are the library visits with my sister. She was a reluctant reader at first who one day became a bookworm!
Be thankful for books and reading and spread the joy around. Give her books as gifts with toys. Books are my favorite gift, even more than chocolates.I think the love of reading is contagious at least from mothers to daughters it is!
Research and educationist suggest
To raise a reader, be a reader.
I think that is the crux of it. We have to lead by example. One day I want her to read my blog, my books ,my stories about her, and my advice to her. I may or may not be there. When she grows up as a reader she will one day know how much being her mommy made me a writer and an artist.
Do you want a list of free ebooks for kids?Project Gutenberg is a good starting point.
Writing this for #MondayMommyMoments.
#MondayMommyMoments Prompt this week :
So don’t stop writing. This was written as part of #MondayMommyMoments because Good things happen to those who persist.You can also read my post 16 Secret Study tips from a Bookworm Doctor Mommy
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Importance of reading
Today’s post was written by my daughter for her class 7 school work ,which I am publishing on the blog now.
Today I will be sharing my thoughts on the importance of reading.
Reading is a life long skill and hobby that a improves both your reasoning skills as well as vocabulary. Books require no gadget, no internet connection to be read , (unless its on an ebook/ pdf online.)
This activity can help you both spend your time well, along with having fun. It can satisfy your curiosity about the world. There are of course many genres to read from, and it depends on the reader whether they prefer fiction, or non-fiction.
Some people (like me and my mom) love re-reading old favorites as comfort read.
So,why read a book ?
Here are some benefits of reading books. .
- Firstly, it boosts your focus and concentration.
- Secondly, it exposes you to new languages, words, world,cultures,and concepts.It opens up the mind and makes one more accepting of new ideas,thoughts and people.
- Thirdly it help you build creative thinking skills. Thinking out of the box, helps you navigate tricky situations in real life and helps you become more resilient.
- It is a super skill, that lets you explore life from different points of views and angles and travel the world from your home.
- It helps you find teachers amongst great men and women,who are no more but have written down their words on paper.
- Also it helps you relax and become mindful.
- It builds empathy and social skills.I make friends way easily .
- It helps you become good in studies ,because learning requires good reading skill.Reading is very beneficial to students and plays an important role in academies. Research has found that Children with better reading skill find understanding topics easier.
- It helps you write better and become a better communicator
- Reading is a super skill and the best part is…it’s fun too!
Nowadays we can’t see may many people who’ll say that they like to read.Mostly everyone is busy with devices. Though I myself like to read, its uncommon to find someone else with the same hobby except my mother,my aunt and my grand ma .My mother reads everything including my messages .
Sharing is good Karma!
One Percent Improvement Daily
What’s one small improvement you can make in your life?
On April 22nd , Hindu tourists in Kashmir ,India was killed after checking their religious identity .It made Bharat remember how it all started thousands of years ago and Pakistan got their due.
It’s a temporary,unwritten ceasefire where the Government of India is clear that terrorism will be dealt with appropriately and punitively.
In the last few weeks I realized the broken window theory can have a positive spin.
But before I go into that,here’s a short synopsis of the Broken window theory.
The Broken Window Theory was proposed by James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982.Its a psychological theory suggesting that visible signs of disorder, like a broken window left unrepaired, will lead to a further decline in order and potentially an increase in crime.
TLDR:If you address minor offenses and maintain a sense of order can deter more serious crimes.
This is important for law and order,discipline at schools,colleges and civil society over all.
A simple version of it is-
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
Now since I talked about a positive spin on the broken window thing,I meant improving by 1percent every day.James Clear made self improvement easier.
Learn something new,be a little kinder, procrastinate less,stop judging so much …you know the drill right.
So for me ,I plan to write again .Everyday. The Pahalgam Islamic terrorism incident ,killing innocent Indians made writing difficult. Calling a spade a “spade” is important. Because in this world narrative is also important.
Prayers for all the people who lost their lives in Pahalgam, all the fallen soldiers and gratitude for GOI and the Indian Army.Its not easy walking the talk.Its even more difficult to do the right thing,in this day and age when gaslighting the victim is the usual with a strange lack of moral courage.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said
Terror and talks cannot happen simultaneously.
Terror and trade cannot happen simultaneously.
Water and blood cannot flow simultaneously.
Let’s repair those broken windows.Its way past time.
Sharing is good Karma!
10 Things My Mother Gifted Me!
My mother sends me WhatsApp forwards every morning and most nights.Sometimes it’s a pretty picture with a good morning and good night,some times wisdom ,funny stories and sometimes pictures with quotes.
She sends me sensible quotes,memes,funny videos and they often make me smile.
10 Things My Mother Gifted Me!
Love,Time,Education,Dreams,Health,Hope,Strength, Courage,Persistence,Friendship.These are my mother’s gift for me.
How exactly did my mother do that?She wasn’t very patient,but she persisted.She didn’t sit down with my home work after 6th grade, but kept an eye on me while doing house work ,to see I sat down to do my work.She didn’t buy me new books every month ,but enrolled me in a library.She didn’t have the budget for more than one dress during Durga Puja,but she ensured we had all our school books.I wasn’t the easiest child growing up,but I was a determined one.She helped me understand, the path to a better life is in my hand, if I studied hard and did my best,God will do the rest.
By walking the talk ,my mother showed me the path to a better life .She appreciated the power of a good education and did everything in her power to help me study hard.I made mistakes along the way,suffered because of them .But survived.They definitely made me stronger and helped me stay very sure about “what”,”whom” I didn’t want in my life.
My daughter told me she doesn’t want me to read parenting books because they hack my brain .My husband once told me “be the way you want your daughter to be. “My daughter was two ,she was having a tantrum and I was having a melt-down.
I don’t know how my mother managed two kids with so little help and resources.She didn’t always have all the answers ,but she provided a stable home and a sense of security which is crucial for growing up .But she also didn’t spare-the-rod and that is a scar I am still working on.
As a kid I was strange .May be I am still strange by many standards. But becoming a mother helped me accept a lot of those strange stuff which are also my strengths.Strange or different needn’t be bad,they just might be “don’t-know- what-to-do-with-it-but-helpful-for-my-work category.
But I am starting to realize I am a WIP(work in process) just like all other people,nature, art.The master artist is helping me tweak the unclear parts and the picture is becoming clearer.
What I don’t want to become is a know-it-all .That’s irritating. Unfortunately I am a know-it all,since I was about four and my life and work has been a series of “wow I didn’t know that”.
My mother has taught me to accept myself flaws and all and still try being better.So if I ever wrote an autobiography, it would be “I didn’t know it all”.
