A review by kathyellendavis
The Secret Garden on 81st Street: A Modern Retelling of the Secret Garden by Ivy Noelle Weir

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

Loved this modern retelling of The Secret Garden. The warm illustrations draw you right in. The kids are such great characters, and the garden is lovely and you can learn a lot about plants by reading. Love that we see representation of interracial marriage and gay marriage in this version too. Colin's anxiety is explained really well and the empathy and understanding the characters have for him will help readers feel the same about people in their world. Managing grief is modeled in a few different ways too. A great read.