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A Year in the Life of the Secret Garden

Author: Valarie Budayr
Illustrator: Marilyn Scott-Waters
Publication Date: November, 2014
Publisher: Audrey Press
Pages: 144
Recommended Ages: 5 to 99

About the book

Award-winning authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.

Over 140 pages, with 200 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room.

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My Review: June

I love The Secret Garden. I’ve read the book, seen two movies based on the book and listened to an audio version of the book. It is such an endearing and heartwarming story. So when I got the chance to review A Year in the Secret Garden, I was so excited! This book takes each month of the year and gives you ideas how to experience all of the wonderful aspects of The Secret Garden throughout the year.

I am going to share the month of June with you. June starts with a midsummer garden tea party. With recipes for “ladybug” sandwiches, rainbow fruit kabobs and lemon cookies, your garden tea party will surely be a success. June also includes making daisy chains, flower pressing, and more!

My favorite part of the June section of this book is the character study. This explores the Victorian/Edwardian family life. It is so interesting to see how much times have changed since that era. In some ways, I wish things were the same since there was so much more respect from children to their elders.

Each month is filled with exciting new recipes and crafts to try as well as information to read and learn from. The pictures are colorful and little sayings and poems are included as well. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves The Secret Garden!

About Author Valarie Budayr

Valarie Budayr loves reading and bringing books alive. Her popular website, www.jumpintoabook.com;, inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure. She is founder of Audrey Press, an independent publishing house, as well as an Amazon and iTunes best-selling author. She has written The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Valarie is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and encouraging families and schools to pull books off the shelves and stories off the pages.

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About Illustrator Marilyn Scott-Waters

Marilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper. Her popular website, www.thetoymaker.com;, receives 2,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things. She is the creator of a paper toy craft book series The Toymaker’s Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling), and The Toymaker’s Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling). She is also the co-creator with J. H. Everett of the middle grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, (Christy Ottaviano Books / Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). Ms. Scott-Waters illustrated The Search For Vile Things (Scholastic), and created paper engineering for Pop & Sniff Fruit (Piggy Toes Press).