The Secret Garden meets Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in this rich, charming middle grade adventure about a girl determined to infiltrate her grandmother’s enchanted garden with the help of some magically gifted friends.
Mallory Estate is the last place twelve-year-old Piper Peavey wants to spend her summer vacation. The grounds are always cold, the garden out back is dead, a mysterious group of children call the property home, and there’s a rumor that Melena M. Mallory—the owner of the estate and Piper’s wealthy grandmother—is a witch.
But when Piper’s father falls ill, Mallory Estate is exactly where she finds herself.
The grand house and its garden hold many secrets—some of which may even save her father—and Piper will need to believe in herself, her new friends, andmagic if she wants to unlock them before it’s too late.
Bowman creates an adventure story featuring a plucky heroine who shoulders heavy emotional burdens while facing an ethical dilemma…The book’s strength is its grounding in reality, both in its modern-day setting and in its limitation of magic as a problem-solver.
The writing is smooth, and Piper’s dialogue with the children and her mother purposefully advances the plot. [T]ension … electrifies the story.
A big, spooky house, a likable bunch of capable kids, and a refreshing (if bittersweet) acceptance of the fact that there are some things not even magic can fix.
Piper Peavey is a protagonist all her own in a spellbinding story that has a touch of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and a dab of Circus Mirandus.
Magical and mysterious, a captivating read from start to beautiful end.
This book has strong Secret Garden vibes with a magical twist and a plot that races. Erin Bowman has penned a must read for middle graders!
A creepy house, a daring rescue, a magic portal, a secret garden—this book has everything that the best books of my childhood had.
Erin Bowman has woven a wonderful tale full to the brim with characters you’ll want to follow far beyond the last page.
I loved getting lost in this story and can’t wait to share it with fans of other kids’ classics old and modern, from The Secret Garden to Harriet the Spy to Three Times Lucky and Nevermoor.
U.S. and Canada: Simon & Schuster
UK Audio: Audible UK
Audio: Dreamscape
Romania: Editura Art