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The Play Guide for The Secret Garden was created by:
Jamie Tymchuk Learning and Engagement Associate
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The Secret Garden runs from April 17th to May 19th, 2018 For tickets, visit theatrecalgary.com or call (403) 294-7447 Front cover art direction and graphic design by Punch & Judy Inc. Photography by David Cooper.
Table of Contents THE BASICS Cast and Creative Team Who’s Who? Time and Place The Story EXPLORATIONS The Secret Garden of Maytham Come to My Garden An Interview with Stafford Arima Terms to Know Interesting Facts Mary, Mary, How does your Garden Grow? An Interview with Greer Hunt A Bit of Earth
1 2 2 2
3 5 7 7 8 10
CONVERSATIONS Conversation Starters The Secret Garden Movie Night Recommended Reads from Calgary Public Library
13 13 14
LEARNING Cooking in the Garden Crossword Sources Answer Key
15 16 17 18
THE BASICS
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Cast and Creative Team
The Secret Garden Book and Lyrics by Marsha Norman Music by Lucy Simon Based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett
THE CAST Laura Brandt Matthew Bruce Lucian-River Mirage Chauhan Matt Chittick Dave Comeau Eric Craig Ma-Anne Dionisio Tory Doctor Susan Gilmour Jillian Hannah Greer Hunt Allison Lynch Doug McKeag Elizabeth Stepkowski Tarhan Trisha Talreja Brent Thiessen Suchiththa Wickremesooriya Eric Wigston
Lily Major Shelley, Dreamer Colin Craven Captain Albert Lennox Lt. Wright, Dreamer Archibald Craven Martha Major Holmes, Dreamer Mrs. Winthrop, Dreamer Mrs. Shelley, Dreamer Mary Lennox Rose Lennox Ben Weatherstaff Mrs. Medlock Ayah Dr. Neville Craven Fakir Dickon
THE CREATIVE TEAM Stafford Arima Don Horsburgh Marc Kimelman Cory Sincennes Bonnie Beecher Joshua D. Reid Jane MacFarlane
Director Musical Director Choreographer Set & Costume Design Lighting Design Sound Design Voice & Dialect Coach
Patti Neice Sara Turner Melanie Crawford
Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Apprentice Stage Manager
TC MENTORS PROGRAM Thomas Alderson - Directing Kathryn Smith - Set & Costume Design Lisa Floyd - Lighting
THE BASICS
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Who’s Who? Mary Lennox: A young English girl who lived in India until the death of her parents. Lily: Mary’s aunt, Archibald Craven’s deceased wife. Archibald Craven: Mary’s uncle, and lord of Misselthwaite Manor. Dr. Neville Craven: Archibald Craven’s brother. Colin Craven: Archibald Craven’s son Rose Lennox: Mary’s mother Captain Albert Lennox: Mary’s father Ben Weatherstaff: Head gardener Martha: A housemaid assigned to Mary’s care Dickon: Martha’s brother Mrs. Medlock: Archibald Craven’s housekeeper Mrs. Winthrop: Headmistress of a girls’ boarding school Fakir: An Indian chanter Ayah: Mary’s Indian nanny
Time and Place 1906. Colonial India and Misselthwaite Manor, North Yorkshire, England.
The Story The Secret Garden is the story of Mary Lennox, a young English girl who has lived in India since birth. When both her parents fall victim to a cholera outbreak, she is sent back to England to live with her uncle, Archibald Craven. Mr. Craven is emotionally distant, still heartbroken over the loss of his wife, Lily. Mary, while exploring the Manor grounds, learns quickly of a secret garden located through a locked door on the property. Mary, setting out to find the lost garden, is distracted by cries echoing through the house. Following the cries, she discovers her cousin, Colin Craven, who has been confined to a bed his entire life. With her determination, Mary uncovers the garden, and slowly the broken pieces of a mourning and haunted house start to heal, and the love and happiness that was once there, begins to grow again.
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The Secret Garden of Maytham The Secret Garden novel was first published in 1911 by Frances Hodgson Burnett, an already established and celebrated author. Now recognized as one of the best children’s book of the 20th century, the story received lukewarm reviews upon its release, and paled in comparison to the popularity of Hodgson Burnett’s other works. Today, The Secret Garden is widely regarded as the author’s best children’s novel, telling an enchanting story of a young girl saving a garden, saving the people around her, and, in turn, them saving her. Sadly, the story is based on some real life events in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s life which didn’t end as happily.
Frances Hodgson Burnett
Frances Hodgson Burnett grew up in England with middle-class beginnings. After the death of her father, her family emigrated to the United States, where a teenaged Frances started writing in magazines to help her family financially. A few years later, having already established herself as a successful writer, she married Dr. Swan Burnett and had two sons. Still, her roots to England were strong, and she spent a lot of time travelling between The United States and England, even living abroad for years at a time. Her love for her sons was untethered even after her marriage fell apart and she wrote to them often. In 1890, Lionel, her eldest son and just 16 years old at the time, was diagnosed with tuberculosis after months of failing health. Through Hodgson Burnett made the journey home, Lionel died in her arms shortly thereafter. Ridden with guilt and depression, she returned to England, got married again, divorced again, but nonetheless, continued to Great Maytham Hall Garden find joy in writing. When Hodgson Burnett first saw the beautiful gardens of the Great Maytham Hall, she adored it instantly, writing her youngest son, Vivian, “I have a seen
EXPLORATIONS
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a great many places that interested me, but Maytham I love.” The Great Maytham Hall is located near Rolvenden, Kent, England and boasts garden walls, pond gardens with mixed shrubbery, a large lawned area, and a terrace with far reaching views. Frances signed a lease immediately and enjoyed tending to the gardens, throwing lavish parties, and even taming a robin as she wrote outdoors. It was there she had the idea of The Secret Garden. Many believe the character of Colin is mirrored in her son Lionel, however, unlike Frances, Mary was able to bring him back to life. Unfortunately in 1908, the leaseholder decided to sell the house, and Hodgson Burnett was forced to leave. She returned to The United States permanently, building a home in Plandome Park on Long Island, where she lived out the rest of her days as an editor and writer for Children’s Magazine. Vivian, her son, remained at her side until her death in 1924. She was laid to rest in Roslyn Cemetery, where she was joined by Vivian when he died in 1937. That same year, a memorial sculpture was dedicated in her honour and erected in Central Park’s Conservatory Park, depicting her two famous characters from The Secret Garden, Mary and Dickon.
Frances Hodgson Burnett Memorial Fountain
“I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose I would always greet it in a garden.” –Ruth Stout
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Come to My Garden An interview with Stafford Arima
Born and raised in Toronto, Stafford Arima thrived in the New York Theatre scene for 20 years before moving to Calgary last April to become Theatre Calgary’s 12th Artistic Director. Before the anticipated ‘Season of New Beginnings’, TC’s 51st Season, Arima prepares for his Calgary directorial debut with The Secret Garden. We sat down with Stafford two weeks into rehearsal to hear about his passion for musicals, his history with The Secret Garden, and his personal connection to the story. Stafford Arima
You have been the Artistic Director at Theatre Calgary for just over a year now, and this will be your TC directing debut. How are you feeling? I’m very excited to be able to share my directorial vocabulary with Theatre Calgary, especially with this production. The Secret Garden, for me, is a perfect fit of a theatrical voice in conjunction with my theatrical voice. It’s a musical, and I’ve spent almost 30 years working on musicals in some capacity, I connect with the story, and the style in which the show has been written is a little abstracted. Not always literal. There are ensemble characters called Dreamers, who act as memories, sometimes spirits, who narrate, comment, observe, and relay information. That added element has a spiritual contingency that aligns with my spiritual beliefs. All of these elements, along with the writing, score, and my sensibility as a director, will present the audience with a real sense of what an Arima production looks like. We are also excited to hear you will be directing next season’s musicals: Mary and Max and Billy Elliot. What is the difference between directing plays versus musicals? I’ve directed a handful of plays professionally but most of my career has been focused around working on musicals. I would say there are differences in the size of the creative teams for musicals versus plays. You can have an additional group of storytellers, made up of composers, orchestrators, choreographers, etc., working on a musical and ensuring you are telling the right story and the same story, and that can be challenging. Most of my work has primarily been on new musicals, which means you are creating the blue print of what the production inevitably will become. You can’t listen to the cast albums, or have things spelled out for you. You have to make the decisions of where to put the dance break or if you need more time here, or less time there.
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You’ve had some prior history with The Secret Garden musical. Can you tell us more about that? I’ve directed two concert productions of The Secret Garden in New York City. One, in 2005 for World Aids Day, and the other in 2016 at Lincoln Centre. Having not done a full production of it, I’m excited to expand on the world of the play visually and staging wise here. Then, immediately after the opening here, I fly to Tokyo to direct a Japanese production of The Secret Garden, so there’s something about this show that is part of my life. A lot of casting announcements for The Secret Garden at Theatre Calgary emphasizes the large number of local actors involved in this production. Was that important to you? As someone new to Calgary, I knew nobody here, so it was very important for me to begin a relationship with the actors and performers that live in this city. When we auditioned, we extended a call to the opera world and the musical theatre world which brought all levels of talent. It doesn’t matter to me what world you’re from, what school you went to, or what your credits are. If you come in and deliver the goods, you book the job. The novel, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, focuses primarily on Mary’s story, whereas the musical, written by Marsha Norman with music by Lucy Simon, really expands on the lives of many characters. Why do you think that is important? The novel focuses on Mary as the main protagonist. The writers of the musical have looked at the piece more globally and created a musical for all ages with a variety of characters. The book is marketed more towards children, whereas the musical is marketed to everyone, which invites adults into the experience. I think it makes it a more universally accessible story. How does the music help to tell the story? Specifically with this adaptation, I think song allows the character to speak an inner truth that may be difficult to articulate with just words. In tradition with a musical, when you can’t say it, you have to sing it! These characters are going through a lot of pain and loss, and in the time period, people didn’t talk about their feelings. What is your favourite song from The Secret Garden? “How could I ever know?” It’s a beautiful song and resonates with me more now with the passing of my mother. When I directed the first concert, my mom was still alive and I saw Mary as the focal character. The second time I directed it, my mother had passed, and I found myself identifying with Archibald much more than before. Which production would you like to see revived on Broadway?
Funny Girl. It has never been revived mainly because that character has been etched in people’s brain as Barbra Streisand. It’s a well-known score but I think people are nervous and face a dilemma with casting, to go against type or not. Still, it is at the top of my list.
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Terms to Know Cholera:
An infection of the small intestine causing dehydration, and if not treated can result in death.
Yorkshire:
A county of Northern England, formally known as the County of York. Yorkshire dialect (the regional language) has roots in Old English and Old Norse.
Hunchback: A term to describe the medical condition “kyphosis”, which is an abnormally excessive curvature of the spine. Scullery:
A small room at the back of a house used for washing dishes and other dirty household chores.
Interesting Facts
The sixth cholera pandemic outbreak, occurring between 1899 and 1923, started in India and killed more than 800,000 people. Deaths in India during the first three cholera pandemics (1817-1860) are estimated to have killed approximately 15 million people. The next three pandemics, from 1865-1923, killed another 23 million.
The Secret Garden takes place in 1906, five years into the Edwardian era. The period is described as a romantic golden age with the sun never setting on the British Empire. It has, however, also been portrayed as mediocre, having occurred after the great achievements of the Victoria era, and before World War I.
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Mary, Mary, How does your Garden Grow? An interview with Greer Hunt
Greer Hunt may be young, but this Calgary based triple threat performer has wisdom beyond her years. Hunt is no stranger to the stage, and was last seen at Theatre Calgary in 2015’s A Christmas Carol. We sat down with her a week before rehearsals began to discuss auditioning, how she juggles acting and school studies, and how she felt when she learned she was playing the iconic role of Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden.
Greer Hunt
What got you interested in performing? I started singing when I was about three years old. My vocal teacher signed me up for the Kiwanis Festival which eventually led to my interest in musical theatre. My Dad actually used to be an actor as well, and so, I always had support from my family. What kind of preparation did you do prior to auditioning for this role? My Dad and I have a routine where he assists me with running lines and we go through the script together, so we did that first. Then, I went away and read the character breakdown and went through the emotions and intentions on my own. From there, I just go over the lines over and over. How did you feel when you heard you got the part of Mary Lennox? It’s actually pretty funny. I was having a not-so-great day, so my parents suggested we go out for dinner. We started talking about The Secret Garden and I said to my Dad, “I haven’t heard anything, but even if I don’t get the part, can we still go see it?” My Dad then replied that he had the season program to look at dates and he had written in sharpie under the title of The Secret Garden, “Starring Greer Hunt’. I just burst out crying at the table! Can you take us through Mary’s story? Can you relate to it at all? Well Mary deals with the death of her parents and having to discover a new family. I fortunately have a very supportive family and haven’t had anyone close to me pass away, other than some of my grandparents. I do, however, relate to Mary’s search for family because throughout my life I haven’t really known much about my family history and have always been interested in researching my family tree. I started asking about my family and becoming interested in my family tree after a
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cousin of mine got married. Her side of the family from Germany came and presented her their family tree. It was so amazing to discover a whole different culture and way of life that lays within your family. I am excited to know more! Mary also becomes very close with her cousin, and my sister and I are very close with our cousins, so there is that too! Do you enjoy gardening? Sometimes. My family has a cabin. In the summer we go out and usually spend a day raking up fallen leaves off the beach and doing some gardening. I do have a succulent in my room. A cactus. It was a Christmas gift that came with a turkey baster to water it. I once forgot for about a month to water it. It has probably almost died about 7 or 8 times, but I’ve managed to keep it alive! As a student and an actor, what do you do to balance both? My teachers and principal are very supportive and give me work booklets to do while I am at rehearsals and not performing. I certainly don’t get a free pass. In some ways, I would say it’s actually more challenging because you don’t have anyone teaching you, you have to teach yourself. My parents would help me but I go to a school where all my subjects are in French. My sister, Aurora, helps me sometimes, but I find that if I put my mind to something, I am able to do it. What are you most looking forward to with doing this show? Interestingly enough, there is not a lot of members of the cast that I don’t know or have not worked with before. For my age, that is pretty surprising. I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning. Really learning. Stafford Arima was appointed Artistic Director last spring and this will be his Theatre Calgary directorial debut. How was it auditioning for him? He was great. Some auditions you go on give very minimal feedback and just aren’t that friendly, but this audition was very different. At one point, Stafford asked me to go out of the room and sing as loudly as I could. There’s an outside deck that I went on to and sang out there. I came out of that audition thinking, ‘I really enjoyed that!’ What kind of musical would you describe The Secret Garden as? Inspiring. There are moments of sadness, and loss, but there is constantly hope.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow,” –Audrey Hepburn
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A Bit of Earth In The Secret Garden, Mary uncovers a lost garden and brings it to life. As Calgary’s seemingly never-ending winter finally starts to fade, we look forward to seeing the first glimpse of spring, and perhaps discovering our own lost gardens. Whether you have a natural green thumb, are a beginner, or have little ones keen on getting dirty, experts from Plantation Garden Centre and Plant share their tips on how to cultivate your own not-sosecret garden. Plantation Garden Centre, “your friendly neighbourhood garden centre”, focuses on your outdoor gardening needs as well as specializing in plants that the big centres never get. They even do their best to find any special requests you might have. Merle Lefevre spoke with us on how to create your own landscape, and the best ways to achieve gardening success. What is the best advice you could give someone wanting to create their own garden? We want our customers to have success, and it all starts with the soil. The first rule of gardening is to amend the soil. Add compost or well-rotted manure. Work it into your beds. Organic matter provides nutrients, improves drainage and aeration. That is the most important thing when starting or maintaining your landscape. What is the biggest misconception about starting a garden? That it’s hard. It’s not. If you look at the whole thing, it can be overwhelming, so, make a plan and start small. Take time to notice where the sun shines, where the shade is, where snow gathers, and where it melts quicker. Start with the hardscape first, that is, the sidewalks, patios, etc., then move to trees and shrubs. From there, move on to perennials and then annuals. Every garden should include some of each. How does the care differ for flowers and plants vs. edibles? With most edibles, you plant the seeds and harvest. You get to enjoy results in the same year. With trees, it can take 50 years for them to mature to full size. Patience is needed even with perennials, which can take three years to come into their own, but totally with it. How does the Calgary climate impact the plants we can grow? There are certainly some restrictions with what we can plant. Planting zones are based on the average minimum temperature of the location, taking precipitation and snow cover into consideration. Calgary does not have many frost free days and is categorized as a zone 3. Lately, some are even calling it a zone 4. Oddly, due to the different elevations and exposures in Calgary, I have some customers in Hawkwood that say they are a zone 2. To ensure you are planting the right things, stick with a reliable gardening centre that can guide you. How deep should I be planting seeds?
Photo by Jamie Tymchuk
The general rule is however big the seed, is how much dirt you want on top. For instance, sunflower seeds are fairly large seeds but you don’t want too much soil over it. Half an inch tops. Can I transplant an indoor plant outdoors, or outdoor plant indoors? Yes you can. Take into consideration the plants cultural requirements, if it doesn't like a sunny window in your house, it won’t appreciate full sun in your garden either! I think quite often it’s better to enjoy your
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indoor plant out doors in a pot on the deck, rather than try to integrate it into a flower bed. When you go to move the plant back into the house, if actually planted into a bed, you will disturb roots by putting it back in a pot. Bringing outdoor plants indoors can be tricky. It will depend on the plant. Best to get some expert advice here. Does talking to plants really help in their care? Well, I don’t know any gardener who doesn’t talk to their plants, even if it’s just out of frustration. I say, it can’t hurt! What are the top 3 mistakes a first time gardener can make? Not amending the soil, or only once when the garden is started. Being in a dry climate, not using enough water is another one. Over watering can kill a plant as quickly as under watering. Just checking to see if a plant is dry goes a long way to having healthy plants. What you recommend for younger gardeners? The best things to plant for little ones are big seeds. Cosmos or sunflowers are great options for flowers. For vegetables potatoes, peas or beans. There’s something about planting the seeds and seeing them become food that guarantees they will eat their vegetables! You can even plant them in a pot if space is limited. Plant, located in the heart of Inglewood, originating in 2011 as a tiny living room venture by owners Kyle and Erika Chow, has grown into a well-known and respected one stop shop in Calgary. Plant’s focus in on re-connecting people with the natural world, and to inspire them to build and maintain more beautiful indoor spaces. What is the best advice you could give to someone wanting to get more involved with creating their own natural landscape inside their home? Knowing the lighting and water requirements for each plant is essential when it comes to indoor plants. Do your research and learn what your plants needs in terms of light and water. If you are new to indoor plants, start small. Watch your plant and see how it adapts to its new environment. I am always worried I will kill my plant. What is the biggest misconception about owning a plant? The largest cause of death in indoor plants is over-watering. We want to love our plants and we think that loving them means giving them water. However, this will lead to your plants sitting in excess water and the roots will then start to rot. Learn what type of plant you have and what water requirements it needs. How does the care differ for inside vs outdoor plants? Firstly, indoor plants do not follow the seasons as much as outdoor plants do. They have a phase of dormancy in the winter where they do not grow as much, but they do not drop leaves each fall or need the cold and the winter to come back each spring. However, indoor plants will be affected as the seasons change and as we turn on the furnace and by air conditioning. Those are the things you want to watch out for when the seasons change. Is your plant close to a vent? This will cause the plant to dry out significantly faster. Secondly, outdoor plants in gardens tend to be watered daily. However, indoor plants do not dry out as quickly as outdoor plants. So daily watering is not required for most indoor plants. Does the Calgary climate impact plants we can grow indoors? Calgary’s climate is very dry. This can really affect some indoor plants such as ferns and other more sensitive tropicals. They are used to more humid environments and thus the dry air can lead to the plants
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drying up or developing brown spots on their leaves from the dry air. To prevent this, you can use humidifiers or mist them regularly. What is the best plant for assisting in indoor pollution? Our colleague Alicia Ta just wrote a blog on this! The short answer is: all of them! Some top-performers for removing toxins in the NASA studies are: • Peace Lily
• Snake Plant
• Pothos
• English Ivy
• Spider Plant It is so important to have plants in conditions that will allow them to thrive if you want them to be able to do their best in taking up carbon dioxide and/or filtering out toxins. What is special about these plants is that they are all quite hardy, and all can tolerate the lower-light and fluorescent lighting common in indoor spaces, which means they tend to do better indoors. Also, all of these plants have lots of leaves and some grow relatively quickly. What is the most low maintenance plant you offer? The highest maintenance? Some of the most low maintenance indoor plants are Snake Plants and Zamioculcus - they like bright-low indirect natural light and require significantly less water than any other tropical plants. The most high maintenance plant, in our environment, is likely ferns. They require a lot of humidity, which can be difficult to provide in Calgary. They require regular watering, every 1-2 days, and daily misting to really thrive. What are the best plants for creating an indoor plant wall? The difficulty with indoor plant walls is the actual set up of the wall. But once you have the structure in place, the best plants for the wall are Pothos. Pothos are a trailing plant that have many different varieties and colours. They are extremely hardy - they like bright-low indirect natural light and require significantly less water than any other tropical plants.
Photo courtesy of Plant
Does talking to plants really help in its care? Of course! Creating an environment for your plants that provides nurture and attentive care will go a long way! What are the top 3 mistakes a first timer can make? 1. Over-watering: Tropical indoor plants need water when the soil goes dry, not typically before; succulents need far less - they like to be dry and stay dry for some time. 2. Under-watering: some plants do need some neglect but they all need water. Learn and understand what type of plant you have and what they need. 3. Wrong Lighting: All plants need natural light! Tropical plants need bright indirect natural light and succulents and cacti need bright direct sun. No plant will survive without natural light. What would you recommend for younger gardeners? Start with hardy, easy going plants that require less care. Once you are confident with those, try more! All indoor gardens start small and grow and flourish as the gardener grows and flourishes.
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Conversation Starters
How do you think you’d adjust to moving six thousand miles away from your home?
Who do you know that has made an impact on your life?
Do you ever talk to your plants? Why or why not?
What is your favourite flower? Why?
What is the best surprise you have ever gotten?
Do you think secrets are destructive or are some necessary?
If you have experienced the loss of someone, is there something you own or that always reminds you of that person? Why are tangible things different from the memories we keep?
The Secret Garden Movie Night The Secret Garden Feature Film. 1949. This was the second film adaptation of the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The film features Margaret O’Brien as Mary Lennox and was filmed primarily in black and white, though the scenes of the restored garden were filmed in technicolour.
The Secret Garden Feature Film. 1993. Listed as one of the 50 films you should see by the age of 14 by the British Film Institute, this beautiful adaptation, written by Caroline Thompson, used Yorkshire’s Allerton Castle for shots of the Misselthwaite Manor.
A Little Princess Feature Film. 1995. Based loosely on the novel A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the film tells the story of a young girl living in India with her father, who is sent to an American boarding school when her father volunteers for World War I. A heartwarming film with the tagline that reads: “sometimes truly magical things reappear”.
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Recommended Reads from Calgary Public Library By Robyn Lambert The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim Fiction. 1922. Four strangers escape the dreariness of rain-soaked London for the chance to spend the month of April in an Italian castle. As the beauty of the countryside seeps into each of their souls, it transforms the women in magical ways.
Frientimacy: How to Deepen Friendships for Lifelong Health and Happiness Nonfiction, 2016. Modern technology makes it easier than ever to get in touch with others, yet many still feel disconnected. This book explores the crucial role meaningful friendships play in building human connection.
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett Fiction, 1905. Another heartwarming tale by Burnett. When her father dies, young Sara Crewe finds herself orphaned and without a penny to her name, but her luck begins to change when she starts receiving gifts from a mysterious benefactor.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman Fiction, 2014. Meet Ove, a man every bit as grouchy and unpleasant at Burnett’s Mary Lennox and with a negative opinion of everyone and everything. Like Mary, Ove is befriended by some excellent human beings, and he soon finds himself engaging with the world in surprising ways.
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams Nonfiction. 2017. Journalist and author Florence Williams offers a fresh and witty take on the benefits a relationship with nature provides to both human creativity and mood, backed by scholarly research and fascinating stories from around the globe.
Outside Your Window: A First Book of Nature by Nicola Davies
Nonfiction. 2012. This book is both a tribute to the beauties of the natural world and an inspiration for children to explore that world. Full of gorgeous illustrations, poetry, recipes, and activities, it will delight young and old alike.
Click on the book covers to check availability at Calgary Public Library!
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Cooking in the Garden The Secret Garden Cookbook by Amy Cotler, with illustrations by Prudence See, includes recipes inspired by the novel, such as, ‘Yorkshire Breakfasts’, ‘A Taste of India’, and ‘Garden Picnics’. This featured recipe is from the chapter titled “Dickon’s Cottage Food”.
Dickon’s Cottage Food: Dough-Cakes with Brown Sugar Stotty cake or oven bottom cakes were often made for a quick meal. Pieces were pulled off the bread dough; they were flattened and baked quickly at the bottom of the oven for 20 minutes, then split and buttered or served with bacon. As there was often plenty of bread dough on hand, cottagers baked small pieces and filled them with brown sugar for a special treat. These days few households make their own bread but you can use frozen bread or pizza dough that can be found in most supermarkets. Ingredients: 2 teaspoons butter, plus extra for greasing Approx. 1 and ½ cups cottage loaf dough or frozen bread or pizza dough, defrosted and at room temperature Flour for dusting 4 teaspoons dark brown sugar Procedure: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Divide the dough into four portions. With your hands, pat each portion into a flat disk on the baking sheet, using a little bit of flour only as necessary to keep the dough from sticking. 3. With the dough-cakes on the baking sheet, use a spoon or your thumb to make a slight indentation in the centre of each (don’t go all the way through!). Drop 1 teaspoonful of brown sugar into each indentation and top it with about ½ teaspoon of butter. Let rest for 15 minutes. 4. Bake the cakes on the bottom of the oven until the dough is browned and cooked through, and the brown sugar and butter are melted. Serve Warm. Makes 4 dough-cakes.
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The Secret Garden
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Sources “100 Years of The Secret Garden.” The Public Domain Review, publicdomainreview.org/2011/03/08/100-years-of-the-secret-garden/. “Frances Hodgson Burnett.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 1 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Hodgson_Burnett. “Great Maytham Hall.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Maytham_Hall. “The Secret Garden.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Garden. Cotler, Amy, et al. The Secret Garden Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's Secret Garden. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. Brown, Helen. “The Real Secret Garden.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 8 July 2011, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/children_sbookreviews/8623202/TheReal-Secret-Garden.html. “1899–1923 Cholera Pandemic.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Mar. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1899%E2%80%931923_cholera_pandemic. “Great Maytham Hall, Tenterden, Kent, TN17 4NE.” National Garden Scheme, 29 Mar. 2018, www.ngs.org.uk/?bf-garden=12264. Conservancy, Central Park. “Burnett Fountain.” The Official Website of Central Park NYC, www.centralparknyc.org/things-to-see-anddo/attractions/burnett-fountain.html.
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The Secret Garden