Character development

The Secret Garden* by Frances Hodgson Burnett was first published as a book in 1911, having previously been serialized from Autumn 1910 onwards in The American Magazine. It is an ostensibly simple story about a girl, Mary Lennox, who secretly finds the key to the door of a walled garden which has not, supposedly, been tended for ten years. It is a story enjoyed by generations of young readers, but it has deeper themes, which make it a thought-provoking read for adults too.

The Silver Sword* was written by Ian Serraillier and published in 1956. It is the wartime story of the three Balicki children, Ruth, Edek, and Bronia, aided by their friend, Jan, as they try to reach Switzerland in the hope of meeting up again with their father and mother. I first came across the story in my third year at junior school when the teacher read it to us in class. It is an epic adventure story with many memorable moments.