The Secret Garden book club questions

The reading plan

Meeting 1: Chapters 1 to 10

1. What does being forgotten during the outbreak lead you to expect about Mary Lennox's trust in other people?
2. How fair are strict instructions for a newcomer arriving at an unfamiliar house?
3. When might encouraging independence feel like care, and when might it feel like leaving someone alone?
4. How does the housekeeper's denial of the crying affect your view of Mary's curiosity?
5. Does finding a hidden entrance give Mary any right to use the garden?

Meeting 2: Chapters 11 to 19

6. Is keeping the garden work secret more an act of friendship or a barrier against other people?
7. How would you weigh gardening against lessons when deciding what Mary needs?
8. What does shared laughter offer Mary and Colin that challenging household rules might not?
9. What should guide Mary and Dickon as they plan to help someone who lives apart from others?
10. Where would you draw the line between standing up to Colin and being unkind to him?

Meeting 3: Chapters 20 to 27

11. What might matter most in Colin's new belief in recovery: the garden itself or the effort to bring him there?
12. How do you judge a challenge that turns a joyful visit into a test of someone's strength?
13. How does learning about Ben Weatherstaff's secret care change your view of the children's secrecy?
14. What value might Colin's chant have, even if people disagree about the garden's healing power?
15. What does Colin's response to motherly affection suggest about needs that physical strength alone cannot meet?

Themes to talk about

Tips for the host

1. Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
2. Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.