PDF The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books
PDF The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books
Download As PDF : The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books
Irish orphans Molly, fourteen, and Kip, ten, travel to England to work as servants in a crumbling manor house where nothing is quite what it seems to be, and soon the siblings are confronted by a mysterious stranger and secrets of the cursed house.
PDF The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books
"...with the sunlight comes a sort of boldness that takes the scare right out of things.
The Night Gardener is a wonderfully written dark fantasy, a spooky house story for children, set in Victorian England. It follows the paths of Molly and Kip, two orphaned Irish siblings who procure servant positions in a creepy old mansion that's been overtaken by a large, dark tree which has grown into it. It's a story about storytelling, about things that go thump in the night, and human greed, and courage. It's about magic, and friendship. For its intended audience (I read this in a show of solidarity for my 11 year old - this is required summer reading for all incoming 6th graders), it is a wonderful work of fiction that can be read on many different levels. It's a tale well worth its many accolades, and I would recommend it for adolescents or adults."
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The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books Reviews :
The Night Gardener Thorndike Press Large Print Minicollections Jonathan Auxier 9781432860349 Books Reviews
- I'm 29 and I happened upon this book as a recommendation from a page I follow on Facebook. When I read the plot summary, it really sounded like something right up my alley, particularly as it took place in England in the Victorian era which I LOVE, and it involved two individuals who worked as servants in a large house. Yup. Right up my alley.
I began reading it and was instantly hooked. The author, Mr. Auxier, builds the suspense and crafts this tale very smartly. He leaves you wanting more and more until the very end, but doesn't draw it out so as to make it boring or taxing. It's a fine line and he walks it expertly. The book is a fast read and the plot moves quickly, which is something I like. I'm admittedly not a voracious reader so a book REALLY has to grab me and keep me wanting more. The Night Gardener did just that. I found myself surprised that the intended audience is 9-14 because I feel that it reads much older and is really for any age. The plot unfolds chapter by chapter and you find yourself asking, "What in the WORLD is going on in this house?!" You just want to know the answer, and as you turn the pages, you get more and more of said answers until you get to the thrilling conclusion, which admittedly had my heart pumping. It's creepy, mysterious, suspenseful, and has a good heart all at the same time. The two main characters, Molly and Kip, are instantly likable and relatable. This is definitely a book for all ages. I'm a grown woman, no kids, and I absolutely loved it. It kept my attention and was a definite page-turner. Couldn't put it down. I highly recommend it! As someone else said, however, some younger readers might find it scary, especially if they're reading it before bed!
Lastly, as a side note, I found it interesting that in the author's note at the end, Mr. Auxier mentions that one of his inspirations for this book was "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which is one of my all-time favorite books (and movies -- check out the 1993 version with Maggie Smith). I just adore the story. It amused me greatly when I read that, because the plot summary alone reminded me instantly of The Secret Garden, which is actually why I decided to read it. Indeed, the story itself reminded me of it as well. That made me love "The Night Gardener" all the more! - ...with the sunlight comes a sort of boldness that takes the scare right out of things.
The Night Gardener is a wonderfully written dark fantasy, a spooky house story for children, set in Victorian England. It follows the paths of Molly and Kip, two orphaned Irish siblings who procure servant positions in a creepy old mansion that's been overtaken by a large, dark tree which has grown into it. It's a story about storytelling, about things that go thump in the night, and human greed, and courage. It's about magic, and friendship. For its intended audience (I read this in a show of solidarity for my 11 year old - this is required summer reading for all incoming 6th graders), it is a wonderful work of fiction that can be read on many different levels. It's a tale well worth its many accolades, and I would recommend it for adolescents or adults. - 'Help me grow tall, and you shall receive
All that you wish inside of me.'
This story at first appears to be ripped from the pages of the Brothers Grimm. There are a pair of orphans, one a plucky young heroine, the other, a little lame boy. After making a deal with a beggar woman (witch in disguise?), they enter a deep, dark (enchanted?) forest. What awaits them there is deliciously forbidding, frightening and wondrous...
Molly and her younger brother venture to the sinister Windsor house to gain employment. The home is built around a hideous tree. The strange family living there appears to be down on their luck; a harridan of a mother, a scrawny, but lovable six-year-old girl, her nasty bully of a brother, and a mostly absent, ineffectual father. They are all thin, pale and sickly. One day while cleaning the library, Molly is astonished to find a portrait of the smiling, healthy-looking family painted only a year earlier. What could have happened to change the residents of this house in such a short time? Is it the horrific dreams they all suffer nightly? Or the nocturnal visitor who roams the rooms, leaving muddy footprints and terror behind? Or does it have something to do with the locked room that Molly has been warned not to open?
Here is a magical tale, both atmospheric and creepy. There are a few VERY chilling scenes, though it should be fine for children ages ten and up. If reading aloud, be prepared to continue until you are hoarse, as I imagine most little ones will not let you stop. - This is a great story of a brother and sister trying to make a living after they escape the Irish potato famine into England. They accept a position with a family that everyone warns them against. But they have no choice. The mysterious manor house takes on new meaning as they begin work there, the girl cleaning and cooking, and her brother tending the horses and gardens.
At first they see no danger, but as time goes by, the real danger is revealed in the strange figure that comes at night to tend to the tree next to the manor.
It's a very good story and one that I'm glad I didn't read while I was alone. - I am not a famous literary critic. I will say that first. But I love to read. Maybe that's enough for you to read this review. I am constantly searching for that next great book that transports me away from my daily problems and worries to another place where anything is possible and magic rules. The Night Gardener was that book. I haven't read a book in a while that kept me reading all night. This one did. What a great story. I have not read any books by Jonathan Auxier before. I found him on a search and so glad I found this book. I look forward to reading more of his books and hope the movie deal goes through. Scary, heartwarming, and I love the characters. They are easy to identify with and I really cared about them. Great "legend" type storyline). Thank you for the nine years you put into this book, Mr. Auxier.
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