The secret's out as schools gifted copies of classic

Published on Monday 23 August 2010 17:44

THOUSANDS of school pupils across Edinburgh and the Lothians are set to receive free copies of classic novel The Secret Garden to coincide with a production of the popular tale in the Capital.

Primary seven pupils will be given a free copy of the Frances Hodgson Burnett novel as part of an educational project organised by the Festival Theatre, which will host the Christmas production.

The books, published by Penguin Popular Classics, will be delivered to schools wishing to take up the offer by the end of the month and study resources will also be available.

Emma Robertson, education and audience development officer for the Festival Theatre, said: "We are delighted to be in a position to offer such a wonderful opportunity to local schools.

"The Secret Garden is a magical story, so we're very much looking forward to exploring it with schools and to staging our musical version in December."

Despite being first published almost 100 years ago, The Secret Garden continues to appeal to readers of all ages and regularly appears in the top ten of all-time favourite children's literature.

It tells the tale of orphan Mary Lennox who is sent to live with her uncle on his estate in the Yorkshire moors. She soon discovers her sickly cousin Colin, hidden away in the mansion house, as well as a secret walled garden which changes both their lives.

Using the themes and issues within the novel, the project aims to use the story to provide opportunities for languages and literacy work, as well as addressing other study areas such as health and wellbeing, sciences, social studies and religious and moral education.

Donald McGregor, chair of Towerbank After School Club, welcomed the initiative, adding that pupils at Towerbank Primary have their own "secret garden".

He said: "We welcome the initiative to share a well-loved classic story with the children of Edinburgh.

"Our sessions provide ideal social development and skills enhancement opportunities as pupils play and learn together across the whole of the school age-range.

"A shared reading and listening experience will be a lovely way for groups to spend time together, and the book's subject matter ties in nicely with the school's popular wildlife garden."

The Secret Garden musical, created by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman and directed by Anna Linstrum, will run for from December 9 to January 8.

After that, at the invitation of Canada's most prolific theatre producer and theatre manager David Mirvish, the production will transfer to the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Canada.