A Bit of Earth

A foreboding feeling permeates this mystery-driven novel, a The Secret Garden retelling from Riazi (The Gauntlet). Having grown up staying with relations in Bangladesh and Pakistan, young Maria Latif, though often considered "unpleasant," has experience abiding without her immediate family. But she's thrust into another new situation after her parents die while traveling, and their alumni friends in New York City seek to provide her with opportunities.

When the distant cousin with whom she's supposed to stay is unexpectedly called away, she's forced to head to the "cold, unhappy" Long Island estate of the Claybornes, who read as white. There, she's hosted by "the second Mrs. Clayborne" as well as Mr. Clayborne's mother, who forbids Maria from visiting parts of the home, including the yard. Flouting the rules while navigating the residence's tense atmosphere, Maria feels happier upon finding an unlocked, unloved garden to tend—and inside it a beautifully embroidered sari.

The outdoors has always been Maria's favorite place, and working in the secret garden feels just right to her. When he's sent home from boarding school for misbehavior, she also befriends young Colin Clayborne, the biracial-cued son of the late first Mrs. Clayborne, Saira.

Chapters alternate experiential free-verse poetry with a third-person narrative as Maria excavates the garden's past and her own isolation in this thoughtful, emotionally honest take on the source material. Ages 8-12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Agency. (Mar.)

Gr 4-8—This contemporary re-envisioning of The Secret Garden features Maria Latif, a Pakistani-Bangladeshi Muslim girl. Orphaned after her parents' accident, Maria has been labeled difficult and is bounced from house to house.

She is dispatched to stay with a friend of her father's on Long Island, but arrives to find he is away on business and she is in the care of his second wife Lyndsay, his judgmental mother, and indifferent son, Colin. Exploring the grounds to escape the tense household, Maria discovers a locked gate and an old unkempt garden. With the help of new friends Mimi and Rick, Colin, and resources from Lyndsay, they collaborate to resurrect the garden that was originally cultivated by Colin's deceased mother, Saira.

Found family is a central theme as Maria struggles to find a place she can truly call home. The undertones of colonialism in the original version are changed appropriately. Maria's character evolves, gently showing readers the coping skills she has developed to deal what she has been through, and how she is making new connections.

Her Desi identity is represented authentically via foods, scents, clothing/dupatta, prayers, and mehndi, and the bit of earth she tends to brings up with memories of her parents. All of this provides comfort and familiarity. The hybrid prose/verse format provides a narrative that feels genuine, raw, and allows readers into the minds of the characters. A content warning is advised regarding the death of parents, racism, and colorism.

VERDICT Destined to be a new classic, this refreshing of the canon is long overdue.—Lisa Krok Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.