After reading The Secret Garden on a sunny day out in the yard, Sophie begins to feel sleepy ... that is, until she sees "something glimmering in the trees." Exploring, she discovers her own secret garden and a friend at the end of her journey.

I love that this book channels a little bit of The Secret Garden and a little bit of Alice in Wonderland. The story is sweet and simple, but also has an element of mystery to it. The little cut-out pieces in the pages allow for young readers to peek through to the illustrations on the following page and guess what is coming next. ( )

A red robin drops a key into Sophie’s hand. The key opens a hidden gate and leads into a garden where Sophie finds a squirrel, a greenhouse, a fox cub, a rose garden, and a lamb. And when she peeks up into a tree, what will she discover?

This picture book, inspired by “The Secret Garden,” will delight young readers with its charming story of friendship. Special peek-through pages allow the child to peek into the story and discover surprises hidden in the garden. The colorful illustrations accompany the narrative are certain to delight all readers.

Recommended. ( )

Inspired by The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett.