Written by Karuna Riazi
This book is a modern retelling of The Secret Garden. Maria is an unwanted child that has lost both her parents (her mom was from Bangladesh and father from Pakistan). She has been shuffled between relatives for the last year and the story starts as she is being shipped off to the Hamptons in America to live with family friends. Despite the uncertainty of not know how long she’ll be allowed to stay, she learns how to trust and put down roots. There were lots of things I loved about the book, including the poetry that intersperses the chapters, Maria’s prickly personality, the friends that won’t be deterred, that there was a step-mom instead of a housekeeper, and that the garden had been filled with plants that reminded Colin’s mother of her homeland. There were some issues with the pacing feeling rushed, especially at the end, and some underdevelopment of side characters, but overall it’s a good read for upper elementary school kids.
Reviewed by Rachel Whicker, Librarian, Arcadia Elementary
Review shared in December 2023
Rating: ★★★½✩ (3.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grade 4-8
A Bit of Earth
Written by Karuna Riazi
Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers
356 pages
Release Date: March 14, 2023
ISBN: 9780063098664
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
