The Secret Garden Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion to the Beloved Classic by Rachel Dodge

I am honored to be a part of the launch team for Rachel Dodge’s latest book, The Secret Garden Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion to the Beloved Classic. 

I’ve only read two books by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden and A Little Princess. While I prefer A Little Princess, the insights Rachel brings out in her devotional make me fonder of the book and make me want to read the book alongside the devotional slowly. I’m a little over halfway through my first reading of The Secret Garden Devotional and it does not disappoint. 

Each chapter which corresponds to a chapter in the original book has a devotional, a personal application, and a prayer for today. The devotional grabs your attention, the personal application makes you think about your own walk with God, and then the prayer gives you words to let God know your heart and what he can do to help you. Rachel seamlessly blends quotes and phrases from The Secret Garden with scriptures and her own thoughts. The result is daily devotionals that the reader can’t help but want to put to use in their own lives. 

The illustrations are lovely and thoughtfully dispersed throughout the devotional. I love the ivy decorations that appear throughout as well. They are a gentle reminder of the garden. I like that Rachel uses different versions of the Bible for the scriptures she includes. 

The Secret Garden Devotional is perfect for fans of The Secret Garden specifically, children’s classics in general, or anyone looking for a thought provoking, insightful devotional. You can purchase The Secret Garden Devotional from Amazon, the publisher’s website, or Rachel’s website. 

Other Books by Rachel Dodge:

• Praying with Jane: 31 Days through the Prayers of Jane Austen
• The Anne of Green Gables Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion for Kindred Spirits
• The Little Women Devotional: A Chapter-by-Chapter Companion to Louisa May Alcott’s Beloved Classic

(Review copy provided by author and publisher. Illustrated by Anastasia Nesterova. Barbour Publishing, 2022.)