Tom's Midnight Garden

I saw Tom's Midnight Garden as a film on TV a couple of years ago. Well...actually I only got to see half of it as I started watching it too late. I was totally charmed and knew I had to get the book of the same name by Philippa Pearce. I have not been disappointed. This is a wonderful story which ranks up there with classics like Wind in the Willows, The Secret Garden and others.



Tom is not happy as he has to go stay with Aunt Gwen and Uncle Alan in their apartment because his brother Peter has the measles. He knows there will be no place to play or others to play with.

One night the grandfather clock in the hall of the big old house now split up into apartments strikes 13 times. Tom investigates and finds himself traveling back in time. There he meets Hatty in her garden. A beautiful place that he plays in together with Hatty.

But this place is not there behind the house by day. Instead it is a small paved area with dustbins and a parked car. By night, he has adventures with Hatty but he does not seem to see at first that she is growing while he has only been away for a day. Tom convinces Hatty to leave him her skates under the floorboards and when he looks the next day...they are there. Surely Hatty and the garden are real! In the end, the secret of the garden is revealed as Tom is to return home to his family.



This is the most magical story. I wonder that I had never heard of it before chancing upon the film. It is full of the charms of the garden, house and villages described in its pages. It is filled with a touching friendship across time. This books is for children of all ages. I promise you will be also be filled with its charms when you read it.

Happy reading!
Heidi