1. Upon learning that her nurse and both parents have passed away due to the epidemic, Mary is solely concerned with who will care for her. Why doesn't she show any signs of grief?

2. Why doesn't Mary exhibit any curiosity about her relocation to England, her uncle, or even her future?

3. Mary's new life at Misselthwaite requires her to reflect on her behavior for the first time. How does Martha, Dickon's sister, contribute to Mary's self-reflection?

4. Mary sees a reflection of herself in the old gardener, Ben, and the robin. What similarities do they share? Why is Ben hesitant to converse with Mary?

5. What sparks Mary's intense curiosity about the secret garden? What significance does it hold for her?

6. Although Mary has always avoided other children, why does she want to meet Dickon? Besides her interest in reviving the garden, what helps her build a friendship with him?

7. When Mary and Colin first encounter each other, both are shocked and mistake the other for a ghost. Why do they think this? In what ways have they actually been like ghosts?

8. Initially, Colin is a spoiled and obnoxious boy. What attracts Mary to him? Why does she confide in him about the garden? Why does she assist him? How does she manage to convince him that his fears of dying are exaggerated?

9. Why do Colin, Dickon, Mary, and Ben go to great lengths to keep the restoration of the garden a secret?

10. Colin claims that the "magic" of the garden is responsible for his and Mary's growing strength, and insists that they must each contribute to this "magic." What is the "magic," and how do they support it?

11. Colin plans to conceal his recovery until his father returns from Europe, intending to surprise him by marching into his study. Instead, his father finds Colin running out of the garden and straight into his arms. Colin then takes his father into the secret garden to explain everything that has transpired. Is this ending more fulfilling than Colin's original plan? If so, how? Why is it significant for Mr. Craven to revisit the garden after ten years? Why are Mary and Dickon missing from the final pages of the book?