The Painted Garden

TITLE: The Painted Garden

(published in the United States as Movie Shoes)

AUTHOR: Noel Streatfeild

COPYRIGHT: 1949

ORIGINAL PUBLISHER: William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd.

NUMBER OF PAGES: 320

PLOTLINE: Ten-year-old Jane Winter is upset when her parents inform her that their family is temporarily moving. They’re going to live for six months in California with Aunt Cora, whom Jane and her siblings don’t even remember.

Jane has always lived in the shadow of her sister, Rachel, and her brother, Tim. Everyone thinks Rachel’s got a successful dancing career ahead of her, and everyone thinks Tim plays the piano extremely well. Jane knows that she’s considered by people to be the untalented one in her family, and also knows that the trip to California won’t change anything about it.

Then something does change. Jane and her family are very surprised when she’s offered the leading role in a movie version of The Secret Garden. This is a big opportunity for Jane: she’ll finally get to be important. Now the tables are turned, and it’s Rachel who’s jealous of Jane.

But Jane isn’t sure she can handle such a large responsibility, and Rachel’s upset because nothing nice is happening to her. Will they ever be happy in California?

I just finished reading this book last night and it’s wonderful. It has many interesting characters, and is very well written.

*****

“ ‘Has this aunt you’re staying with got a piano?’

Tim thought that a stupid question.

‘A piano! Every house has a piano.’

‘On the contrary, very few houses have pianos.’ ” - The Painted Garden