A Bit of Earth
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“Karuna Riazi has a way with words. This story will find its way into your heart.”—Tae Keller, Newbery Medalist for When You Trap a Tiger
“As timeless as it is timely, A Bit of Earth is a rare gift.”—Laurel Snyder, author of National Book Award nominee Orphan Island
“Extraordinary, poetic, and inventive. A Bit of Earth is such a special book. Prickles and all, Maria Latif captured my whole heart.”—Jasmine Warga, author of Newbery Honor book Other Words for Home
“An ambitious re-envisioning of a long beloved classic, this book is sure to be a big hit.”—Padma Venkatraman, award-winning author of The Bridge Home
“Beautiful! Simply beautiful! My heart needed this!”—Ellen Oh, author of Finding Junie Kim
“A sweet and warm-hearted tale with unforgettable characters.”—Aisha Saeed, bestselling author of Amal Unbound
Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places? Karuna Riazi crafts a tender coming-of-age story about friendship, family, and new beginnings. A Bit of Earth is a reimagining of the classic The Secret Garden, perfect for fans of Other Words for Home and The Bridge Home.
Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember—first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world.
When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home.
With a prickly main character, a sullen boy, two friendly allies, and a locked garden, A Bit of Earth has everything a reader could want from a retelling of The Secret Garden. Karuna Riazi’s evocative prose is interspersed with poetic verses, illuminating each character’s search for a place they can truly call home. This tender yet incisive reimagining of a classic work will captivate fans of the original—and widen the appeal for a modern audience.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A foreboding feeling permeates this mystery-driven novel, a The Secret Garden retelling from Riazi (The Gauntlet). Having grown up staying with relations in Bangladesh and Pakistan, young Maria Latif, though often considered "unpleasant," has experience abiding without her immediate family. But she's thrust into another new situation after her parents die while traveling, and their alumni friends in New York City seek to provide her with opportunities. When the distant cousin with whom she's supposed to stay is unexpectedly called away, she's forced to head to the "cold, unhappy" Long Island estate of the Claybornes, who read as white. There, she's hosted by "the second Mrs. Clayborne" as well as Mr. Clayborne's mother, who forbids Maria from visiting parts of the home, including the yard. Flouting the rules while navigating the residence's tense atmosphere, Maria feels happier upon finding an unlocked, unloved garden to tend—and inside it a beautifully embroidered sari. The outdoors has always been Maria's favorite place, and working in the secret garden feels just right to her. When he's sent home from boarding school for misbehavior, she also befriends young Colin Clayborne, the biracial-cued son of the late first Mrs. Clayborne, Saira. Chapters alternate experiential free-verse poetry with a third-person narrative as Maria excavates the garden's past and her own isolation in this thoughtful, emotionally honest take on the source material. Ages 8–12.
