Book Review: 'Tom's Midnight Garden'

Tom's Midnight Garden is about a boy who goes back in time to the Victorians. He tells no-one except his brother, Peter, who longs to be with him.

This story is set in a poky old flat in Cambridge. The house used to belong to the Melbourne family. It used to be beautiful, but now it's all polluted.

It is about Tom, who has to live with his Aunt and Uncle due to chicken pox. It's boring until he finds a way to go back in time. There he meets Hatty, a spirited and imaginative young girl, and Abel, a kind and hard working gardener. But Hatty grows older every day until suddenly she is a woman, and Tom cannot go into the garden. Devastated he stays in the flat where there is no Hatty. Or is there?

The main characters are Tom, Hatty and Peter. Hatty is a late Victorian girl, one out of two people that can see Tom. She is Tom's only friend. Tom is very adventurous and practical. His favourite thing to do is climb with his brother Peter. Peter is the only one Tom trusts, and the brother of Tom. His friendship with Tom is so powerful he can go to him if he wants to.

My favourite thing from this story is when Tom goes to Ely Cathedral. This scene involves Tom and Hatty skating to Ely Cathedral. They saw the town at once and beyond it, for Ely is very small. As Tom climbed up the stairs, Peter appeared. When Tom pointed out Hatty, Peter let out a cry of amazement. For it was not a child anymore. She was a grown woman! I like this scene because I've been to Ely Cathedral before.