<P> With the rise of scholarly work in children's literature over the past quarter - century, The Secret Garden has risen steadily in prominence . It is often noted as one of the best children's books of the twentieth century . In 2003 it ranked number 51 in The Big Read, a survey of the British public by the BBC to identify the "Nation's Best - loved Novel" (not children's novel). Based on a 2007 online poll, the U.S. National Education Association named it one of "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". In 2012 it was ranked number 15 among all - time children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with primarily U.S. audience . (A Little Princess was ranked number 56 and Little Lord Fauntleroy did not make the Top 100 .) Jeffrey Masson considers The Secret Garden "one of the greatest books ever written for children". In an oblique compliment, Barbara Sleigh has her title character reading The Secret Garden on the train at the beginning of her children's novel Jessamy . </P> <P> The first filmed version was made in 1919 by the Famous Players - Lasky Corporation with 17 - year - old Lila Lee as Mary and Paul Willis as Dickon, but the film is thought lost . </P> <P> In 1949, MGM filmed the second adaptation with Margaret O'Brien as Mary, Dean Stockwell as Colin and Brian Roper as Dickon . This version was mostly in black - and - white, but the sequences set in the restored garden were filmed in Technicolor . </P> <P> Dorothea Brooking adapted the book into several different television serials for the BBC: an eight - part serial in 1952, an eight - part serial in 1960 (starring Colin Spaull as Dickon) and a seven - part serial broadcast in 1975, which last has been released on DVD . </P>

Who plays the father in the secret garden