How long does it take to read The Secret Garden?
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is 80,907 words long. At an average reading speed of 250 words per minute, it takes about 5 hours 24 minutes to read — a substantial novel.
Reading time at your speed
Reading speed varies more than most people expect — the gap between a slow and a fast reader is more than double. Find your row, or take the reading speed test to get your real number first.
| Reading speed | Words per minute | Time to finish |
|---|---|---|
| Slowcareful reading, or reading in a second language | 150 wpm | 8 hours 59 minutes |
| Below averageunhurried, easily distracted, or a dense text | 200 wpm | 6 hours 45 minutes |
| Averagewhat most adults read at | 250 wpm | 5 hours 24 minutes |
| Fasta confident, practised reader | 325 wpm | 4 hours 9 minutes |
| Very fastskimming, or very familiar material | 400 wpm | 3 hours 22 minutes |
If English is your second language, expect to read a little below your usual speed on a classic like this one.
How long if you read a bit each day?
Almost nobody reads a novel in one sitting. Here is how The Secret Garden breaks down at an average 250 wpm, depending on how much time you give it each day.
| Reading a day | Days to finish | That is |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 33 days | about 1 months |
| 15 minutes | 22 days | about 3 weeks |
| 30 minutes | 11 days | about a week |
| 60 minutes | 6 days | 6 days |
How long is each chapter?
The Secret Garden has 27 chapters, averaging 2,997 words — about 12m each. The longest is MARTHA at 21m; the shortest is ACROSS THE MOOR at 6m. Useful if you read a chapter a night.
Chapter times at 250 wpm.
Start The Secret Garden today
Read it free online — no account needed. 27 chapters, tap any word to look it up, and a short quiz at the end.
Common questions
How long does it take to read The Secret Garden?
The Secret Garden is 80,907 words long. At an average adult reading speed of 250 words per minute that is about 5 hours 24 minutes. A slower reader at 150 wpm needs around 8 hours 59 minutes; a fast reader at 400 wpm finishes in roughly 3 hours 22 minutes.
How many words is The Secret Garden?
The Secret Garden is 80,907 words across 27 chapters, which is a substantial novel. Of the 26 classics on readClassicly, 5 are longer and 20 are shorter.
Can I read The Secret Garden in a day?
It is possible, but it would take most of a day. At 250 wpm The Secret Garden runs to about 5 hours 24 minutes of continuous reading. Spread over 6 days at an hour a day it is far more comfortable.
Is The Secret Garden hard to read?
At CEFR level B1, The Secret Garden is an approachable read for intermediate English. You can read it free at readClassicly and tap any word you don't know to look it up, which keeps a harder classic from stalling you.
Reading a classic to learn English?
readClassicly has a free plan for English reading for beginners: graded classic stories with tap-to-define words, audio, and a short quiz after each one. Start at your level and build up to full books like this one. If you are just starting, begin with the short English stories for beginners.