ADE ADEPITAN:I'm reading Tom's Midnight Garden. What a fantastic book. Here's Tom. Now, Tom's staying at his aunt and uncle's flat. He's lonely, he's bored, and right now, he's lying awake in the middle of the night stuck listening to the crazy old grandfather's clock downstairs, striking all the wrong hours as usual.
ADE ADEPITAN:"11. 12. 'Fancy striking midnight twice in one night,' jeered Tom, sleepily. 13, proclaimed the clock and then stopped striking. 13. Tom's mind gave a jerk. Had it really struck 13?" Of course, there is no such time as 13. Is there?
ADE ADEPITAN:"The stillness had become an expectant one. The house seemed to hold its breath. The darkness pressed up to him, pressing him with a question, 'Come on, Tom, the clock has struck 13.' 'What are you going to do about it?"
ADE ADEPITAN:I'll tell you what Tom did about it. He rushes downstairs and he checks the grandfather's clock, and whilst he does this, he opens a door that he's never bothered with before. And why would he? It just leads out to a small yard full of rubbish and bins.
ADE ADEPITAN:But not tonight. Tonight, that door opens into a garden. A huge, beautiful garden, the type that's full of trees to climb, places to explore, adventures to have around every corner.
ADE ADEPITAN:And now, that garden's Tom's to visit every single night. But only when the time was exactly right.
ADE ADEPITAN:I loved this book when I first read it. And I suppose I was a little bit like Tom, you know, always looking for adventures, easily bored. Tom had to keep this book a secret, I'm not sure if I could have done that. I really would have wanted to show off the garden to my friends.
ADE ADEPITAN:It's amazing how the writer describes all the adventures in the garden in so much detail.
ADE ADEPITAN:It's like you get to know the garden as well as Tom does. It's like it's your own personal place, and I wouldn't mind that. Ade's Midnight Garden. How cool would that be? Tom gets frustrated because he can't open any of the doors in the Midnight Garden. But he's not going to let that stop him.
ADE ADEPITAN:He tries pushing hard against one of the solid wooden doors. Now, if he can't open it, Tom's going to try going through it! "At first, the body came through evenly from top to bottom. Then, the upper part seemed to stop, and the bottom part came through in its entirety, legs first. Then one arm came through, then another.
ADE ADEPITAN:Finally, everything was through except the head. The truth was that Tom was now a little lacking courage. The passing through the door of so much of his body had not been without enormous effort and peculiar, if indescribable, sensations. 'I'm just resting a minute,' said Tom's head, on the garden side of the door,
ADE ADEPITAN:Yet he knew that he was really delaying because he was nervous. His stomach, for instance, had felt most uncomfortable as it passed through the door. What would the experience be like for his head, his eyes, his ears?" Pushing your head through a door? I told you this was an unusual garden.
ADE ADEPITAN:And here's another puzzler. Night after night, Tom spends hours and hours exploring the garden. But when he hurries back to the flat, it's still only a few minutes past midnight. One night, Tom sees a fir tree fall to the ground in a massive storm.
ADE ADEPITAN:But the next night, the tree's standing again. So is time going backwards? And if Tom can see other people's footprints in the dew-covered grass, why does his own feet leave no mark at all?
ADE ADEPITAN:I love reading books that actually make time fly. Have you ever had that? It's such a cool feeling. You know you're so in the world of the book that you don't notice your food going cold, you don't notice it going dark, you actually don't ever want to put the book down.
ADE ADEPITAN:Time. There's never enough of it for Tom! Not when he wants to figure out the true secrets of the Midnight Garden before he has to go back home again. Why not grab a few magical hours yourself? You could read this amazing book and, like Tom, you could solve the mystery of the Midnight Garden.
Video summary
Paralympian, presenter and author Ade Adepitan reads extracts from 'Tom's Midnight Garden' by Philippa Pearce, explaining why he loves the book, how it captured his imagination, and why he loves to read.
The real and animated worlds collide to reveal the wonder that is contained within the book.
Ade tells us about Tom and reads extracts from the story to us.
Ade encourages us to read the book and discover the secrets of Tom's magical and mysterious Midnight Garden for ourselves.
This clip is from the series Bringing Books to Life 2.
Tom's Midnight Garden Teacher Notes
KS1 and KS2 English Discussion Questions
Before watching the video:
- Have you ever read a story that made you feel like you were going on an adventure? What was it about?
- Imagine you have a magic door. Where would it take you if you walked through it?
- What kinds of mysteries do you think might be hidden in a magical garden?
While watching the video:
- Pause at 00:53 - Who is Tom staying with? Is being in a new place affecting his sleep?
- Pause at 01:21 - What two things were unusual about the striking of the clock?
- Pause at 05:01 - Why do you think Tom's footprints didn't leave any marks?
After watching the video:
- How do you think Tom felt the first time he discovered the Midnight Garden?
- Do you think you would keep the secret of the Midnight Garden or would you share it with your friends?
- If you could ask Ade one question about the story or the Midnight Garden, what would it be and why?
KS1 and KS2 English Activity Suggestions
- Create a Fantasy Clock: Pupils could draw and decorate their very own magical clock that can strike thirteen. Add special features and describe what each magical feature does to make their clock extraordinary.
- Telling The Time: Pupils could partner up and play a game where they practise telling time using a clock. Set the clock to various times, even the mysterious time of thirteen. Take turns reading the time to each other.
- Letter to Younger You: Puils could imagine they travel back in time, just like Tom in the story. Write a friendly letter to tjeir younger self, offering advice, kind words or sharing exciting adventures they've experienced.
Take a look at our 500 Words resources for further inspiration around story writing.
These videos contribute to the current national curriculum requirements in:
- England - KS1/KS2 English: Develop positive attitudes to reading and understanding of what they read.
- Northern, Ireland - KS1/KS2 Language and Literacy: Extend the range of their reading and develop their own preferences.
- Scotland - 1st and 2nd Level Literacy and English: Reading - Enjoyment and choice.
- Wales - Progression Step 2/3 Languages, Literacy and Communication: Literature fires imagination and inspires creativity.
These discussion questions and activity suggestions provide opportunities to develop english, mathematics and art and design knowledge and skills in meaningful contexts across all UK curricula.
Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce. video
Presenter and comedian Ed Petrie reads extracts from his favourite book, Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce.
The Kick Off by Dan Freedman. video
Former Team GB and England Women's Footballer Eniola Aluko explains why she loves the book 'Jamie Johnson: The Kick Off'.
Lizzie Zipmouth by Jacqueline Wilson. video
Actress and comedian Nina Wadia reads extracts from 'Lizzie Zipmouth' by Jacqueline Wilson and explains why she loves the book.
My Naughty Little Sister by Dorothy Edwards. video
Actress Aimee Kelly reads extracts from 'My Naughty Little Sister' by Dorothy Edwards, explaining why she loves the book.
Nelly the Monster Sitter' by Kes Gray
Actress Sarah Hadland reads extracts from 'Nelly the Monster Sitter' by Kes Gray, explaining why she loves the book.
Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah. video
Actor Alexander Vlahos reads extracts from 'Refugee Boy' by Benjamin Zephaniah, explaining why he loves the book.
Undercover Pirate by Sam Silver. video
Actress Anjli Mohindra reads extracts from 'Sam Silver: Undercover Pirate' by Jan Burchett and Sara Vogler, explaining why she loves the book.
The Falcon's Malteser by Anthony Horowitz. video
Actors Scott Haran and Percelle Ascott read extracts from 'The Falcon's Malteser' by Anthony Horowitz and explain why they love the book.
Wolven by Di Toft. video
Presenter and actor Ceallach Spellman reads extracts from 'Wolven' by Di Toft, explaining why he loves the book.
