Mary Norton's The Borrowers has charmed readers with its imaginative tale of tiny people living secretly within human homes. Praised for its whimsical world-building and rich detail, it captivates with both adventure and heart. However, some note a slow pace and character depth as potential drawbacks. Overall, a delightful classic for young audiences.

A reader who enjoys The Borrowers by Mary Norton would likely appreciate imaginative, whimsical tales with charming characters. Fans of The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis will be captivated by the adventure and the hidden world of tiny Borrowers and their resourceful lives.

The Borrowers, by Mary Norton, follows the tiny Clock family—Pod, Homily, and their daughter Arrietty—who live secretly under the kitchen floor of a countryside mansion. Their lives change when a young boy discovers and befriends Arrietty. The family’s safety is jeopardized by Mrs. Driver, the cook, leading to a dramatic rescue by the boy.

Mysterious / Nostalgic / Fantastical / Adventurous / Heartwarming

- The Borrowers was first published in 1952 and won the prestigious Carnegie Medal in 1953, an award recognizing outstanding children's literature.
- The story has inspired several adaptations, including a 1997 film and a 2011 Studio Ghibli animated film titled The Secret World of Arrietty.
- Author Mary Norton initially conceptualized the idea of little people living hidden lives while she was a child growing up in a 19th-century English country home with extensive gardens.

**Kate**  
A human girl living with her parents and Mrs. May, described as wild and willful, who listens to the story of the Borrowers that Mrs. May tells her.

**Mrs. May**  
An old woman and sister to the boy, she tells the story of the Borrowers to Kate and maintains a sense of wonder about their existence.

**The Boy**  
Mrs. May's brother, a sickly child sent to England from India, who may have met the Borrowers while recovering from rheumatic fever.

**Great Aunt Sophy**  
A bedridden old woman and the most sympathetic human to the Borrowers, known for dismissing them as hallucinations.

**Mrs. Driver**  
The housekeeper who is portrayed as one of the story’s antagonists, desiring to harm the Borrowers and treating the boy poorly.

**Crampfurl**  
The gardener often seen with Mrs. Driver, sharing in her negative views towards the boy and the Borrowers.

**Pod Clock**  
A skilled Borrower and family man known for his abilities as a shoemaker and climber, who adapts to the world to protect his family.

**Arrietty Clock**  
The adventurous 13-year-old Borrower who yearns for freedom and inadvertently endangers her family by interacting with humans.

**Homily Clock**  
The house-proud matriarch of the Clock family who remains cautious of the outside world and is worried about material possessions.

**Hendreary Clock**  
Pod's brother who moved his family after being discovered, leading to concern for their safety by the remaining Clock family members.

**The Hendreary Family**  
Borrowers who moved away after an encounter, who communicate with Arrietty through letters confirming their ongoing story relevance.

**Other Borrower Families**  
Various Borrower families once lived in the house, each with their own story, but have since disappeared or moved away.

Mary Norton

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