Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel blends a classic children’s adventure with historical commentary on social injustice. Did you find this combination effective, and which aspect of the story resonated with you more: the time-travel mystery or the moral dilemma that Jack faces?

2. This guide places The Secret Lake in the time-slip tradition of books like Philippa Pearce’s Tom’s Midnight Garden. If you’ve read other books in this genre, how does this one compare in its approach to history and magic? Did the explanation for the time travel feel satisfying to you?

3. What was your immediate reaction to the book’s ending and the final revelations about the characters’ identities?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you connect with Stella’s initial homesickness and her reluctance to embrace a new environment?

2. Tom is driven by a powerful sense of curiosity and a love for digging up “earth treasure,” which ultimately leads to the adventure. Do you share his impulse to explore and uncover the secrets of a place? What kinds of mysteries in your own surroundings have captured your imagination?

3. The friendship bracelet becomes a powerful symbol of the bond between Stella and Emma. What objects in your own life hold significant memories of friendships or important moments?

4. Tom’s decision to risk his own safety to return for Jack is a major turning point. Under what circumstances would you risk your own safety for a friend?

5. Did the idea of a private, shared world like the communal garden appeal to you? Why or why not?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story transports modern children into the rigid class society of the Edwardian era. What else do you know about the class structure of this era? As far as you can tell, does the story depict the era accurately?

2. Stella’s iPhone plays a crucial role in resolving a historical injustice. What other modern technology could, if transported to the past, play a similar role?

3. What controversies have surrounded the changes in London’s communal gardens over time? Does this make them more or less appropriate as a setting for this novel?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Harry the dog is a living link between the past and present. Why is a dog an especially appropriate choice to play this role in this particular book? 

2. What is the significance of the moles’ circular dance as the trigger for the time portal?

3. In what specific ways do Tom and Stella change from the beginning of the novel to the end? How does their adventure shape their sense of responsibility and their relationship with each other?

4. Several physical objects, such as the buried boat and the coin purse, connect the two time periods. Which of these artifacts did you find most meaningful in illustrating the theme of interconnectedness, and why?

5. How do the final revelations about Mrs. Moon and Charlie Green deepen the novel’s exploration of family legacies? How does this relate to Tom’s ambitions for the Hawken house?

6. Did you find Sophie’s betrayal believable? How do her choices relate to the story’s claims about friendship and courage?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you discovered the time tunnel at the base of the old tree. What era would you hope to travel to, and what would you hope to experience there?

2. If you were tasked with designing a new cover for The Secret Lake, which scene or symbol would you choose to feature?

3. Tom plans to one day restore the house to its original state. If you could restore a place from your own past or from your own community, what would it be, and why?