I fist came across The Secret Garden while teaching my middle school students here in Korea. While walking around the classroom I glanced down and noticed a pair of students flicking through a beautifully illustrated book. Instead of being mad at them for not filling in their worksheets, I stopped to ask them about the book. The told me it was 'for stress' and then went on to show me pages and pages of intricate designs, just waiting to be adorned with colour.
I went online and searched for 'anti-stress' books and up popped The Secret Garden. There is an insane amount of pressure on middle and high school students in Korea to achieve the best grades in order to get into the few elite Universities. My students (13 - 15 year old girls) leave school at 6pm only to head straight to after school academies where they will study until until midnight before returning home to finish their homework. These colouring books have become a way for them to relax, to allow their creativity to engage while letting their minds unwind from the pressures of their textbooks.