I listened to a 2005 audio version of this by Recorded Books--great narration by Virginia Leishman.

While Sarah Crewe teeters on the edge of being a Mary Sue, I felt like her pride and her near-despair at times still make her a well-rounded character whom the reader wants to like. I've read this story before, and it is always a heartbreaking window into British class warfare in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, as well as a testament to the value of imagination and faith in getting us through difficult times. Unlike Sarah, many people in the world never find a way out of those difficulties. This is a story for them too, though, for who can live without hope? ( )

This is probably the author's second most well-known book. It's not quite in the same class, as the poor children don't have as much agency as Dickon in The Secret Garden, also it's melodramatic, also, though Sara does work hard, the riches are inherited. But I loved it as a child and enjoyed it now.

The edition that I read has interesting back matter. And the illustrations, by [a:Peter Bailey|470769|Peter Bailey|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png], recall the old master [a:Edward Ardizzone|23822|Edward Ardizzone|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1364807625p2/23822.jpg], and so are perfect for this minor classic.

A couple of book darts will illustrate why I loved this when I was a child, lo these many decades ago:

" ... when you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage, and they are not, and they say stupid things they wish they hadn't said afterwards."

And I loved Miss Amelia when she finally stood up, if only for an afternoon, to her wicked sister. In fact, there are lots of minor characters that we know a bit better than we might expect to in a lesser work.

I'm giving this four stars and recommending it to folks who like a sweet rags-to-riches fairy tale.
[b:A Little Princess|45734841|A Little Princess (Alma Junior Classics, 1)|Frances Hodgson Burnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1561636507l/45734841._SY75_.jpg|1313599] publ. by Alma Junior, Alma Classics, 2019 ( )

What can I say about this? This was my favorite book as a kid and continues to hold such a special place in my heart. I'm honestly convinced this book formed me into who I am today. ( )

Caveat: I've read this book about 500 times as a child, and I'm not able to review it without bias.

I will mention that it is problematic in how it attributes to some vague "Magic" what should be attributed to God (even in the story itself God is mentioned positively, so, I don't get the whole pre-New Agey vibe). Sara is an extreme Mary Sue, but on the other hand, it's so nice to read a book about a person who does so well at practicing virtue, so I'm torn on that. Ah well, I enjoyed it deeply once again, and I can't wait until my little ones are old enough to enjoy a readaloud :) ( )

Sara Crewe, an exceptionally intelligent and imaginative student at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies, is devastated when her adored, indulgent father dies. Now penniless and banished to a room in the attic, Sara is demeaned, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this resourceful girl's fortunes change again is at the center of A Little Princess , one of the best-loved stories in all of children's literature. ( )

This picture book version tells the classic story succinctly and with lovely illustrations. ( )

Not quite as good as The Secret Garden, but close! An excellent assortment of characters, a very brave and noble "princess" who is not always treated as such and an entertaining story. Much like Garden, this book also features "magic" which isn't really magic, but is the by-product of people caring for one another. Lovely story. ( )

I did a reread and it was as marvelous and wonderful as I remembered. When I read it as a child, I didn't see how very unlikely a Victorian era children's novel it is and perhaps I loved it even more for that.

I love Burnett's writing. Reading her is like riding a very slow roller coaster that goes deeper than you thought and then higher than you thought and while you're on it everything is beautiful. ( )

So slow. I wanted to like it as it's a classic. Yet I know the story and don't like it. Sara is too perfect as a child and what saves her in the end is money. I don't like the message. ( )

Elitist smug and judgemental. Sure it's a tale about triumphing in the face of adversity. But it's also a tale that calls the other children "fat" "ugly" and "dull." It praises the "largesse" that the upper classes distribute to the poor. And while it's probably part of a valuable conversation about the obligations of the wealthy to society, it's classist approach feels dated and problematic. Feelings of superiority are not what I want my child to learn from her books. ( )

Alone in a new country, wealthy Sara Crewe tries to settle in and make friends at boarding school. But when she learns that she'll never see her beloved father again, her life is turned upside down. Transformed from princess to pauper, she must swap dancing lessons and luxury for hard work and a room in the attic. Will she find that kindness and generosity are all the riches she truly needs?

Now that I am older, I can see how classist this is, and of course how problematic the entire "diamond mine in India" story actually is.

Still I have to admit that "A little princess" will always be in my heart, has been since I read it the first time all those years ago. I love Sara and her tendency to adopt children (which I started doing as well getting older), her love for books and stories and the vicious determination she makes up stories with.

And the way the author wrote, the magic of the room, for me always felt magical itself. So in summary: I do love this book. ( )

Delightful but somewhat dated children's classic, but makes me wonder if some of the tropes in it were more novel when it was written. ( )

Very sweet little tale. You can predict exactly what's going to happen, and I don't think that there's anything wrong with that so long as it is good reading along the way. ( )

This 1905 children's book is the story of Sara Crewe. Brought up by her father in India after her mother's death, her world is turned around when she is sent to school in England to be educated. She has only been there a short while when she finds out her father has lost his fortune and died, and she is now a penniless orphan.

The heroine of this book is an exemplary character. Even when she is rich, she does not let it spoil her, still trying to be friendly and thoughtful and studious. And when she is poor she rises to the challenge, working hard and diligently even for people who hate her, still thinking of the needs of others, never giving up hope.

And in the world of this book at least, not giving up hope is the right answer. For there is a kind Magic in the world that comes and brings up hope when hope is gone. All the time she is impoverished, her father's best friend is questing for her, and he finds her and restores her to love and wealth. And by feeding a poor child when she could have kept her few humble buns to herself she has been a great inspiration and set into motion a chain that has made the world a better place

Is it how the world works usually? Probably not. But sometimes stories about keeping our character in the face of adversity and it all working out in the end can keep us going. ( )

Somehow I missed this as a child, so I was excited by this book club pick. Loved it. It's a sweet story that should satisfy anyone with traditional values while not turning off others. It's a riches to rags to riches story with a lot of lessons in the power of friendship, generosity, and kindness to bring transcendence in even the worst of circumstances.

A great book to give to a young preteen or chapter book reader in your life. Also a new realization for me: Little Lord Fauntleroy (which I remember watching as a kid) is a similar story but from a boy's perspective.

Highly recommended. One of my favorite reads of the year. ( )

A sweet story of a little girl, growing up at a boarding school, who keeps herself happy by "supposing" she is a princess.

Both entertaining as well as a good teaching tool for young ladies on how to behave.

This Barnes and Noble edition is just lovely also, with an embossed and glittering cover, gilded edges, and an attached pale-yellow bookmark-ribbon. Colored bookplate illustrations included too.

A perfect classic for your bookshelf collection and for chapter-book readers. ( )

A Little Princess is a classic for a reason. Incredibly beautiful and an all around pleasant read. Miss Minchin is the quintessential villain and Sara a lovely heroine. ( )

“Whatever comes," she said, "cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside. It would be easy to be a princess if I were dressed in cloth of gold, but it is a great deal more of a triumph to be one all the time when no one knows it.”
― Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess

Sigh. Magic, pure magic.

I always loved the story of "Princess" Sara and her father, the students and the evil Miss Minchin. My mom and I watched the movie together which was also wonderful.

Growing up, I read this and reread it. It was one of my favorites. I loved the Princess Sara and still do She is just enchanting and such a beautifully drawn character. It remains a precious book from my past.

I do think it is a wonderful tale that parents and their kids can enjoy together. But I will also say there are some very sad moments and for very sensitive children or children who have a tough time with any story that has moments of deep sadness and loss, it maybe best to wait in my humble opinion. As enchanting and luscious as the story is, there are some really dark moments.

But the image of the wonderful Princess Sarah, is the image of true grace and kindness. I remain a huge fan of this lovely tale. ( )

Sara Crewe’s mother died when Sara was an infant, and Sara has been brought up by her Army captain father in India. As soon as she’s old enough, Captain Crewe makes arrangements for Sara to enroll in Miss Minchin’s boarding school in London. The wealthy Captain Crewe spares no expense to make Sara comfortable at the school, where she will have a private room with its own sitting room, beautiful clothes, and her own pony and carriage. Sara is a kind and generous girl, and she befriends the girls that the other girls shun. Sara has a vivid imagination and she entrances the other girls with her storytelling. Sara imagines that she is a princess, and she tries to behave as a princess would do. This attitude serves her well when her father dies after losing all his fortune, and Sara becomes an unpaid servant relegated to an attic bedroom. Even in these unpleasant circumstances, Sara is still kind and generous. Things eventually work out for Sara in a way that even her vivid imagination can’t conceive.

Sara seems a little too perfect, especially for a child, yet her attitude is one that I aspire to for myself. Sara’s riches to rags to riches story brings to mind the Apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 4:11-13:
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (KJV)

I am very familiar with the Shirley Temple movie, which changed the plot somewhat. I love the movie version and the book equally, and Shirley Temple was perfect for the role of Sara. ( )

This is one of my favorite books and has been since I was eight years old. I love seeing her overcome the obstacles in her life, usually by sheer grit and determination, and do so without losing her humanity.

As the daughter of an Englishman in India during Victorian times, it is expected that at some point, she would be sent home to England for schooling. This is partly because of the prejudices of the time and because they felt that the Indian climate was not healthy for children. The book opens when Sara is seven years old and taken to the London boarding school where she is expected to live for the next decade. She is heartbroken at being separated from her beloved father but puts a brave face on it for him. Having spent all her life around adults, she is rather serious and unusually observant. Her initial take on Miss Minchin is spot-on and proves so throughout the book.

During the first part of the book, we see Sara settling into school life and making friends. As something of a misfit herself, Sara leans towards other outcasts like herself. One of her first friends is Ermengarde, a little girl who is overweight and a slow learner. She is bullied unmercifully by other girls and Miss Minchin. I loved seeing Sara take Ermengarde under her wing and find a faithful and loyal friend. Next is Lottie, a very young child who is far too young to have been sent away to school. Lottie has been spoiled by her family and has learned to use her motherless state to get what she wants. I liked the first scene between Sara and Lottie, with Sara's quiet empathy and kindness saving the day. Finally comes Sara's friendship with Becky, the school's scullery maid. Once again, Sara's innate compassion and empathy lead her to befriend a young girl very different from herself but with whom she can also see their similarities.

The first four years of Sara's life at Miss Minchin's pass quickly with brief vignettes of her life during that time. Then comes her eleventh birthday and the day her life changed. As Sara and her schoolmates enjoy an elaborate birthday party, Miss Minchin receives a visit from Captain Crewe's lawyer. The man brings the unwelcome news that Captain Crewe is dead of fever and that he died broke and in debt due to a bad investment. Miss Minchin is furious that she is out the money she has spent, adding to her resentment and dislike of Sara. Thinking better of just throwing the girl out on the street, she turns Sara into an unpaid servant.

I ached for Sara, whose life was completely upended. She wasn't even allowed time to grieve her father's death before facing the drastic changes in her life. It breaks my heart every time to see her try to hang on to her upbeat attitude while enduring the abuse of others. During this time, Sara's ability to lose herself in the worlds her imagination creates makes her life a little more bearable. It was infinitely satisfying to see Sara's inner strength as she survived the appalling treatment. There were a few bright spots in her life - occasional surreptitious visits from Ermengarde or Lottie, the rat she befriends, and unexpected kindnesses from outsiders.

Another bright spot in her life occurs when a new neighbor moves in next door—an Englishman who has been ill and has an Indian servant with a mischievous pet monkey. Sara spotting several items from India through his windows brings back good memories of her life there. An unexpected visit to her attic room by the monkey also introduces her to Ram Dass, the Indian servant, an event that will profoundly affect her life. We get a glimpse into the neighbor's life, Mr. Carrisford, and discover an unexpected connection to Sara. I always love the events of these final chapters. Sara's life goes from immeasurably hard and very close to breaking her spirit to returning her to her previously privileged life. But this time, her experiences give her an added depth of understanding of the world around her and a desire to help others.

I've seen others comment that Sara is "too perfect" or Miss Minchin "too awful." When I read it, I consider that this book was written in 1905. At that time, books for children were deliberately written as moral tales, designed to show children the difference between right and wrong. So, while the characters' attitudes may be somewhat exaggerated, there is enough realism to make them believable. I especially enjoyed seeing that Sara knows how to get under Miss Minchin's skin with a simple look and that she isn't too good to lose her temper now and then.

I also must add that it's hard to talk about this story without mentioning the films that have been made from it. There are three that I am aware of: the 1939 version with Shirley Temple, the 1986 version with Maureen Lipman (a British TV mini-series), and the 1995 version starring Liesel Matthews. In my opinion, only one of them is worth watching. The Shirley Temple version vaguely resembles the book, with an added romance between two characters who don't exist in the story, an odd dream sequence, and a wholly made-up ending resulting in Sara's father still being alive. The 1995 version changes the time and location from Victorian London to World War One New York and again changes the ending to reuniting with her father. The 1987 version, on the other hand, is a faithful adaptation of the book. I loved seeing some of my favorite scenes come alive, from the French lesson to the bun shop scene to the revelation of Sara and "the Indian Gentleman's" connection. I highly recommend this film to anyone who loves the book. (It can be found on YouTube in its original six episodes) ( )

This is one of the best books I have ever read. I read it every few years and each time, it moves me so. The protagonist, Sara, is a child, but her strength in the face of all odds lends the reader strength to face life. ( )

Little Sara Crewe is born in India; her mother is dead, but her father, Captain Ralph Crewe, loves her very much. However, he sends her to boarding school (Miss Minchin's "select seminary") in England, and during the years she is there, her father dies. Believing the family fortune lost, Miss Minchin is furious, and makes Sara into a "drudge" who lives in the attic next to scullery maid Becky.

It's Sara's imagination that saves her - her "supposes" and "pretends" - as well as her friendships with Becky and two students, Ermengarde and Lottie - and ultimately, the intervention of the new next door neighbor, an "Indian gentleman" (a British man who spent time in India) whose health is shattered. This gentleman, assisted by his Lascar servant, Ram Dass, and another neighbor, Mr. Carmichael, is searching for the daughter of his old school friend...

A magical book with timeless appeal; Sara's kindness shines on her friends and on readers. ( )

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot, & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission
Title: A Little Princess
Series: ----------
Authors: Frances Hodgson Burnett
Rating: 3 of 5 Stars
Genre: Children's Lit
Pages: 167
Words: 67K

Synopsis:

From Wikipedia.org

Captain Ralph Crewe, a wealthy English widower, has been raising his only child, Sara, in India where he is stationed with the British Army. Because the Indian climate is considered too harsh for children, British families living there traditionally send their children to boarding school back home in England. The Captain enrolls his seven-year-old daughter at Miss Minchin's boarding school for girls in London and dotes on his daughter so much that he orders and pays the headmistress for special treatment and exceptional luxuries for Sara, such as a private room for her with a personal maid and a separate sitting room (see Parlour boarder), along with Sara's own private carriage and a pony. Miss Minchin openly fawns over Sara for her money, but is secretly bitter toward her for her wealth.

In spite of said wealth, Sara is not self-centered, rude, or snobbish, but rather kind, generous, and compassionate. She extends her friendship to Ermengarde St. John, the school dunce; to Lottie, a four-year-old pupil given to tantrums; and to Becky, the lowly, stunted scullery maid. When Sara acquires the epithet "princess", she embraces its favorable elements in her natural kindheartedness.

After some time, Sara's eleventh birthday is celebrated at Miss Minchin's with a lavish party, attended by all her friends and classmates. Just as it ends, Miss Minchin learns of Captain Crewe's unfortunate demise due to jungle fever. Furthermore, prior to his death, the previously wealthy captain had lost his entire fortune; a close friend from his schoolboy days had persuaded him to cash in his investments and deposit the proceeds to develop a network of diamond mines. The scheme fails, and the preteen Sara is left an orphan and a pauper, with no other family and nowhere to go. Miss Minchin is left with a sizable unpaid bill for Sara's school fees and luxuries, including her birthday party. Infuriated and pitiless, she takes away all of Sara's possessions (except for some old frocks and her doll, Emily), makes her live in a cold and poorly furnished attic, and forces her to earn her keep by working as a servant. She also forces Sara to wear frocks much too short for her, with her thin legs peeking out of the brief skirts.

For the next two years, Sara is abused by Miss Minchin and the other servants, except for Becky. Miss Minchin's kind younger sister, Amelia, deplores the way that Sara is treated, but is too weak-willed to speak up about it. Sara is starved, worked for long hours, sent out in all kinds of weather, poorly dressed in outgrown and worn-out clothes, and deprived of warmth or a comfortable bed in the attic. Despite her hardships, Sara is consoled by her friends and uses her imagination to cope, pretending she is a prisoner in the Bastille or a princess disguised as a servant. Sara also continues to be kind to everyone, including those who find her annoying or mistreat her. One day, she finds a coin in the street and uses it to buy buns at a bakery; despite being very hungry, she gives most of the buns away to a beggar girl who is hungrier than herself. The bakery shop owner sees this and wants to reward Sara, but she has disappeared, so the shop owner instead gives the beggar girl bread and warm shelter for Sara's sake.

Meanwhile, Mr. Carrisford and his Indian assistant, Ram Dass, have moved into the house next door to Miss Minchin's school. Carrisford had been Captain Crewe's friend and partner in the diamond mines. After the diamond mine venture failed, both Crewe and Carrisford became very ill, and Carrisford in his delirium abandoned his good childhood friend Crewe, who died of his "brain fever." As it turned out, the diamond mines did not fail, but instead were a great success, making Carrisford extremely rich. Although Carrisford survived, he suffers from several ailments and is guilt-ridden over abandoning his friend. He is determined to find Crewe's young daughter and heiress, although he does not know where she is and thinks she is attending school in France, as her late mother was a Frenchwoman.

Ram Dass befriends Sara when his pet monkey escapes into Sara's adjoining attic. After climbing over the roof to Sara's room to get the monkey, Ram Dass tells Carrisford about Sara's poor living conditions. As a pleasant distraction, Carrisford and Ram Dass buy warm blankets, comfortable furniture, food, and other gifts, and secretly leave them in Sara's room when she is asleep or out. Sara's spirits and health improve due to the gifts she receives from her mysterious benefactor, whose identity she does not know; nor are Ram Dass and Carrisford aware that Sara is Crewe's lost daughter. When Carrisford anonymously sends Sara a package of new, well-made, and expensive clothing in her proper size, Miss Minchin becomes quite alarmed, thinking Sara might have a wealthy relative secretly looking out for her, and begins to treat Sara better and allows her to attend classes rather than doing menial work.

One night, the monkey again runs away to Sara's room, and Sara visits Carrisford's house the next morning to return him. When Sara casually mentions that she was born in India, Carrisford and his solicitor question her and discover that she is Captain Crewe's daughter, for whom they have been searching for two years. Sara also learns that Carrisford was her father's childhood friend and her own anonymous benefactor and that the diamond mines have produced great riches, of which she will now own her late father's share. When Miss Minchin angrily appears to collect Sara, she is informed that Sara will be living with Carrisford from now on and her entire fortune has been restored and increased tenfold. Upon finding this out, Miss Minchin unsuccessfully tries to persuade Sara into returning to her school as a star pupil. She then threatens to keep Sara from ever seeing her school friends again, but Carrisford and his solicitor tell Miss Minchin that Sara will see anyone she wishes to see and that her friends' parents are not likely to refuse invitations from an heiress of diamond mines. Miss Minchin goes home, where she is surprised when Amelia finally stands up to her. Amelia has a nervous breakdown afterward, but she is on the road to gaining more respect.

Sara invites Becky to live with her and be her personal maid, in much better living conditions than at Miss Minchin's. Carrisford becomes a friend and father figure to Sara and quickly regains his health. Finally, Sara—accompanied by Becky—pays a visit to the bakery where she bought the buns, making a deal with the owner to cover the bills for bread for any hungry child. They find that the beggar girl (now named Ann), who was saved from starvation by Sara's selfless act, is now the bakery owner's assistant, with good food, clothing, shelter, and steady employment.

My Thoughts:

When I read The Secret Garden back in '12, I kept telling myself that I also needed to read Burnett's A Little Princess. Well, it only took me 10 years, but tada!

Honestly, this didn't hold a candle to The Secret Garden. Part of it was that this was a little rich girl, who while not spoiled, was given everything her father could. It didn't ruin her, but the sympathy factor started much lower than in SG (that's Secret Garden, NOT Star Gate SG1). Her riches to rags to riches story, while heartwarming, didn't have the same depth as the kids in SG had, as they had to work at stuff while Sara just has to get through each day of being a servant. The idea of a benevolent, all encompassing “magic” was much more present here and almost made Sara's riches to rags story feel like it had no impact, because “the magic” would take care of it all.

What I most remember about this story is the 1987 tv mini-series. We watched it in school (it was 6 episodes so we would have watched one part each time) and reading it now brought it all back. There is a scene where there is a pie gone missing that was reserved for the head mistress and the cook blames the scullery maid. The scullery maid knows full well the cook gave it to her boyfriend but nobody believes her. In the movie the headmistress is going on about the missing pie and demanding to know what happened and the cook just lifts her eyebrow and nods over her shoulder at the scullery maid. I didn't even realize that scene from the movie had stuck in my head until I read it again in the book and bam, I could see it all again crystal clear. It so weird how images like that get stuck in your brain without even realizing it.

To end, if I had to choose between A Little Princess and The Magic Garden, TMG wins hands down. Doesn't make Princess a bad book, but at most it gets a Participation Trophy, not a Winner's Trophy.

★★★☆☆ ( )