An AMAZING book for both YOUNG and OLD!!

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	• A Little Princess Frances Hodgson Burnett HarperTrophy, 1987 - 336 pages average customer review:based on 135 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

My Granddaughter Loves This Story

The title says it all. She wanted this book for her birthday, even though she's read the story before. Now it's hers to read whenever she wants.

A truly timeless classic

This was one of the books that left a lasting impression upon me as a child. I still think of the stories and lessons from this book on occasion. To me, the story was one of true grace under very difficult times. Sara is a "princess," at first because she has a wealthy father. However, even when stripped of everything, she loses none of her courage, and still conducts herself with grace in how she treats others.

The most poignant scene for me was when, cold and hungry upon a walk home in the snow, she discovers some money on the street. After hesitating and looking around to see if anyone has dropped the money, she then takes it to buy some warm food. As she enters a bakery, she sees a destitute girl, sitting on the street. Sara asks if she is hungry, a question that is met with a sarcastic retort. Upon purchasing the several warm buns, Sara then exits the bakery, and gives a bun to the girl. While watching the girl tear into the food, Sara remarks to herself that the girl is even hungrier than she, the girl is starving. One by one, Sara gives the girl the buns until Sara walks away, with only one remaining for herself.

In true fairy tale fashion, things work out both for the destitute girl, and for Sara, which is probably unrealistic. But that scene still resonates with me as a powerful example of compassion and empathy under truly hard circumstances. An amazing book, I read it as a child, and I hope that my children will read it as well.

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Better than Sappy

A Little Princess follows the story of Sara Crewe, a young girl whose mother died when she was a baby and who has been sent to bording school. She has the finest clothes and toys and anything she wants but isn't spoiled (the story is a fairy tale, by the way). She imagines herself as a princess and wants to be kind wise and just. She does good deeds as her way of "scattering largess to the population." This results in her being the social butterfly of the bording school and earns her the animosity of its queen bee. All this changes in an instant when her fortune is lost and she becomes a scullery maid in the same boarding school. She works all day, sleeps in an unheated attic, and is underfed. She now imagines herself as a princess in disguise, and continues to try and do good deeds for anyone less fotunate. But now she has another identity too - a soldier, like her father, who must live on rations and bravely face each day.

I didn't find this book to be overly sappy and sentimental, but it got close to the borderline at times. There were plenty of discussions of dolls and lacey dresses and ribbons. I read this as an adult. I guess these are supposed to appeal to little girls who want to have a little princessy playground and so would love to read about ribbons, but I think descriptions of lace would have put me off as a child as well. Like I said, these only get borderline sappy, probably because Sara soon becomes penniless and enters the lower class. As a scullery maid she experiences hunger, phsychological abuse from the bording school mistress, and a grinding work schedule. This is not sugar coated for the children, but it isn't the focus either. The focus is on Sara's internal thoughts, her relationships with her few loyal student friends, and what she thinks of the neighbors and the new people she meets and things she sees. So even though there is all this poverty it is there as a setting and not because the author has an axe to grind. Strangely enough, this book came across as realistic.

This is a children's book, but functions as a book for adults as well. For example, the estate agent's diplomacy in getting Sara hired by the bording school after she is found to be penniless has some subtlties that are going to be more real for older readers.

I recommend this book to all. It is a children's book that works for adults too. It skirts the border of sappy, but for me didn't cross over at any point. It was a good story that I read through quickly and did not get bored with or bogged down by.

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A Little Princess

A Little Princess is the story of a smart little girl named Sara Crewe. Her father was Captain Crewe. He put Sara in 'Miss Minchins London boading school' while he went away. Up until that point Sara had a fairy tale life. She had a great relationship with her father and a good lifestyle. The boading school wasnt horrible, it just took her awhile to get used to her new lifestyle. Because of her personality she made many friends. Then she lost it all because she was no longer being supported by her dad. At a young age of 12, Sara had to work for her living at the boarding school. She did dishes, made beds, wore ugly clothing(rags), and even worst she had to live in the schools nasty attic.

The book is ok, it's not the best book iv'e read. it seemed to me that the book drug on, maybe thats because the book is so long. It also had some tough words in it because they were french. I liked the book though because of Saras personaliy because even after being broke she still managed to keep a staight face and be strong. Over all i'd give it 3 stars(***).

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An AMAZING book for both YOUNG and OLD!!

I have four words to say... I loved this book! It was an amazing book. It taught me many, many valuable lessons.

A young little girl named Sara Crewe, daughter of Captain Crewe, is an only child who was always treated like royalty. Her father was a very wealthy man and the two lived in India. Sara's father had to go to war so she was sent to Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. There, Sara was also treated like royalty. Sad to say, Sara's father had died and at that moment, Miss Minchin turned Sara from riches to rags. Sara has always been a wise, smart, independent- spirited girl who would stand tall and believe in what's right. Whenever something went wrong Sara always turned the negatives into something positive. Sara made many friends, one of them being a rat. Another friend is a man that moved near Miss Minchin's Seminary, and made Sara's life a little bit better.
Sara found out why this man had moved here from India. The reason was he was in search of a certain young girl.

I do not want to give the ending away but I strongly believe anyone who reads this novel, will enjoy it as much as I did.
I feel this book was interesting, sad, emotional, fun, spritual, exciting and shocking all at the same time. That is why this is such a great book to read.

Check this book out and you too will love it!!!

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

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