If you thought Umbridge was bad in Order of the Phoenix, this book is so much harder to get through, ; it's full of strive and hardship. It's very difficult to read like a Charles Dickens book. I must say that it must be read at least once in a lifetime but it's not a classic that you want to torment yourself with more than once. xD

3 stars


A Little Princess is a sweet story about a girl who creates dreams and tales to elevate her dreary reality into something more bearable.

The novel is fairly predictable, but the sentiment was nevertheless appreciated. Human empathy and kindness are exalted above the greed perpetuated by social class. Sarah bonds with maids, outcasts and others alike, showing them how to escape their present circumstances into comforting dreams. Her romanticism and determination to rise above the hypocrisies of those around her is admirable.

I can see why it is a popular children’s novel; it has valuable morals and likeable characters. It was a pleasant experience but nothing more for me personally.

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 afterward. There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in--that's stronger. It's a good thing not to answer your enemies.


Truly an extraordinary story.

Before starting this novel, I expected it to be a simple and short story that I would quickly go through. And I did. However, what I did not know back then is how much I would fall in love this story. If I could choose just one word to describe this book, it would simply be: charming. A Little Princes is a novel that follows a young girl named Sara Crewe, who goes through some unfortunate events that no child should, but who also learns a lot on her journey. Sara is one of the most wonderful characters I read about. She is charming, smart and full of imagination that is needed in this world of ours. On her journey she meets some wonderful (and some not so wonderful) people, and she left a huge impact on every one of their lives. Apart from that, she also left a huge impact on my life. Since I've been reading a lot of children novels (The Little Prince being one of them) I noticed that I lost touch with my childish side, which, as I realized, is not a good thing to do. A person could grow up, but still keep that childish (I say that in all the good meanings of that word) side inside. That was just one of the lessons that this book taught me, which I will, hopefully, remember for a long time.

If you haven't already read this book, you should definitely consider picking it up. It is one of those children novels that is also written for adults.

“Never did she find anything so difficult as to keep herself from losing her temper when she was suddenly disturbed while absorbed in a book. People who are fond of books know the feeling of irritation which sweeps over them at such a moment. The temptation to be unreasonable and snappish is one not easy to manage.”

Of all the emotions Burnett captures in A Little Princess, the above quote will always be my favorite. I’m at my most dramatic when someone interrupts me reading.

I really do love this book—mostly with the nostalgic kind of love that comes from returning to an old favorite. Sara Crewe and her peculiar “supposing” always felt like a kindred spirit. Of course, she’s fairly flawless, but her moments of raw emotion always hit deep.

And also, she understood the power of a doll.

Yes, this book has a vaguely racist undertone that I forgot about. But also a lot of wonder and magic.

Why has it taken me 30 years to finally read this delightful book?

My mother thought it completely foolish of me to buy a hardcover book and then finish it in one night (these were the days before Harry Potter and, besides, we had enough books in our house, in her opinion). But I loved owning this edition with its gorgeous images and, when I gave it to my younger cousins in Singapore, believing myself ready to part with my childhood attachment to a book I wouldn't ever forget, I did mourn its loss, though I was a teenager by then and studying the dead white male canon. I'm an awful person, I know, but when I visited my family in Singapore the year before I graduated from college, I noticed the book on their shelf and asked to see it, and my aunt, noticing how my face lit up, asked if I wanted it back.

"Really? You mean it? Is that OK?"
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"
"Are you sure? Oh, but I'm awful. I guess I didn't know how much it meant to me. You're so wonderful. What can I give you?"

I forget what I gave them in exchange, but it certainly held no value compared to this book. Not to be too psychoanalytical, but I suppose my reclaiming the book was a silent protest against my mother (and my unconsciously wanting to reconnect with my father, from whom I'd inherited my love of books). I haven't changed much in all these years.

Visos penkios žvaigždutės. Čia yra tokio tyrumo ir gerumo knyga, kad rekomenduočiau ją perskaityt visiems ir kiekvienam. Nesuprantu, kaip vaikystėje ji man į rankas nepapuolė, bet džiaugiuosi dabar perskaičius - viena tų, kur nuguls į lentyną šalia Lindgren knygų, „Anės iš žaliastogių“, „Heidi“, „Mažosios fadetės“, „Polianos“, „Portugalijos karaliaus“ ir kitų knygų, kurias tikiuosi skaitys mano vaikai.

Nuostabi istoriją apie mažą mergaitę, turinčią tokias kietas ir nepajudinamas vertybes, kokias retas suaugęs geba išlaikyti. Jausmą, jog privalai elgtis kaip princesė, net jei tave spardo ir miegi šaltam pelėsiu apaugusiam kambary. Princesė, tai ne ta nosį užrietus, o ta, kuri visada atjaus, išlaikys etiketą ir nenusiris iki melodramų. Ta, kuri peralkusi savo bandelę atiduos alkanesniam. Princesė, kuri visus laiko lygiais, o dalintis tuo ką turi yra natūraliausias dalykas.

Istorija ne tik pamokanti, bet ir kupina nuotykių, netikėtumų - absoliučiai tobulas skaitinys, kuriame autorė sugebėjo sutalpinti ir smagumą ir vaistus sielai. Graudinausi ne kartą, juokiausi ne kartą, o užvertus knygą pasijaučiau labai labai turtinga. Daug davė man šis skaitinys. Primygtinai rekomenduoju visiems, be amžiaus limito.

Ένα βιβλίο που θα έπρεπε να διαβάσουμε όλοι. Υπέροχο!

The Hook - My GR friend Stephanie loved this story as a child. Stephanie owns many editions of her beloved book and her re-reads of this have not disappointed her. Honestly I had never heard of it. I have read A Secret Garden and wondered why A Little Princess never made my childhood reading. I would have loved to have this read out loud to me at that age. Stephanie did suggest an audio version available on Hoopla. I may listen to a bit of this but decided to just take the plunge and found an edition on my library’s subscription to Freading.

The Line(s) - "Sara often thought afterward that the house was somehow exactly like Miss Minchin. It was respectable and well furnished, but everything in it was ugly; and the very armchairs seemed to have hard bones in them.”

The Sinker - A Little Princess was published in 1905 by author Frances Hodgson Burnett and is suggested for audiences of 10-13 year olds. At this time of my life I was probably just leaving behind series books like Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames, just on the cusp of rolling over to more adult novels. If I had read this rags to riches story a few years earlier I am certain I would have found the imagery delightful and would have been fascinated by Sara’s world, one in which she wears such beautiful clothing so descriptively described in all its finery.

Sara Crewe is quite young when the story begins. Her father, Captain Crewe, a wealthy Englishman living in India brings Sara to England for her formal schooling, leaving her in the hands of the owner, Miss Minchin. Sara status and privilege really get under Minchin’s skin and though Minchin is known to be cruel, Sara gets more than her share of her nasty disposition. But Sara remains kind, always trying to look at the bright side of life, making lemonade out of lemons so to speak. Sara’s gift of storytelling, her ability to empathize with the girls who are bullied by their peers and her willingness to do what must be done, endear her to most but not all. How she becomes called Princess is key part of the story. There are marvelous characters throughout these pages, including a doll, with her divine garments and accoutrements, an attic girl named Becky, and even Melchisedec; oh, I’m not telling you who he is.

The parting of Sara and her father is very hard to witness. As the time for him to return to India grows closer it’s decided that Sara will be given a new doll, but not just any doll. Her name is to be Emily and she will be Sara’s friend.

"I want her to look as if she wasn’t a doll really”, Sara said. “I want her to look as if she listens when I talk to her. The trouble with dolls, papa” –and she put her head on one side and reflected as she said it—“the trouble with dolls is that they never seem to hear.”

When Sara’s father diamond mine deal fails and he suddenly dies leaving Sara penniless, her life spirals from wealth to poverty quite quickly. The change in her life and its resolution has the fairytale appeal that makes this story charming.

I’m not certain how children of today would enjoy this book. The language is old fashioned and the story doesn’t have the modern zing of today’s movies, TV, games or books. It is simplistic and offers much that is black or white, yet still has themes of goodness and evil to challenge discussion. And yet, given the right child, the right person to share the story with, I could see it being a beloved tale.

Thank you Stephanie. Better late than never. A Little Princess was an enchanting read.

Little Sara Crewe is wealthy heiress, and she is treated like a princess at Miss Minchin's boarding school for girls. Her father loses all his money and dies abroad, so Sara is forced to work as a servant. But she never stops behaving like a noble princess with kindness and generosity to everyone.

I always love rereading this book. Sara has such a gentle personality, and she's so intelligent and adorable. I love how imaginative she is and how she is always making up stories and living inside her head. She has a marvelous intuition about people around her, and she can see through their facades right to their heart.

I love the amusing supporting characters. Ermingarde, Becky, and little Lottie are all starving for acceptance and love, and Sara gives them the loving friendship and loyalty they are craving.

The plot is wonderful too. There is never a dull moment, and I enjoy reading about all the details of the story as Sara adjusts to her new life as a poor drudge in the kitchen. It's exciting to meet Ram Dass and the Indian gentleman next door to the school, and all the magic they create for little Sara.

I love the writing style and the light tone of the story. It deals with somber themes of poverty and death, but the story is bright and funny too. This book is always a delight!

I haven’t read this book when I was a child, but I’m not surprised it’s still popular and is a children’s classic.
It’s inspired by Burnett’s her own life, as she also lost her father when she was young. After her father’s death, the very good family business also deteriorates and she goes from being a very wealthy child to a very poor one.
I loved Burnett’s enchanting story telling. It’s a classic good vs evil story line that’s done very well. I thought she also created very interesting side characters, not only the lead one.
It’s very uplifting and cute to read. I’ll definitely read more of her books.

Beautiful ❤