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    A Little Princess
    A Little Princess
    A Little Princess
    Audiobook (abridged)2 hours

    A Little Princess

    Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

    Narrated by Lucy Whybrow

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Sara Crewe is one of the most vivid figures in children’s fiction. Born in India and sent to school in England, she is, at first, treated like a princess by the teacher, Miss Minchin. But when it is evident that Sara is not the possessor of a princess’s fortune, she is despatched to live in the attic and become a servant. It is the remarkable way which Sara copes – imagining things are not as bad as they seem – which has made her a role model for many young girls, who also hope to experience her happy ending.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateFeb 1, 2002
    ISBN9789629543822
    Author

    Frances Hodgson Burnett

    Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was born in Manchester and spent her early years there with her family. Her father died in 1852, and eventually, in 1865, Frances emigrated to the United States with her mother and siblings, settling with family in Knoxville, Tennessee. Frances began to be published at the age of nineteen, submitting short stories to magazines and using the proceeds to help support the family. In 1872, she married Swan Burnett, a doctor, with whom she had two sons while living in Paris. Her first novel, That Lass o'Lowrie's, was published in 1877, while the Burnetts were living in Washington D. C. Following a separation from her husband, Burnett lived on both sides of the Atlantic, eventually marrying for a second time, however she never truly recovered from the death of her first son, Lionel. Best known during her lifetime for Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886), her books for children, including The Secret Garden and The Little Princess, have endured as classics, but Burnett also wrote many other novels for adults, which were hugely popular and favourably compared to authors such as George Eliot.

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    Reviews for A Little Princess

    4.5/5

    106 ratings92 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I’m not sure why I waited so long to read A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, but I’m kicking myself! Sara Crewe is up there with the most enchanting characters ever created. She reminded me so much of Anne Shirley, who has always been a favorite of mine. They were both orphans and both used their imaginations to help them get through difficult situations. They were also both old souls, and this aspect of Sara’s personality is actually pointed out on the first page of the book: She sat with her feet tucked under her, and leaned against her father, who held her in his arm, as she stared out of the window at the passing people with a queer old-fashioned thoughtfulness in her big eyes. She was such a little girl that one did not expect to see such a look on her small face. It would have been an old look for a child of twelve, and Sara Crewe was only seven. The fact was, however, that she was always dreaming and thinking odd things and could not herself remember any time when she had not been thinking things about grown-up people and the world they belonged to. She felt as if she had lived a long, long time. After growing up in India, Sara’s father feels like he must send her to boarding school in Paris so she can learn to be a proper young lady. She does not want to leave her father, but she does so gracefully – as she does everything. After establishing herself as an even-tempered, sweet and generous friend to everyone at the school, she receives horrible news that changes everything. However, even when everything is taken away from her…she remains positive and charming. She and fellow servant girl Lottie manage to survive by sticking together – and their determination ends up paying off! I should probably mention that I grew up watching (and loving!) the 1997 movie version of the book, so I was ridiculously surprised by how the book ends – the movie changed things up big time! Even though this is a classic book with no real fantasy or paranormal aspects, this book is a fairy tale of the best kind. If you haven’t read it yet, you definitely should! Escape into Sara’s world where nothing is so bad that it cannot be imagined away.
    • 3/5
      This review originally appeared at Belle's BookshelfI hate to say it, but I was disappointed with this book.I should note before I go any further that my opinion was probably doomed from the outset by high expectations, and it was pretty much impossible for me to be fair. Because, you see, while I never read this book as a child, I watched the 1995 movie adaptation obsessively and also enjoyed the 1939 version, PLUS have a special place in my heart for Burnett's The Secret Garden - both the book and movie versions. So, like I said, my expectations were pretty damn high - and it was hard for me not to compare this book to all those other things.While it told the story I was expecting - of a kind little girl named Sara being sent to a boarding school by her loving father, who then finds herself suddenly friendless and penniless, having to use her inner strength and imagination to overcome her lot - I was surprised at how different it was from the movies. There was one glaring plot point that I'd assumed was an intrinsic part of the story, because it appears in both film versions (despite them being very different in other ways), and I was shocked and disappointed that it was actually absent from the book. But I tried to be fair and get over that (after all, it's not the book's fault the movie versions changed its story) and instead focus on the magical and whimsical aspects of the plot that I love. Occasionally I succeeded, but unfortunately more often than not my attention was dragged back to things that really annoyed me.For instance, the way the book dealt with race and servants. I know I shouldn't judge it by modern standards, but it was hard not to get irritated at the way poor Becky was treated - even by those who were supposedly kind to her. Similarly, it was difficult not to be disgusted by the descriptions of India and its inhabitants, and Sara's reflection that they were once her slaves - this, coming from a supposedly noble girl!Which brings me to Sara herself. The little princess drove me nuts. Which in itself annoyed me - I wanted to like her SO badly (She reads! She loves stories and imagining things! She's smart! She's brave!) - but the more time I spent with her, the more I disliked her. She was just so perfect that she didn't seem real; on the rare occasions she showed "wickedness" (the few times I started to like her again), she quickly reined herself in. I know she's supposed to be an admirable character, with traits to aspire to, and I did like the message that positive thinking and kindness can be their own rewards, but it was just rammed down my throat so hard that I almost sympathised with the awful Miss Minchin. Who could blame her for wanting to bring Little Miss Perfect down a peg or two?!I feel terrible saying all this because, like I said, I loved the story growing up and I'm surprised at how little I loved it after finally reading it. Of course, it wasn't awful - there's still the magic and whimsy there, and the story itself is enchanting. But with such an archetypal heroine, what should have been just my cup of tea was way too sweet for my tastes.
    • 3/5
      A great classic.
    • 5/5
      Sara Crewe lives in India with her father, but is moved to a boarding school in England when he is convinced it will be best for her. She is very rich and is treated very well until her father dies after losing all of his money. She is banished to the attic and forced to work as a servant. She is treated horribly and is close to starving and freezing all the time, but she remains kind, thoughtful, and graceful. She catches the attention of a rich neighbor who she discovers is her father's business partner. He takes her in and she takes the other servant girl with her.I adore Frances Hodgson Burnett books, and A Little Princess in particular. I think Sara Crewe is a wonderful role model for children. She is unwavering in her belief in right and wrong and will not be bullied by anyone. She is open and honest and cares deeply about everyone, including the mice who infest the attic. I will never forget the part where she buys some bread and gives it to a starving girl outside, even though she is malnourished herself, which inspires the baker to hire that girl. I think the lesson, about doing what is right no matter what and caring about others, is a beautiful one. I also think the old-fashioned writing, though difficult, would be perfect for expanding kids' vocabulary and sentence structure, and fits right in the the Common Core Standards.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite childhood books, about the daughter of a British soldier who was raised in India, but is sent to a British boarding school when her father is sent to war.
    • 5/5
      Rags to riches stories are a common enough trope, but A Little Princess turns that narrative on its head. Little Sara Crewe, who has been given everything by her dear papa, is sent to a London board schooling, as was the custom amongst the wealthy in England at the time. There, everyone - children and adults alike - marvel at her beautiful things and declare her "a little princess." Contrary to the stereotype about rich children, Sara is not spoiled and bratty, but rather is considerate and polite. She makes friends with the other children at school, particularly with those who are overlooked by others - slow Ermengarde, tantrum-throwing little Lottie, and scullery maid Becky - instead of aligning herself with the school "mean girls" Lavinia and Jessie. Sara is also clever and imaginative, which sometimes causes others to view her as a bit peculiar, although overall she is well liked. She has a tendency to become solemn and philosophical, and sometimes wonders if she would be so nice if circumstances had been different and she had been born without wealth and privilege. Perhaps, she surmises, she is only kind because when you have everything, there is no reason to be unkind.One day, everything changes for small Sara, and she is given the opportunity to see just what sort of person she is when the tangible goods are taken from her life. On her 11th birthday, news reaches the boarding school that her beloved father has died and due to his unwise business investments, she is now not only orphaned but also penniless. The boarding school headmistress, Miss Minchin, who never really liked Sara as a person but only for her money, is apoplectic with having Sara's care foisted upon her. She responds by taking all of Sara's possessions away from her and forcing her to become a servant at the school.But all is not lost. Sara's cleverness and kindness served her well in the past and continue to do so, even in her reduced circumstances. Those who loved her for these qualities continue to do so and look out for her well-being to the best of their ability. Little Sara is indeed a model for us all with her kindness even in the face of destitution and misuse. Still, at times it becomes a tragedy of error, almost Shakespearean with mistaken identities and just missed opportunities for enlightenment, as Sara and her father's friend/business partner Mr. Carrisford are literally next door from one another but kept apart due to their ignorance of each other's significance. Meanwhile, poor Sara suffers the ill effects of poverty and misuse while Mr. Carrisford is wracked with guilt over not being able to find Sara. The narrative makes this time period seem to past relatively quickly but at the end it is noted more than once that the full time period is two years. This is hard, long time indeed for this poor little girl. In true fairy tale like fashion, Sara's fortunes eventually reverse and turn out for the better while Miss Minchin and the mean girls of the school get the chance to re-evaluate their actions. While this isn't the reality I've known, it's nice to live in this world for a little while, imagining that all good people eventually get their just desserts and those unkind people will eventually be reprimanded. It was perhaps for this reason that this book was a childhood favorite of mine. Re-reading this book as an adult, I did notice that there are some troubling depictions of people of lower classes, non-Anglo ethnic backgrounds, and less than ideal body figures. But these aren't overwhelming and you have to take the book as a product of its time. Ram Dass talking about he was always watching the child as she sleeps, peering in through her window, and knowing her every coming and going, is also a bit creepy to re-read as an adult but his intentions are the best as he does this to learn what she needs. This ends up being of great benefit to Sara during the worse of her troubles. One final note: Although I still own my hard copy of this book from childhood, I opted to re-read the book as an audio version this time. The audio narrator, Justine Eyre, was stupendous and I highly recommend this version for the audiophile.
    • 5/5
      I must have read this book at least half a dozen times as a child. It had my childhood self imagining vividly the happenings, and cheering for Sarah to overcome what tragedies had befallen her. A perfect book for a imaginative young girl,one just past American Girl book reading age.
    • 4/5
      Plot: 4 stars
      Characters: 3 1/2 stars
      Style: 3 1/2 stars
      Pace: 3 1/2 stars
      Rounding up because sentimentality.

      I admit, I had higher expectations for this book than the other 2 I read for the same purposes. Partly, it's that I adored the Shirley Temple movie when I was a child. Partly, it wasn't a play trying to be a book. It was a book from the start, and despite all the adaptations, it holds up even still. It's sweet, and if it's simple compared to modern stories, well, that's okay.
    • 5/5
      This is one of my go to books when I am feeling sad. For some ereason it comforts me.
    • 4/5
      When faced with adversity, a little rich girl (Sarah Crewe), manifests the noblest characteristics of a princess. Happy ending.
    • 5/5
      I love love love this story! Such a beautiful tale of a young girl! Of course, the fatherdaughter relationship made me sob in parts, but I loved it! So beautiful, pretty and innocent! A little slow at times, but still amazing!
    • 5/5
      Sara Crewe was sent to a little girls home during World War 1 because she found out her father was killed in action during the War. Sara and many other girls living with her are being treated as slaves or servants to a woman who's considered their "guardian." Because of Sara standing up for herself, she's banished from living in the same room with the girls and forced to sleep in the attic and do extra chores. To many who are surprised especially the reader, Sara's dad is found alive and well and he comes to retrieve Sara from the Girls home. This isn't a true story but it is based on true events during World War 1 where singles fathers are forced to have their child stay in a children's home as they've gone to War. Some made it out alive, some weren't so lucky. This is a historic realism book.
    • 5/5
      Wesley reads this to Fred as she lies dying.
    • 5/5
      This is a story about a different kind of princess than one might imagine; a princess that is an orphan - lonely, cold, hungry and abused. Sara Crewe begins life as the beloved, pampered daughter of a rich man. When he dies a pauper, she is thrown on the non-existent mercy of her small-minded, mercenary boarding school mistress. Stripped of all her belongings but for one set of clothes and a doll, Sara becomes a servant of the household. Hated by the schoolmistress for her independent spirit, Sara becomes a pariah in the household, with only a few secretly loyal friends. But through her inner integrity and strength of will, Sara Crewe maintains the deportment, inner nobility and generous spirit of a "real" princess.
    • 4/5
      My mother gave me my copy of this book when I was in third grade. I can remember carrying the book with me everywhere, reading it over and over. I think the story still stands up as classic "girl's" literature. (Side note: The image of London both in this story and in all of Dickens' novels was so vivid in my mind that when I finally got to London as an adult, I was almost shocked that there weren't horse drawn carriages and gaslights on all the streets.)
    • 5/5
      Book downloaded from gutenberg.org

      The other night I was thinking of movies and remembered loving the Shirley Temple movie about a little orpan girl and I wanted to watch it again..I couldn't for the lift of me remember the name of the movie so I spent some time googling and realized that not only was it a movie I wanted to see but a book I would probably enjoy as well. When I saw the publication date was more than 70 years ago I decided to see if gutenberg.org had a copy of it while I wait for my hardcopy to arrive. I downloaded it Sunday afternoon and have been reading it every spare moment that I can use my home computer.

      The book is so much better than I remember the movie being (which isn't saying much since it's been 15 years since I last watched it), but I plan on watching both the original & the new version of the movie sometime after I finish the book.

    • 4/5
      Lovely classic.
    • 5/5
      I recently bought myself a new copy of A Little Princess. My original copy is at my mother's house, boxed up with a lot of other books in the attic. As I remember it's somewhat dog-chewed. My girlhood dog, Cindy, a black standard poodle, had an unerring feel for which things to chew up for maximum effect. She'd get mad, she'd chew up your favorite stuff and leave it in the entryway. She was a great dog, though. In any event, during the time after my father's diagnosis of cancer and before it became clear that he was going to die very quickly I bought and read this book. I loved that I was able to find such a beautiful edition with the essential Tasha Tudor illustrations (it wouldn't be the same book without them in the same way that Arthur Rackham's illustrations for Wind in the Willows are the only correct ones - for me at least).I know I'm supposed to care that this book is firmly rooted in British imperialism and full of various stereotypes of Indian people and the lower classes, but I just don't. I prefer to consider it within the context of the time it was written (early 20th century) and read it for the joy of the story - I don't think a cleansing is required.I love A Secret Garden (I'm going to need a new copy of it, too), but I always liked A Little Princess more. There's something so appealing about Sara Crewe who loves to read and tell stories and uses her imagination to get her through the terrible time after her father's death when she is turned into a ward of her boarding school and horribly mistreated. She's not saccharine-sweet, either. She gets angry and has harsh words and is afraid and cries, but she embodies the notion that emotions are neutral - it's what you do with them that counts. There is an elegant nobility about her that shines throughout the book. It makes her very real and very admirable.The story is pretty standard Gothic fare - the evil headmistress, the orphaned child turned into a slave and mistreated, the father's friend recovering from illness and searching for the heroine. Burnett's addition of fairy tale imagery and Tasha Tudor's beautiful illustrations elevate the tale into a true classic.This book was a favorite of my childhood and a huge comfort to me in a time of uncertainty. It remains a favorite.
    • 5/5
      I read this book every year. It's about Sarah, doted upon by her father, who gets sent to England to boarding school. While there, her father invests all his fortune in diamond mines, contracts a fever and dies thinking everything is lost. Sarah then becomes an poor orphan until her father's friend finds her and returns her fortune.
    • 5/5
      A wonderful story that takes little Sara Crewe from riches to rags and back again and through it all she never loses her optimism and love of life and somehow, even in some small insignificant way, she manages to find the good in all and all come to care for her, even if just a little
    • 4/5
      I had to read this after seen France Hodgson Burnett mentioned in The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. It was a sweet story about a little girl whose father lived in India and sent her to school back in England. Sort of a reverse rags to riches story. Dad loses his money, then dies and the little girl is forced to become a servant. But she is apparently so sweet that almost everyone still loves her. Finally she is adopted by the dad's very rich friend. Very sweet, very predictable, but definitely one of those books you need to read.
    • 4/5
      What I like best about this novel is that Sara has figured out, from a very young age, that what really matters is what you are inside, not what you have or do. The outside of the story - the "cinderella" story, if you will - is entertaining and somewhat colored by fantasy, but the message is what makes the story stand out. I love that Sara is so kind to those whom everyone else overlooks.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite childhood books, about the daughter of a British soldier who was raised in India, but is sent to a British boarding school when her father is sent to war.
    • 4/5
      It is always difficult for me to read a book after already seeing the movie. Especially in this case where the girls are physically so different. I kept picturing the girl from the movie. I am, however, really glad I read it because there are quite a few differences from the movie. I loved how imaginative Sara is and how well she handled all of the horrible things that happened to her. It is a wonderful book for any young girl to read.
    • 5/5
      Sara is a little princess who is trapped in her attic penthouse bedroom in her father's house where their next door neighbors are going to stalk her! It's just like the modern contemporary internet age. That's what Bedford, Westchester County is. She can't leave her room.
    • 5/5
      One of my favorite childhood books, about the daughter of a British soldier who was raised in India, but is sent to a British boarding school when her father is sent to war.
    • 4/5
      This must surely be one of the sweetest, loveliest books a girl could read in childhood. It's been a long time but reading it again all these years down the line (in my early 20s), it still holds such charm, wonder and profound messages about class, poverty and happiness that I know it'll be returning to my shelf to read again and pass on to my own children.It tells the story of Sara Crewe, a rich little girl brought up in India by her beloved father, who moves to England to go to boarding school at the gloomy seminary belonging to the formidable Miss Minchin. She is the star pupil, dressed in finery and always happy to share her good fortune and vivid imagination with her classmates. But when a tragic twist of fate strips her of everything, Sara ends up a poor orphan working as a drudge in the seminary where once she was idolised by her fellow pupils. Miss Minchin uses this as a fine opportunity to take a sort of revenge on this strange little girl, who she has never understood but has always indulged thanks to her wealth. But no matter how hard her life becomes, she remains generous and polite to those around her, rich and poor alike, pretending that she is a princess in order to keep her morals and spirits strong. Finally, just as even her fiery spirit is at breaking point, an English gentleman who has been living in India moves into the house next door and magical things start to happen as their interest in each other grows. Of course everything will come right in the end, but I won't give away any more because it deserves to be read and enjoyed...This is a beautiful, moving, and inspiring novel, whether you're 6 or 60! It is well written, with highly individual and well-rounded characters, and a wealth of description which makes it very atmospheric and allows even a child to see Sara's London in vivid detail. There are images in the book which I could still remember clearly and recognise years after I read it as a little girl, and even now I was holding my breath and waiting for everything to fall into place! In today's selfish modern society it also provides a reminder of how a little generosity and kindness goes a long way, and is a perfect fairy tale for littler princesses too. I'd also recommend The Secret Garden for a slightly less girlie but equally sweet, timeless and beautiful story.
    • 5/5
      Probably the most touching book I have ever read, Frances Hodgson Burnett`s best book.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoy this book despite it being completely contrary to my usual tastes. This truly is a classic for children (and unlike many classic children's books is actually appropriate for a modern child, unlike Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, Barrie and several others that come to mind).
    • 5/5
      I first read this book when I was seven years old, and I have loved it ever since. Unfortunately, I lost my copy of the book several years ago, and I had never gotten around to buying another one. But when I saw that it was free at the Kindle store, this book became the first one that I downloaded on my new Kindle. :)This story is still one of my very favorites. Sure, the ending is a little too saccharine and unbelievable, but that's still part of its charm to me. Sara is one of the most memorable heroines I've ever read about; she has the fortitude to survive a horrible situation without losing her moral fiber or character. Even though she suffers greatly, she still thinks of others before herself. Heck, I still think of her as something of a role model, and she's only seven years old at the beginning of the book!Even though the language is definitely a bit dated, I still think that this classic is enjoyable for today's readers. Once my niece is old enough to understand the story, I plan on buying her a copy of this book to read!