A Little Princess (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Introduction) "Once on a dark winter's day, when the yellow fog hung so thick and heavy in the streets of London that the lamps were lighted..." (more)
Key Phrases: missee sahib, select seminary, last doll, Miss Minchin, Miss Amelia, Ram Dass (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"What little girl would not be delighted to discover that a beloved adult believes she shares Sara Crewe's wonderful imagination, wit, and courage when she receives a tape of The Little Princess?" -- Book Links, November 1997

Enjoy a complete, unabridged classic spiced by the voice of film actress Wanda McCaddon as it narrates the classic story of young rich girl Sara Crewe, who finds herself impoverished and at the mercy of a cruel headmistress when her father dies. Enjoy a strong audio version which recreates the drama of the story. -- Midwest Book Review --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Description

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 unique and fully annotated edition appends excerpts from Frances Hodgson Burnett's original 1888 novella Sara Crewe and the stage play that preceded the novel, as well as an early story, "Behind the White Brick," allowing readers to see how A Little Princess evolved. In his delightful introduction, U. C.Knoepflmacher considers the fairy-tale allusions and literary touchstones that place the book among the major works of Victorian literature, and shows it to be an exceptionally rich and resonant novel.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (February 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142437018
• ISBN-13: 978-0142437018
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (144 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #679,326 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest children's stories of all time., July 12, 1999

By	Margaret Fiore (North Granby, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Little Princess (Paperback)

This book was a favorite of mine in my childhood, and, when I returned as an adult to re-read it to my own daughter, I discovered it all over again.

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.

It is a fabulous story of the triumph of human will, and good over evil.

This story is a real classic, and needs no re-writing to be as enjoyable and readable today as it ever was. Ask my 8-year-old daughter, who has already re-read it twice. Accept no substitutes, re-writes, abridgements or copies! This is a work of art, and should not be tampered with.

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my childhood favorites, April 18, 2001

By	Joanna Daneman (Middletown, DE USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

This review is from: A Little Princess (Paperback)

This book has familiar fairy tale figures, such as a wicked stepmother-like Miss Minchin, a fairy godfather, and an orphan protagonist who is a princess in disguise. It's the story of a little girl who endures some setbacks but reaches a happy ending not only for herself, but for those around her whom she helps even when she's pretty downtrodden.

The writing is charming and Sara comes through as a person who is determined to maintain her values, through good times and bad. She has a definite personality and that is a good role model for any child. She stays true to her beliefs in being kind, mannerly, charitable and above all, herself.

The magic in this book is unsurpassed in children's literature. When Sara comes home, wet and cold and neglected, to find that a magician has transformed her world, you can't help but be enchanted. I will admit to reading it again now and then as an adult. The charm is still there.

Just a fun factoid; A Little Princess was originally a shorter story titled Sara Crewe, in a volume of children's novelettes by Burnett.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring Story!, November 9, 2003

By	gtruxton (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Little Princess (Paperback)

A Little Princess, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett was an inspiring story teaching a valuable lesson. Sara Crewe had everything she ever wanted when she went off to boarding school in London. Her fashionable dresses, high quality jewelery, and numerous accessories made her one of the elite. Sara's life was almost perfect, until her eleventh birthday, when a devastating tragedy occurred changing her life forever. Sara received news very abruptly that her father had died, leaving her "penniless". Sara's teacher, Ms. Minchin despised her because she had become poor, and treated her cruely. Now Sara must face her troubles and prove to everyone that she can be strong and perservere through her difficult times.
This book's moral states that everyone can be a princess when they put their minds to it. Being a princess is not about the fame and fortune, but about how you act in the situation into which you have been placed. You can be kind, or you can be mean; you can be content, or you can be greedy; you can be upset, or you can be optimistic. The book really relates to people who are going thruogh tough times in their lives and need reasurance and confidence.