Tessa H
28 reviews51 followers
This book, "A Little Princess" will always have a special place in my heart. I understand that it is quite short considering my Lexile level, but I have loved this book my entire life and really wanted to read it again. The story is about a little girl named Sara Crewe who comes to a boarding school because her father is going off to fight in World War One. She is originally very wealthy and all the girls in the school are extremely jealous of her, but then her father goes missing and she is forced to become a maid for the boarding school to pay her fees. Forced to undergo extreme poverty and cruelty, Sara must endure hardships no child should have to go through, but she maintains hope throughout it all. This story was my absolute favorite book to read as a child, and it continues to inspire me in everything I do. Everyone should read this book at some point in their life.
VJ
327 reviews25 followers
I was only familiar with the Shirley Temple version of this story and was pleased to finally read a version of the original Burnett book. I picked up this lovely hardbound copy at my Friends of the Library book sale, which I will donate to Better World Books. Sara Crewe is living in Miss Minchin's boarding school while her father goes on a business trip to India. There, he contracts brain fever and dies, leaving Sara orphaned and at the mercy of Miss Minchin, a shrewd shrew drawn to perfection. Sara has always been treated like a little princess and even though her material circumstances change, her caring, compassionate, proud spirit does not. She makes Miss Minchin most uncomfortable because she senses that Sara sees right through her ruse of being a proper schoolmistress into her soul, which is grasping, hard-hearted, and cruel. Miss Minchin and Sara are opposites. Unlike the ST movie, Sara's father really dies, but his friend, Mr. Carrisford, looks for his friend's daughter to restore her inheritance to her. By the end of the story, Sara is returned to princess status and a happy ending is achieved, but not without attention being paid to those who are less well off in the society. Sara embodies many admirable characteristics: she is a storyteller, a reader and lover of books; she is imaginative, intelligent, culturally sensitive; she is kind, compassionate, caring, and unselfish; the daughter of a soldier, she is proud and uncomplaining. Sara is many of the things I would like to be and is a wonderful role model for little girls. This reworking of the classic is meant for young readers. It is hoped that this abridged introduction to the work will inspire an interest in reading the original and continue developing the love of reading. While I loved Shirley Temple movies as I was growing up, the original story is much more satisfying. Definitely a good read.
- children classic-lit fiction
Carina
24 reviews10 followers
'A Little Princess' is a book I really enjoyed as a child. As a young child I enjoyed the Ladybird version and as I got older I read the full version by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It tell the story of a girl called Sarah who is sent to boarding school in England after living with her soldier father in India. To begin with she has the best of everything as her father provides everything she could ever want. Then her father dies and her unkind head mistress Miss Minchin, who has never liked Sarah, sets her to work as a servant. Sarah as a character is very likeable. She is kind to others, intelligent and uses her vivid imagination to keep her spirits up in the worst of times. She imagines she is a princess who will soon be rescued from her reduced circumstances, which indeed she is when her kindness is recognised by a servant and in time his master, who moves into the house next door to the boarding school and adopts Sarah. The illustrations in the Ladybird version are very appealing I particularly liked how they depicted Sarah's change in circumstances. When reading the story as a young child the Indian servant seemed exotic and intriguing, making the story all the more appealing. It is definitely a children's classic with a predictable happy ending and would probably appeal more to girls than boys. It affirms the importance of being kind to others and stirs the imagination.
Kauzar Ben
87 reviews1 follower
Prefiero no dar ningún comentario.
Tessa
186 reviews17 followers
I could not find a copy of the original Frances Hodgson Burnett novel anywhere, but this children's adaptation was a good substitute/summary. A friend told me to read this story and pay attention to Sara. No matter what anyone said to her, how badly she was treated, or how awful her circumstances were, Sara knew who she was. She knew that she was valuable; she rested in her identity as a princess. She felt despair, and she had moments of imperfection, but it made her human. Her gentle strength and dignity, along with her heart for every person she met, make her an incredible heroine. A lovely story.
- classics fiction read-in-2016
Maria Trying to write my book Park
762 reviews38 followers
I admit to having seen the classic movie with Shirley Temple before ever reading the book. However, the words of Frances Hodges Burnett created vivid pictures of my own as I read. There is something in every little girl's heart that wants to be rescued by a prince and taken away to luxury. I always wanted to have a crown. What a delightful story of riches to rags to riches. I do so admire an author who can paint a picture with words and bring it to life, especially for children.
- childhood
Madeline Flowers
33 reviews
Read
May 28, 2017The ook I'm reading is acctually longer. I coulldn't find the right title. But this is an amazing book and Definatly worth reading.
Sar San
5 reviews
It was shocking to learn that a rich lovely and kind girl suddenly became poor after her dad decided to suicide because of debt. She was badly treated at school where she once’s was regarded as a princess. There were more cruel consequences happening to her. Let’s explore it!
Ebookwormy1
1,804 reviews318 followers
This adaptation faithfully captures the classic story for elementary (or adults short on time) readers. This is not a highly layered or nuanced treatment, but children will be familiar with the story line and character development, as well as able to determine if the full length original is of interest. Most of the editing made sense to me, but I'm still troubled as to why they changed the rug from red to blue, but left the rose colored lamp, rose colored? It's the little things that niggle at you.
- fiction
L
136 reviews
Excellent read aloud version for kids! I will definitely be reading the original soon. If the young girls in your life love princesses, Sara Crewe is the best example!
- read-aloud
Mimi Bouizaguen
118 reviews23 followers
Reminded me of my childhood...
Elizabeth Outcalt
55 reviews2 followers
I love Sara
Georgia
2 reviews
Read
April 21, 2022also my entire childhood
Anonymous Person
1 review1 follower
I think that this book is both happy and sad and easier than the original which is my level of reading.
sy
22 reviews
4.5
- 4-star classics
Ashley Bacon
259 reviews15 followers
I loved reading this story aloud with my little princesses!
Bunga ✿
179 reviews10 followers
It's magical
lilly
14 reviews1 follower
my favorite book as a kid and still one of my favorites. so good and so wholesome
Itsmeshatakshi
17 reviews1 follower
Such a lovely read after a long time ✨
"Somehow, something always happens just before things get to the very worst. It is as if Magic did it. If I could only just remember that always. The worse thing never quite comes."
✨Just a quote from the novel
Michael
69 reviews
Great book to read with my 7 year old daughter. She was excited because of the Princess in the title and I could feel her heart break when the little girl lost everything and was mistreated mid-way into the book. She'd never encountered anything like that in the overly optimistic without real hardship novels and television of today. But by the end it became one of her favorites.
Kiran Galsinh
49 reviews
Sara Crew is a very spoiled girl because she is all her father has. He will do anything for her. But just because Sara is spoiled doesn't mean she lets it get in the way of kindness. Her father is a British soldier and he had to leave so he put Sara into a boarding school for girls, a place where her mother used to go to. At first the mistress is nice but when her father leaves things change. Miss Minchin is hostile towards Sara but contains most of it because Sara makes her school look good. On the day of Sara's birthday party Miss Minchin is informed that Sara's father has died leaving her an orphan. Miss Minchin takes away Sara's expensive belongings, moves her to the attic and makes her one of the servants in the house. Everyday Sara cleaned and cooked but she still considered herself a princess. When the new neighbor next door has a patient that seems familiar to Sara, she becomes desperate. This book is filled with love and emotion and is just as good as the movie. I recommend this book to people who read classic books.
Anna Gille
10 reviews4 followers
This book is about a girl that is named Sara. She is 7 in the beginning, but for most of the time, she is 11. She is spoiled by her father Captain Crewe, and he always treats Sara like a princess. Then Sara is sent to a boarding school, because her dad has to go and fight in world war one. She doesn't remember a thing about her mom though because her mother died when Sara was just 2. Sara is a happy little girl who believes in magic and has a huge imagination. When she is at the boarding school, her dad continues to pay, so Sara can keep being treated like a princess. Her dad has many riches and he pays extra for Sara to be treated like a princes at the boarding school, and he sends her letters a lot. One day Sara is informed that her dad has died and he is out of money. So the head of the boarding school makes Sara into her maid and threatens Sara that if Sara doesn't work she will kick Sara out and Sara will be homeless. Sara doesn't really have a choice to work or not. She starves, cries herself to sleep and most importantly uses her imagination with the other maid there. Together they become friends and the only hope that keeps them hanging on is Sara's wonderful imagination and love. Then one day Sara's fairytales come true and right in front of her eyes is a beautiful feast. It turns out that there was Sara's dad's friend that fought in war with him, felt bad that her dad died so he was trying to find her, even though he doesn't even know Sara. Along the way he helps a random girl which ends up being Sara. Eventually he finds out it is Sara and he takes her out of the boarding school, and helps the other girls too. Throughout the whole book, people are helping Sara.
I really enjoyed this book. I would read this book over and over, many times. What I really liked about the book, is that it is a story that tells about how many people affect her. My favorite part of the book was when Sara has pretty much starved because she hadn't eaten in like 2 weeks, and she gets some money from a random young boy, just because he feels bad for her. With that money she goes and buys some buns from a bakery. When she gets them she gives 5 of her 6 buns to a different little girl. Then because of Sara’s kindness, the girl that Sara bought her buns from decided to help the little girl that Sara gave the other food. My point is that by Sara being kind-hearted, she affects others and influences others to help each other too. Over all I really just enjoyed that it was a story of hope and it really just expresses that there are people out there that try to help others no matter how big or small they help. It really just reminds me of Saint Teresa's quote: "We can do no great things, only small things with great love." I feel like that is pretty much sums up the whole book.
- 7th-grade-first-trimester
Heba
23 reviews
"She looked at each particular thing, as if to commit it to memory."
Oh dear little princess Sara <3
Anelya
43 reviews1 follower
The Classic Starts version of "A Little Princess" is a book I've read for absolute years. I have no idea when it came into my life, but I know, as a little girl, I read it over and over. I identified so strongly with the main character, Sara, and aspired to be as similar to her as I could be. I suppose she was my Disney Princess. The tragic, yet magic, tale of Sara Crewe, a little girl who loses her father and her fortune and is forced to work for an awful headmistress as a servant girl is time-honored. Not only do I have lovely memories of the book, but also of the movie starring Shirley Temple as Sara. It is very obviously an old children's book based off the innocence of the whole story, but I love how all the characters are well-rounded, none of them portrayed as blatantly good or evil. After rereading this abridged version, I cannot wait to read the original. Also after rereading this, I cannot wait to read it with a daughter of my own one day. It's such a lovely children's book, I hope it never goes forgotten.
- 2018 amazing amusing
Jeeyeon Kang
11 reviews
I choose this book because my mom brought it one day for me to read saying that she read it when she was little. This story is about a little girl who had to live in a all girls house because her father couldn't take care of her. But her life changes when her father dies and cant pay her rent fess. In the house she lives as a princess but she becomes a slave after her father died. My favorite quote in the book is "Oh no, I left you sleeping because you looked so tired". This showed how she cared for another girl working for her because of no money. This was when her father was alive. I found this book very interesting because the girl lives through out the hard ship when her father died and lived as a slave. I recommend this book to my cousin named Jeonyoung who lives like a princess just like the character. I want her to know that she shouldn't show off too much or else she can become like her.
- school
Asuka Mai
557 reviews31 followers
Sara Crewe seorang putri dari saudagar kaya, dikirimkan ayahnya ke Inggris untuk sekolah asrama. Dibawah Miss Minchin sebagai kepala asrama yang kejam dan mata duitan, di hari ultah Sara. Miss Minchin membuat pesta ultah besar-besaran untuk Sara, berharap ayah Sara akan mengganti uang nya 2 kali lipat. Namun ditengah pesta nya yang meriah kabar buruk datang menimpa hidup Sara, ayahnya meninggal dunia akibat fever jungle. Tanpa meninggalkan surat wasiat atau apapun, kini Sara harus menjalani kehidupan menyedihkan di bawah aturan Miss Minchin. Ia harus tinggal di loteng, sering kelaparan, dan bekerja tanpa henti.. Namun Sara yang seorang putri sejati, tak pernah sekalipun mengeluh. Ia tetap berimajinasi dan tetap rendah hati.. Suka banget sama ceritanya dan keteguhan hati Sara!
Walaupun Sara anak yang kaya, namun ia tidak sombong. Ia pun mempunyai imajinasi yang tinggi, suka berdongeng kepada teman-temannya.
- children classic favorite
Amanda
13 reviews
I chose this book because it is a timeless classic.This book is about a girl, named Sara Crewe, who is the daughter of a wealthy captain. He is called to join the war and when he is reported dead, she must go to a dreadful school called miss Minchin's school For Girls.I don't really have a favorite quote from this book, but my favorite part of this book is when Sara by calms Lottie down by telling her a story.The author's writing style is written through the characters of the book.I would recommend this book to people who like classic stories.
Analía Dayhanna
79 reviews1 follower
Okey, i never thougth read a book like this, and believe me, im impact. I really love to read i little of the Sara´s life; the real princess. ¨Its a story-said Sara-everything is a story. You are a story-I am a story. Miss Minchin is a story¨. 5.0🌟/5.0🌟
A little princess is a book that just touch your heart, sorry, touch your soul ,you can connect with the character for the kind, for all the thing that happend to her, and its very impress how she can still be a kind person even with everything against her.
¨I tried no to be anything else¨.
Margaret
25 reviews
I love this book. And I love Sara. Even though, her dad gives such nice things, what really makes her special is her character. She is so kind, and is always concerned for others. In addition, she has such good imagination and believes in herself. Even when times get hard and she has to work as a servant girl and lived in an old attic. I also like how in the back of the book, there are discussion questions that you can think about after you finishing read it.
- favorites princesses
Debbie
83 reviews1 follower
I read this book to my kids without remembering the story. My 8 and 6 year-olds really liked it!It changed my daughter's way of thinking. After we finished, she went through her clothes and toys and wants to give them away to kids who don't have much. Love her.