A Little Princess

by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Young, wealthy Sara Crewe isn’t thrilled to leave India to attend boarding school in London. Sara is quite sad to leave her father to attend Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies. And, to be fair, not everyone at Miss Minchin’s is thrilled by Sara’s arrival. From her appearance, you see, Sara appears to be a little princess.

Her clothes are beautiful, her belongings are luxurious, and her manners are impeccable. Young Miss Crewe carries herself like a princess.

Sara’s princess behavior and her great imagination will endear her to some and cause friction with others. No matter. It is her royal mindset that carries her through life, including the horrors of Miss Minchin’s school.

Though I do not want to give away the whole plot, I do want to say that Sara’s truly regal nature will prevail in the face of any tragedy she might face. She is smart and spunky, and yet, she still manages to an admirable level of reserve for such a young lady.

I’m not sure if I would have liked reading this novel as a girl. Even as an adult, I like the story, but have a difficult time accepting the plot of the novel. It’s really quite improbable. Sure, the ending is happy, but it is also fairly ridiculous.

1/6/12