A Little Princess

First published in 1905, ‘A Little Princess’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett—a British novelist and playwright, narrates the story of youthful Sara Crewe, the privileged daughter of an affluent diamond merchant. All the other girls at Miss Minchin's school treat Sara as if she indeed were a princess. Charming and imaginative, she soon becomes the envy of the other girls. But, when Captain Crewe's fortune is sadly lost, Sara's fate changes. The tragedy suddenly takes away Sarah’s fine clothes and privileges, her schoolmates wait to see if she will give up. But, now living in the school’s dirty attic and working long hours for the demanding students who were earlier her friends, Sarah’s benevolent spirit remains unaffected by the adversity and cruelty. Her intense perseverance to maintain her dignity and remain a princess has captivated and charmed readers for almost a hundred years, even inspiring a recent popular feature film.