A little princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett — cover

A little princess

A Little Princess is a children's novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and originally published as a book in 1905, although it develops a story published a few years earlier in installments.

Sara Crewe is a young girl who moves with her family to live in London when she is seven years old. The family is very wealthy and her parents send her to boarding school.

The boarding school is run by Miss Minchin, who treats Sara really badly. The girl is very sad at first, but before long she makes friends with other girls at the school and begins to be happier.

However, just as she turns eleven, her father passes away.... This means that Sara now has no family and no home to return to. She is forced to work at the school and is mistreated by Miss Minchin.

But life will not be so cruel to poor Sara and she will receive a piece of news that will change everything...

Read more...

Children's literature Fiction Class disparity Imagination Resilience Friendship Kindness

Public domain (US)·No sign-up·DRM-free·Real text, not scans

Pages
186
Reading time
5 hours 34 minutes
Pace
Intermediate
First published
1905
Language
English
Downloads
8,789

121 years later, still timely

Why Read A Little Princess in 2026?

When fortune collapses, imagination and courtesy hold. Burnett’s story turns resilience into daily acts—tidy, kind, attentive—without preaching.

Today's connection

Strong for family or classroom use. It opens conversations about class, empathy, and how ritual can protect dignity. Chapters are cleanly shaped for nightly reading.

Kindness as strength

Grace under pressure, not perfection.

Imagination as tool

Making warmth when resources are thin.

Fairness and class

Seeing status and seeing people.

Perfect for Children Young adults Fans of classic literature Readers interested in social themes

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About the author

Portrait of Frances Hodgson Burnett

Frances Hodgson Burnett · 1849–1924

Gardens, friendship, and care as engines of growth, not sentiment.

4 books by Frances Hodgson Burnett in the library →

If this one stays with you…