A Little Princess

About the book

Sara Crewe arrives at a London school with the advantages of money and an affectionate father. Her storytelling and unusual composure distinguish her among the pupils, but a sudden reversal exposes how much the adults' consideration has depended on her expected wealth. Burnett follows Sara's efforts to retain a sense of herself under conditions that invite humiliation and exhaustion. Friendship with children in different positions makes generosity practical rather than merely a pleasing idea. The novel gives imagined scenes and ordinary material comforts a close relationship: warmth, food, and a room can carry the significance of a changed world. Its central question is how a person might continue to act with dignity when the people controlling daily life no longer acknowledge it.

• Dignity
• Imagination
• Class and kindness

Why read it

For a story that gives imaginative resourcefulness emotional weight without forgetting the reality of hunger and cold.

English text