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Reviews tagging 'Bullying'
A Little Princess (Illustrated): The 1905 Classic Edition with Original Illustrations by Frances Hodgson Burnett
24 reviews
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this so much; I wish I experienced it as a child!
It is the kind of book that lets you dream and romanticize life despite the hardship and brings out the enduring nature of imagination and innocent perception. We all need more of that. My grandmother would have loved to share this story with me. It is perfectly similar to some of the style of stories she shared with me when I was young before she passed, and I hope she experienced this book as well. Some of the content is very dark, especially for children who may know what their experiences are like firsthand. Still, I think even having known touches of Sarah's experiences, it is beautiful nonetheless. I was much like her as a girl, and though I felt that I could not share my imagination or perspective very closely with that of Sarah, as Sarah does through the book, it is beautiful and reminded me of myself in a very different time. It is a lovely gift all around to read this book.
It is the kind of book that lets you dream and romanticize life despite the hardship and brings out the enduring nature of imagination and innocent perception. We all need more of that. My grandmother would have loved to share this story with me. It is perfectly similar to some of the style of stories she shared with me when I was young before she passed, and I hope she experienced this book as well. Some of the content is very dark, especially for children who may know what their experiences are like firsthand. Still, I think even having known touches of Sarah's experiences, it is beautiful nonetheless. I was much like her as a girl, and though I felt that I could not share my imagination or perspective very closely with that of Sarah, as Sarah does through the book, it is beautiful and reminded me of myself in a very different time. It is a lovely gift all around to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief
Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Bullying, Fatphobia, Terminal illness
dark
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Bullying
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
This was my favourite book when I was 8 or 9, I read and reread it so many times. I loved this story so much.
It’s been over 40 years since I’ve even looked at it, and I thought it had mostly faded away from my mind. Yet once I started it this time, it all came back so clearly I almost felt like I had it memorised. I began this read with a sense of trepidation; I remembered enough to know that I would find racism and a deeply colonial pov, but I didn’t remember enough to know any details or to guess how this reading would leave me feeling.
What I found was a book that encapsulates the hypocrisy and neglect of white supremacy and christian ‘benevolence’. Some will say, oh it’s ok, it’s a book of its time, so the racism and classism, and all the other isms in this story, can be excused. But why? The child that I was, that desperately needed a fairy tale about being rescued, deserved to also have books that allowed a more complex world to exist. That didn’t create paradigms that center her potential for rescue based on her whiteness, her class, her politeness, her stoic ness, or her feminine ‘goodness’. A book that didn’t reinforce class amongst white people, and completely devalue and dehumanise all people of colour. Children deserve to have magical fairytales to escape in to, without the burden of white supremacist messaging. There are so many wonderful children’s and middle grade novels available now. For me, this one is best left in memory for what it was then.
It’s been over 40 years since I’ve even looked at it, and I thought it had mostly faded away from my mind. Yet once I started it this time, it all came back so clearly I almost felt like I had it memorised. I began this read with a sense of trepidation; I remembered enough to know that I would find racism and a deeply colonial pov, but I didn’t remember enough to know any details or to guess how this reading would leave me feeling.
What I found was a book that encapsulates the hypocrisy and neglect of white supremacy and christian ‘benevolence’. Some will say, oh it’s ok, it’s a book of its time, so the racism and classism, and all the other isms in this story, can be excused. But why? The child that I was, that desperately needed a fairy tale about being rescued, deserved to also have books that allowed a more complex world to exist. That didn’t create paradigms that center her potential for rescue based on her whiteness, her class, her politeness, her stoic ness, or her feminine ‘goodness’. A book that didn’t reinforce class amongst white people, and completely devalue and dehumanise all people of colour. Children deserve to have magical fairytales to escape in to, without the burden of white supremacist messaging. There are so many wonderful children’s and middle grade novels available now. For me, this one is best left in memory for what it was then.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Colonisation, Classism
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Slavery, Grief, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, Classism
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Grief, Death of parent
A wonderful, enchanting story for children and adults alike. Burnett's plot and characters are charming, heartwarming, enthralling, and lovable, and her writing style, while not my favorite, suits the delightful magic of the story very well.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming, imaginative children's read.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming, imaginative children's read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Racism, Death of parent
Minor: War
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was a good book. I’ve never read it before, only seen the movie and I think they changed some details in the movie. Sara was a beautiful character and the story was very lovely. I read this very fast on the 26th and 28th of feb 2022. It helped me to relax and therefore helps me complete the dymocks reading challenge for ‘a book that helps you relax’.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Slavery
Minor: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Racism, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Colonisation, War
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was pure comfort to me. I didn't read this as a child so it shouldn't feel nostalgic, but listening to the audiobook (narrated by Elizabeth Klett, who does a wonderful job) made me feel just that. I feel so maternal towards Sara 😅 I love that her kindness is a conscious thing; she becomes angry and hopeless but chooses to be kind anyway. And I love her all the more for those rare moments when she let her composure slip! I understand that the racist and classist undertones were a product of the times, but they were still jarring, so just be aware before going in. All that talk about Indian servants and slaves and the diamond mines... And then there's Becky. She gets nothing but a share of dinner while Sara is drowning in gifts (when they both suffered from child labor!), and then stays a servant at the end despite Sara inheriting more money than she could ever use.... Haha. Well.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Fatphobia
Minor: Racial slurs, Death of parent