Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.19 AVERAGE
4.19 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It just so happened the other day that I found the 1939 Shirley Temple version of the movie The Little Princess. The book on which it's based, A Little Princess, was one of my favourite childhood books, and I had no idea it was written over a century ago. I decided that since the movie left out a number of my favourite scenes and inserted a number of plot points that were not in the book, I would just reread it again to remind myself of the original story.
The plot is simple and enchanting, but I won't spoil it for the people who haven't read it. (Though, in today's world of plot twists, it's not hard to figure out how it ends.) But the writing is wonderful, and Burnett makes you really experiences the characters from the inside, sympathize with them, and share both their trials and their joys. The ending makes me feel all warm and tingly, which is the mark of any good children's book.
So, in short, one of my perennial favourites. Glad I took the time to read it through again.
The plot is simple and enchanting, but I won't spoil it for the people who haven't read it. (Though, in today's world of plot twists, it's not hard to figure out how it ends.) But the writing is wonderful, and Burnett makes you really experiences the characters from the inside, sympathize with them, and share both their trials and their joys. The ending makes me feel all warm and tingly, which is the mark of any good children's book.
So, in short, one of my perennial favourites. Glad I took the time to read it through again.
A must read for all little girls on love and goodness in the midst of trials. It brings out the princess in all of us.
Written from a child’s point if view so difficult to get ijto as an adult. I probably would have loved this as a child. Then again, maybe not as Sara is such a goody two shoes
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I saw the movies for this long before I ever read the book, so I already had a pretty vague idea of what was going to happen. I've always liked this story, probably because my name is Sarah and it means Princess in Hebrew and as a kid I was easily pleased by things like this. I like the overactive imagination, living in a sort of fantasy world almost.
Sara does get a bit old with everyone fawning over her like she's the be-all, end-all because apparently being a decent human being is just that damn unexpected back then? Heaven forbid anyone just be nice. And the fact that she says, "oh no, I'm ugly and nothing special, shut up you guys" is pretty friggin annoying too. She was hero-worshiped for being alive and breathing half the time.
It seemed like every kid aside from Sara was described as fat (except maybe Becky, though she was being starved and worked to death, so it was hard for her to have any fat on her poor little skeleton anyway), which is also very obnoxious like 'only the beautiful little Sara can be perfect and skinny and everyone else is fat. Also every other child is extremely stupid even though they come from fairly decent families (not as rich as Sara, but still enough that they were having French lessons, so obviously not poor) who would have educated their kids yet they all turned out to be dullards somehow.
Yeah, I know, it was written in 1905, but there is no reason to excuse and ignore these things in our 'classic' literature just because they were widely read. Child labor was also widely done and as we know now, it wasn't a good fucking thing, so let's move on and start giving a more critical eye to this shit and stop saying these books are so amazing just because they are old.
The story isn't bad and I don't hate it, but I still like the movie adaptations better.
Sara does get a bit old with everyone fawning over her like she's the be-all, end-all because apparently being a decent human being is just that damn unexpected back then? Heaven forbid anyone just be nice. And the fact that she says, "oh no, I'm ugly and nothing special, shut up you guys" is pretty friggin annoying too. She was hero-worshiped for being alive and breathing half the time.
It seemed like every kid aside from Sara was described as fat (except maybe Becky, though she was being starved and worked to death, so it was hard for her to have any fat on her poor little skeleton anyway), which is also very obnoxious like 'only the beautiful little Sara can be perfect and skinny and everyone else is fat. Also every other child is extremely stupid even though they come from fairly decent families (not as rich as Sara, but still enough that they were having French lessons, so obviously not poor) who would have educated their kids yet they all turned out to be dullards somehow.
Yeah, I know, it was written in 1905, but there is no reason to excuse and ignore these things in our 'classic' literature just because they were widely read. Child labor was also widely done and as we know now, it wasn't a good fucking thing, so let's move on and start giving a more critical eye to this shit and stop saying these books are so amazing just because they are old.
The story isn't bad and I don't hate it, but I still like the movie adaptations better.
This is an absolutely wonderful story that is hard to put down.
I would have loved this as a school girl. The text reflected old fashioned thinking and stereotypes in a few places but the story (yes unbelievable and full of coincidences) was just totally magical and charming. About not losing one's character and human dignity even when living in challenging circumstances.
Just as she did with The Secret Garden, Francis Hodgeson Burnett mesmerized me with this tender and imaginative tale of a child’s riches-to-rags experience of adversity.
Left as the prize pupil at a boarding school while her father goes off to war, Sara has no trouble being “the star” when she has everything: a doll, a pony, a French maid, and dresses to dream of.
Losing everything and turned into a work drudge who sleeps in a rat-infested attic, things are…different.
How she adapts and chooses to be her best self in those circumstances is inspiring. She chooses kindness to others when she can, and survives at times when that’s the only real option.
"She had learned to know how comforting a smile, even from a stranger, may be".
Left as the prize pupil at a boarding school while her father goes off to war, Sara has no trouble being “the star” when she has everything: a doll, a pony, a French maid, and dresses to dream of.
Losing everything and turned into a work drudge who sleeps in a rat-infested attic, things are…different.
How she adapts and chooses to be her best self in those circumstances is inspiring. She chooses kindness to others when she can, and survives at times when that’s the only real option.
"She had learned to know how comforting a smile, even from a stranger, may be".
This is the story of a little girl who experiences wealth and poverty but is able to always stay good at heart.
First thing to say: I loved the protagonist, Sara. She is so queer and cute and special and always trying to be "good" and she made the whole story just so extraordinary.
And yes, I loved everything else about this book, too. It was so brilliantly heart warming and cute and wonderful that it almost made me cry while reading.
This tale is so much more than just a normal children's book. In my opinion it was even better than The Secret Garden (by the same author) and I think everyone should read it and not only because it makes you believe in the "good" in all of us. It also makes one smile. Smile out of simple joy.
First thing to say: I loved the protagonist, Sara. She is so queer and cute and special and always trying to be "good" and she made the whole story just so extraordinary.
And yes, I loved everything else about this book, too. It was so brilliantly heart warming and cute and wonderful that it almost made me cry while reading.
This tale is so much more than just a normal children's book. In my opinion it was even better than The Secret Garden (by the same author) and I think everyone should read it and not only because it makes you believe in the "good" in all of us. It also makes one smile. Smile out of simple joy.