A Little Princess

Frances Hodgson Burnett

Jan 2017 · First Avenue Editions ™

About this ebook

Young Sara Crewe grew up with her rich father in India, surrounded by servants and luxury. She's not royalty, but when she arrives at Miss Minchin's boarding school in London, everyone insists on treating her like a princess. Despite her cleverness and compassion, the other girls and Miss Minchin soon come to resent Sara's wealth and privilege. So when word reaches England that Sara's father has died destitute in India, Sara is stranded at the school—orphaned and penniless. Miss Minchin forces her to work as a servant. Cold, starving, and mocked by her classmates, will Sara's sweet nature and boundless imagination be enough to sustain her? This is an unabridged version of the beloved children's tale by English-American author Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published in 1905.

About the author

Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote for children and adults, publishing both plays and novels. She was born in Manchester, England, on November 24, 1849. Her father, who owned a furniture store, died when she was only four years old. Her mother struggled to keep the family business running while trying to raise five children. Finally, because of the failing Manchester economy, the family sold the store and immigrated to the United States. In 1865 they settled just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee. Hoping to offset her family's continuing financial troubles, Burnett began to submit her stories to women's magazines. She was immediately successful. In the late 1860s her stories were published in nearly every popular American magazine. Burnett helped to support her family with income from the sale of her stories, even saving enough to finance a trip back to England, where she stayed for over a year. In 1879, Burnett published her first stories for children; two of her most popular are A Little Princess and The Secret Garden. In contrast to an extremely successful career, Burnett's personal life held many challenges. Her son Lionel was diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 15, from which he never recovered. His death inspired several stories about dead or dying children. Burnett lived her later years on Long Island, New York. She died in 1924.