A Little Princess is a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, first published in 1905. It tells the story of Sara Crewe, a young girl raised in privilege who is suddenly thrust into poverty and hardship when her father dies and she is left penniless at a London boarding school. Despite the cruelty and adversity she faces, Sara clings to her imagination, inner dignity, and kindness, believing that every girl can be a princess in spirit. The novel blends elements of fairy tale and Victorian realism, exploring themes of resilience, identity, and the transformative power of compassion. The story was inspired by an earlier short work by Burnett titled Sara Crewe: or, What Happened at Miss Minchin’s, and it was later expanded into the novel we know today. A Little Princess has endured for over a century, continually adapted for film, stage, and television. It speaks to a timeless human desire: to rise above misfortune with grace and imagination. The book reflects Edwardian-era ideals of moral virtue, while subtly critiquing the class divisions and gender expectations of the time.
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