A Little Princess

Sara Crewe, ten years old, leads a delightful life. Her father, a British officer, provides her with all of the comfort his wealth and charm allow. When he dies, a cold-hearted schoolmistress turns Sara into a drudge. How does she cope?

Children's Literature

In this picture book version of the classic Frances Hodgson Burnett tale set in 19th century London, a little girl goes from riches to rags and back again. Sara Crewe is delivered by her wealthy, doting father to a boarding school for young ladies in London. Raised in tropical India, she finds London a strange place. And Miss Minchin, the owner of the school, is cold and meanspirited. Sara, who is kindhearted and intelligent as well as fabulously wealthy, quickly becomes the reigning "princess" of the school. When her father suddenly dies penniless back in India, Miss Minchin forces her to work as a servant. Despite being treated cruelly, Sara retains her dignity and her kind ways, showing herself to be a true princess. In a heartwarming ending, her father's best friend finds and adopts her, restoring her to a life of comfort. The wonderfully detailed illustrations reflect Ms. McClintock's visit to London to study late 19th century English clothing, houses and furniture. But it is more fun to read Burnett's vivid descriptions and imagine how Sara and the other characters look. The story does suffer from being abridged. The original, much more satisfying version could be read aloud to younger children and would be accessible to readers eight years old and up. 2000, HarperCollins Publishers, $16.95 and $16.89. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Joyce Schwartz <%ISBN%> 0060278919

Rebecca Burns is editor-in-chief of Atlanta Magazine, which has won numerous regional and national awards under her direction.

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) grew up in England, but she began writing what was to become "The Secret Garden "in 1909, when she was creating a garden for a new home in Long Island, New York. Burnett was already established as a novelist for adults when she turned to writing for children. "Little Lord Fauntleroy", written for her two young boys; the play "A Little Princess", which became the basis for the novel of the same name; and "The Secret Garden "are the works for which she is most warmly remembered.