Book Review: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (Spoiler free!) | Tonia

Hi readers! This my first ever book review on the blog! Exciting day, isn’t it?

The book I will be reviewing today is A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Before we get started, here is the synopsis found on the back of the book, as well as some basic information.

“Written by British-born author Frances Hodgson Burnett and first published in 1905, A Little Princess tells the story of young Sara Crewe, privileged daughter of a wealthy diamond merchant. All the other girls at Miss Minchin’s school treat Sara as if she truly were a princess. But when Captain Crewe’s fortune is sadly lost, Sara’s luck changes. Suddenly she is treated no better than a scullery maid. Her own fierce determination to maintain her dignity and remain a princess inside has intrigued and delighted readers for almost a hundred years, even inspiring a recent popular feature film.”

GENRE: Children's literature

PAGE COUNT: 324

That being said, let’s get on with the review!

This book really holds a special place in my heart. I remember first reading it in grade 3 or 4, and being really proud of myself for reading a “grown-up book”. Something that I think is really great about this book is how timeless it is. I find myself enjoying this book years after I first read it, and I can always take away something new whenever I read it. I think the message the author conveys can be applied to everyone, no matter their age. They don’t call this book a classic for nothing.

Building onto that, the message and story is beautiful. It’s a story about kindness, inner beauty, and compassion. It’s about keeping your head up even in the darkest of days. It’s about hope and knowing your self worth, and I think that the world can always use more kindness. A Little Princess kind of reminds me of Cinderella in terms of the plot. (Cinderella is a great story too, by the way.) This book has helped me through bad days, and reminded me to stand tall, fix my crown, and find my inner princess. Sara Crewe is a loveable little girl, and the way she handles things and carries herself is quite inspirational.

Now let’s move on to the writing. The writing reads like a bedtime story. Not too complicated (I read this in grade 3), and yet it still holds that timeless feeling of a fairytale. This was first published in 1905, so the writing isn’t exactly modern, but it’s pretty easy to read. When I was little, I enjoyed being able to read “big words”, and now that I’m older, I can appreciate the imagery the author uses to bring the story to life. Keep in mind that the pacing in my opinion, is a bit on the slower side, but I didn’t really have a problem with that.

In conclusion, this is a beautiful book. Every time I read it, it’s like I’m wrapping myself in a big warm blanket. I love the message, and this is a really great book for people of all ages. I can recommend this to young girls who love to read, as A Little Princess really opened my eyes to lots of other great books, and Sara Crewe is a fantastic role model.

Overall, I would give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating.

Happy reading!

Tonia <3