That book made me cry twice. It features a wonderful protagonist who shows strength in spite of the wickedness and cruelty she's subjected to and it demonstrates the importance and results of kindness and friendship.
I'm now reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (my mum has kindly given me her collection of classic children's books – I am feeling very lucky and grateful!) but fully intend to move onto The Secret Garden afterwards.
I would be interested to hear what other people thought of A Little Princess and if it made them as tearful as it made me.
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I love A Little Princess, have read it several times. I am a sap so yes I need to have Kleenex nearby 😊. Also love A Secret Garden and Little Lord Fauntleroy.
Both A Little Princess and The Secret Garden were precious to me as a kid. I still have my original copies of both decades later. But if I were made to choose, I would probably confess that I love The Secret Garden just a little bit more. There’s something about the description of the English weather and landscape that always appealed to my imagination as a kid.
If you’re on a children’s classics kick, I would also recommend Anne of Green Gables.
I read this book repeatedly as a child and young adult. This book taught me so much about kindness in the face of adversity.
One of my favorite children’s books of all time. I love The Secret Garden as well, but Sara really connected with me. Her love of reading and storytelling resonated with me, and the way she used that to help her survive the tough times without breaking her spirit or making her bitter was wonderfully done.
None of the movie versions have really captured this story well, IMO, but there was a miniseries done in the 80s that came close…and I just discovered that I can watch it on Amazon (it was impossible to find for a long time) so I know what I’ll be watching tonight 🙂
I remember truly deeply and with a special reverence loving this book in the 4th grade
I still have my original copy; I read it to my daughter last year. Still wonderful
I’ve been reading it once or twice a year for at least 40 years 🙂
I saw the movie before reading the book. Both are equally bitter sweet to me. Just a melancholy story with beautiful undertones of joy and gladness.
I love A Little Princess. She had imagination like mine. Only I wasn’t bullied, however, not a lot of people talked to me so I felt isolated sometimes because of my deafness. Imagination took me to places while sitting in church services, parties, socializing with hearing children who didn’t know ASL, and awana club, etc.
I loved that book
Try Anne of Green Gables (the first three and last one are the best), Little Women/Little Men/Jo’s Boys, and Eight Cousins/Rose in Bloom.
I never read A Little Princess, but The Secret Garden was my favorite book when I was a kid – probably 5th- 6th grade. It’s a wonderful book, and now you’re making me think I should re-read it, and also read A Little Princess. Thank you!
All of her books are now available on the internet. The Little Princess and The Secret Garden are her very best, but the others are worth reading. Louisa May Alcott is wonderful too.
This was the book that got me into reading as a kid
My Nana gave me this book and The Secret Garden when I was little, and I’ve loved them ever since. So glad that you read this gem!
I absolutely adored that book. It’s the last book my mom and I read out loud to each other when o was a kid. The Secret Garden is my husbands favorite book.
i read the little princess for the first time when i was in 3rd grade and i still remember the feelings from my first read vividly, years after, because it was the first book to move me emotionally so much so that i cried. it’s such a beautiful book, and it’s still one of my favorites. it still makes me cry every time i reread it even though i know the story front to back. haven’t reread it in a while but this makes me want to go read it again.
It is Grade A poverty porn and one of my all-time favorite books. I am fortunate not to be personally offended by the casual racism, but I wouldn’t recommend the book to everyone for this reason.
I know Secret Garden is the obvious one to read next, but the author’s first big hit, Little Lord Fauntleroy, is a lot less self-serious and really a fun read.
I loved it as a child, and also hugely recommend the beautiful 1995 film adaptation from Alfonso Cuaron. It is one of the few perfect movies for me.
My favorite thing about it is that Sara’s storytelling is her superpower — it is her way of showing kindness and empathy, and is also her way of ultimately saving herself.
“A noble woman”, by the same author is… Let’s say surprising
It’s a really beautiful book. I’ve reread it a few times as an adult and it actually stands up – it’s still magical and the emotions are very pure.
One of my favorite books of all time. When my best friend’s daughter was old enough to read it, I bought her the edition with the Rifle Paper Company cover design. My friend sent me pictures of her reading it, completely lost to the world, while riding the subway where they live.
Love that book! I still have fantasies about going to sleep in a chilly and spartan attic room and waking up to a sumptuously furnished nest of rugs and quilts with a warm fire in the hearth. (Also: plus 10000 for the other books mentioned in this thread – The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and of course, all the Narnia books).
As an adult, I still really enjoy children’s literature. I’ve read A Little Princess many times. A book you may also enjoy is Momo by Michael Ende. It’s a German’s children’s book from the 70s I believe, but there are a couple of very good translations available. Ende also wrote the Neverending Story.
This was my favourite movie as a kid, I definitely need to buy the book now I’m old enough to truly understand and appreciate it!
The part when she wallowed in her room alone, her imagination couldn’t hold back the flood of her grief, really broke me. I just want a fanfic where she’s happy with her Papa dammit
OMG I’m so glad I found this. This is my favorite book ever. I’ve read it over 30 times in March (2024/last month). I love the character Becky and how she speaks.
Oh god i cried so much when she imagined toys and a feast in her little attic room 😭