A Little Princess

Virginia's Leishman's narration is excellent, as is the audio quality. I already own another recording, but I purchased this one because it was available in a better quality. A wonderful story of a little girl's character tested in the face of adversity. Its one of the select few audiobooks that I always keep on my ipod, so that I may listen to random selections.

The Little Princess is a fantastic novel, offered here with excellent narration. It is an often overlooked classic, but a story that touches the heart and spirit of the child within us all. Wow...that really sounded cheesy. Well, it is in a good way.

It's a Cinderella story without the romance, with less magic and more imagination. A little girl, who appears to be a princess on the outside, has her outwardly riches stripped away. Yet, she is able to remain a "princess," despite dire circumstances, through the strength and beauty within her. It does have a happy ending and all of her efforts to stay true to herself are rewarded in the end. Granted, many of the rewards are back to the physical, but she finally gets the answer to an early question of whether she would stay a princess if luck had changed her fortune and she was met with adversity instead of everything she wanted.

It may have been required reading in your school, but it is still definitely worth a credit!

When I was young, my mother gave me this book for Christmas. I still have it. She was given a copy from one of her older sisters when SHE was young. It was quite a treat in a time when treats were few; she could escape with Sara from their poverty that necessitated raising chickens behind the house, among other things. They weren't raised for eggs, but fattened in Chicago, not on a farm or in a rural area.
After reading this wonderful story my mother, as a girl, thought all things were possible. I derived the same secret and exciting thought. She wasn't wearing clothing handed down and patched wool stockings; I wasn't wearing things my mom got at the informal neighborhood swap. No, we were wearing beautiful clothing underneath. We could always be kind when someone was mean because we knew who we really were, despite the evil child who socked me in the stomach, and the nasty boy who chased her with a snapping turtle. Many times I remember wishing the floor would open and swallow me. But then I would remember who I really was (or could be) and life would go on as it always did.
Children seem to grow up so fast now, they don't get a chance to imagine and pretend; I gave a copy of this book to each of my nieces when they needed some extra joy and distraction. Psychologists may say the basic unlikeliness of the happy ending is a warped crutch. I thought it was a beautiful tale and if Sara could be happy while waiting for her fondest wish to be granted, couldn't I? So there!

This story of a little girl, born in India but placed at a boarding school in London at age 7 for a traditional English education, is a classic. It is an easy read and I found it just as engrossing at age 50 as I did when I was 10 years old. The narration is beautifully done and Virginia Leishman, in accent and delivery, frequently reminds one of Audrey Hepburn's voice. It is a another little gem in audible's library.

If you have seen the Shirley Temple version of this book, PLEASE read the book. As per usual for Hollywood, in the movie the ending is very different, the plot is somewhat changed and characters have been added and/or transformed. If you haven't seen the film, it is worthwhile as well, but very much a different form of entertainment. (The delightful Arthur Treacher co-stars).

This is the perfect gift for a little girl age 8 but our teenage daughter enjoyed it too! The story of Sara and her struggles to remain a princess at heart in the midst of tragedy and financial loss is heartwarming and full of suspense. Virginia Leishman's performance was the icing on the cake of a classic story.