A Little Princess

By: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Narrated by: Virginia Leishman

Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

Ten-year-old Sarah Crue lives life like a princess until tragedy strikes, taking away her fine clothes and privileges. Without her velvet and silk and French maids, she's no longer the envy of all the girls at Miss Minchin's London boarding school, and even has to live in the school's attic, working for the students who were once her friends. Will Sarah's spirit remain unbowed? Follow her through her trials and triumphs in this unforgettable tale beloved by children the world over.

Public Domain (P)2005 Recorded Books

Critic Reviews

"A blend of power, beauty, vivid interest and honest goodness. Yes, if this is magic, it is good magic." (The New York Times)

Credit Worthy Narration

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.

13 of 15 people found this review helpful

One of our Family Classics

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!

29 of 36 people found this review helpful

lovely, empowering story

I loved the movie of this book is a kid, and now going back to read it as an adult it was just as good of a story as I remembered. The narration was perfectly tailored for the story, and the characterization improved on the experience

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Why didn't I read this sooner???

THIS WAS THE CUTEST SWEETEST THING IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!! EVERYONE READ IT READ IT READ IT READ IT!!!!! *throws hearts and sparkles everywhere*

Seriously, I recommend this whether you are old or young. Sarah was a wonderful, admirable, heroine and I adored how she held on to her identity and showed kindness and love to others no matter how bad her own situation was. She even continued to be generous when she herself had almost nothing to give. Even when she got mad, or scared, she didn’t let it make her bitter, or make her lash out at people, not even at those who were the ones treating her badly. Such an attitude is one we could all learn from, especially in this day and age. It’s an excellent story, and I loved every moment of it. The narrator had the perfect voice for a story like this, too, and I felt she added charm to an already charming story.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A great listen for any age

I enjoyed listening to this book. It was easy to follow along too and the narrator has an easy and enjoyable voice to listen to. I suggest this book for any age.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Indulge yourself with this one, but bring Kleenex.

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!

5 of 8 people found this review helpful

This book is a classic. Worth listening

If you've never heard this story, it's a beautiful one. Sad, but with a beautiful happy ending. And even if you have read it before, it's worth another listen.

Generally a good book.

it is mostly a good with some little flaws and some boring parts. Not good if you can't hear the whole thing but a really good story.

Such an important story. Grab the Kleenex.<br />

My kids have listened to many classics, but they LOVED this one. Such an important story for exposing children to empathy, especially empathy despite our own hardships. Grab the Kleenex!

Very Good Read!

This is a classic and a very good read! My girls and I thoroughly enjoyed!