A Little Princess The Story of Sara Crewe

Product Description This book is one of the classic book of all time. From Booklist Ages 5-7. Not just abridged but retold, this colorfully illustrated, large-format book has a text that's longer than most picture books but considerably shorter than Burnett's beloved novel. McClintock's sensitive illustrations, apparently ink drawings with watercolor washes, will certainly appeal to readers and book buyers of all ages. The period settings and costumes have a charm all their own, and the detailed pictures clearly portray Sara's transformation from privileged child to pauper and back again. Some scenes and dialogue here did not appear in the original book, but they serve to move the plot along more swiftly. The story loses a great deal of subtlety in theme and character development (as well as plot and setting) in its adaptation to picture-book format. Those who love the original will advise children to wait until they're old enough to read it. But children or parents who want a picture-book version will find this a very pretty one. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved About the Author Frances Hodgson Burnett was a born storyteller. Even as a young child, her greatest pleasure was in making up stories and acting them out, using her dolls as characters. She wrote over forty books, including the classic A Little Princess, also illustrated by Tasha Tudor. From AudioFile Sara Crew is a nineteenth-century little rich girl, who, left in the care of an unscrupulous boarding school mistress, is locked away in the attic to survive on crumbs while the headmistress steals her money. After much tribulation, valiant Sara is freed and the headmistress punished. Vanessa Maroney reads this classic tale with just the right moderate pacing--almost too slow for adults, perfect for the 8 to 12-years-olds for whom the book was written. Maroney should also be applauded for creating a wealth of believable little girl voices, not one of them squeaky or shrill. A few more pictures on the packaging would have been nice for a children's audiobook. Still, a fine production. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Review 'Bright, beautiful and enchanting ... ' --New York Times 'A Little Princess exquisitely re-creates the ephemeral world of childhood, an enchanted kingdom where everything, even make-believe, seems possible ...' --Washington Post From the Publisher Sara Crewe is a gifted and well-mannered child, and Captain Crewe, her father, is an extraordinary wealthy man. So Miss Minchin, headmistress of Sara's new boarding school in London, is pleased to treat Sara as her star pupil--a pampered little princess. But suddenly, one dreadful day, Sara's world collapses around her. All of her lovely things are taken from her and she is forbidden to associate with her friends. Her father has died penniless in India. Miss Minchin can now show her greedy and meanspirited nature to its fullest. The little princess is reduced to a shabby drudge. But Sara does not break, and with the help of a monkey, an Indian lascar, and the strange, ailing gentleman next door, she not only survives her sufferings but help those around her. From the Inside Flap Sara Crewe is a gifted and well-mannered child, and Captain Crewe, her father, is an extraordinary wealthy man. So Miss Minchin, headmistress of Sara's new boarding school in London, is pleased to treat Sara as her star pupil--a pampered little princess. But suddenly, one dreadful day, Sara's world collapses around her. All of her lovely things are taken from her and she is forbidden to associate with her friends. Her father has died penniless in India. Miss Minchin can now show her greedy and meanspirited nature to its fullest. The little princess is reduced to a shabby drudge. But Sara does not break, and with the help of a monkey, an Indian lascar, and the