A Little Princess

A Little Princess

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade historical
• Originally Published: 1905
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 940L; grades 5-8
• Structure/Length: 19 chapters; approx. 242 pages; approx. 6 hours on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Sara, the daughter of a wealthy military officer stationed in India, is sent to school in England. The schoolmistress, Miss Minchin, resents Sara’s wealth but treats her well until word arrives that Sara’s father has died. With support from some new friends, Sara survives Miss Minchin’s cruel treatment.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: British colonialism in India

Frances Hodgson Burnett, Author

• Bio: 1849-1924; born in England and grew up in Tennessee; as a teenager, began writing stories for magazines to support her family; published her book Little Lord Fauntleroy first in serial form in the magazine St. Nicholas; wrote plays as well as novels; A Little Princess was adapted for the stage and in several movies, including one in 1939 starring Shirley Temple and another in 1995; Vivian Burnett wrote a biography of his mother titled The Romantick Lady (1927)
• Other Works: Little Lord Fauntleroy (1886); A Lady of Quality (1896); The Secret Garden (1911); The Head of the House of Coombe (1922)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Power of the Imagination
• Jealousy of Sara’s Uniqueness
• The Inner Princess: Character Versus Appearance

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the social and historical context of life in Victorian England.
• Read and discuss paired texts and resources to make connections via the text's themes of The Power of the Imagination, Jealousy of Sara’s Uniqueness, and The Inner Princess: Character Versus Appearance.
• Analyze and evaluate the plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the book's philosophies about character and virtue.