August 2009: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

About the book

What are your thoughts about this book? Are you glad we read another book by Burnett and have another one coming up?

Imagination

Sara's imagination plays an important role in getting her through hard times. Have you ever used your imagination to get you through a crisis? What did you pretend?

Magic

Sara's belief in magic is renewed when the attic is mysteriously decorated while she is asleep. Do you believe in magic? Does finding out that Mr. Carrisford and Ram Dass are responsible for the transformation make it any less magical for Sara?

Princess in rags and tatters

Sara says, "Whatever comes cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside." Do you agree? In what ways will Sara always be a true princess?

Pride

When Guy Clarence gives Sara a coin she accepts it, but she realizes that doing so means she must "put her pride in her pocket." What does this mean? Does Sara's pride make her situation easier or harder on her?

Quite a different creature..

When Sara walked up the stairs to her new room in the attic, she felt like she was "quite a different creature." Why? how do you think you would feel under the same circumstances?

reasons

Why did Miss Minchin dislike Sara? have you ever had someone dislike you for something that wasn't your fault or wasn't true?

News

Why did Miss Minchin tell Sara about her father in the way that she did? How would you have reacted to Miss Minchin upon hearing the same news about your own father? How would you have handled the same situation if you were in Miss Minchin's position?

What do you think would have happened if one of the other children's parents had died instead of Mr. Crewe? Would that child have received the same treatment as Sara?

motherless children

Neither Sara nor Lottie has a mother. In what ways has this affected them? How are the two girls similar, and how are they different?

tempers

Sara says, "Perhaps I have not really a good temper at all, but if you have everything you want and everyone is kind to you, how can you help but be good-tempered? Perhaps I'm a HIDEOUS child, and no one will ever know, just because I never have any trials." Do you believe this is true?

The consolation of books

Sara tells her father that "if she had plenty of books she could console herself." Have you read any other books in which the character felt the same way? Do you have a specific book you read when you feel sad or lonely?