A Little Princess is a children's novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Captain Richard Crewe, a wealthy English widower, enrolls his young daughter Sara, who has been living in India, at Miss Minchin's boarding school for girls in London, in order to prepare her for a future life in society. Crewe ordering and paying for her special treatment at the school, such as her own room fitted with extra luxuries, her own maid, her own carriage for rides and pony, and her own sitting room. After some time, Sara's birthday is celebrated at Miss Minchin's with a lavish party, attended by all her friends and classmates. Just as it ends, Miss Minchin learns of Captain Crewe's unfortunate demise after losing his entire fortune through his friend betting his and Captain Crewe's money on the existence of the diamond mines, which turned out to be false. Sara is left a pauper In a rage, Miss Minchin takes away all of Sara's possessions (except for some old frocks and one doll), makes her live in a cold and poorly furnished attic, and forces her to earn her keep by working as an errand girl........ Based on a 2007 online poll, the U.S. National Education Association named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children". In 2012 it was ranked number 56 among all-time children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with primarily U.S. audience. It was the second of two Burnett novels among the Top 100, with The Secret Garden number. - from Amzon