Frances Hodgson Burnett

[Anita Bensoussane]

Welcome back, Ritu! Like The Secret Garden, A Little Princess is about a girl who goes through tough times. The setting is very different from The Secret Garden, as A Little Princess takes place in London and there are some quite exotic touches in places. I can't say any more without spoiling the story but it's an unusual and interesting book. The Secret Garden is my favourite though - thrillingly haunting, and I love the whole "reawakening" theme.

Anita

[Philip Mannering]

I haven't read any of these books. They sound very good - I must search them in the bookstore. Knowing my bookstore though, I'm certain that it hasn't a copy. It never has for books which are published before 1950.

[Philip Mannering]

I have finally managed to read The Secret Garden, and found it just as I expected, although frankly I hated the India-England references. However, this was just at the early part of the book, so that the rest becomes a well-constructed story and this cancels out the earlier disappointing (to me at least) part. I think I would rate this 9/10, and if to choose a star grading, four stars.

I'm eager to read A Little Princess and Little Lord Fauntleroy - although the latter title is not available here. I'm certain they will be just as good.

[hope189]

I read both "Secret garden" and "Little Princess" about 3 years ago. I just loved those books. Little princess is my favorite. I loved every bit of that book especially hte imagination part. I have a copy of Little lord Fauntleroy, but haven't read it yet.

[Philip Mannering]

I have now read A Little Princess - excellent, and worthy of four stars. F.H. Burnett's books are full of loving detail. I also have started Little Lord Fauntleroy, and hope to complete it soon.

Burnett is becoming one of my favourite authors.

[dolly]

Little princess - it reminds me of Cinderella which is one of my favourite fairy tales. When I was eight years old I watched the Shirley-Temple-version but I remember a very beautifully-made English movie of the Eighties. Do you know this movie (produced 1987/88)?

[mish]

I love both these books -

would recommend them to everyone.

How many of you prefer books written in the past to books written now? I find on the whole I enjoy books that are not recent. Not to say I don't enjoy a well written modern book either. I have just noticed my preference to older books!

[Chloe]

Dolly I remember the film!! I loved it! A girl I went to dance class with the girl who played Lottie in it and I remember being in awe of her because of it.

Burnett is one of my all time favourite authors. The little princess competes with Peter Pan for my favourite ever book.

[Somita]

Hi all! Glad to explore the forums once again. I am very happy to know that there are many people who like FHD. She sure is a good writer, isn't she? She is one of the five-stars rated authors in my list. Only four strs to her, Philip? And my opinion is the same as that of Mish. I love reading old books while I don't hate the modern books.

[dolly]

Ricky Schroder as little lord ... it is the most beautiful movie I have ever watched - it belongs to Christmas like our Christmas tree. I used to watch it every year - and my parents, too!

[Petermax]

I remember a televised version of Little Lord Fauntleroy back in the 1970's, possibly produced by the BBC. I have never seen the Ricky Schroder film version and I am in no hurry to do so, as American film adaptations of classic books tend to overdue the saccharine.

[dolly]

... as American film adaptations of classic books tend to overdue the saccharine.
You are probably right, but not in this case. Ricky Schroder was and still is Lord Fauntleroy for me.