A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Didn't I swear a while back that I wasn't going to fall behind again and end up having to play catch-up with myself? Well, here we go again. Ten books read and not a one written up. A few of them are rereads - including this one - but still ---

I always liked this one better than The Secret Garden, which is much better known. It's probably simply because Sara Crewe is such an engaging character - unspoiled by great wealth and not destroyed by poverty and abuse - and the Victorians did know how to abuse children. I suppose critics would say that it is saccharine and sentimental, but I really don't care. Burnett puts enough humanity into Sara to keep her interesting, a real little girl, not a saint.