Frances Hodgson Burnett
This charming and uplifting novella is the basis for a later, novel-length version that author Frances Hodgson Burnett eventually published under the title The Little Princess. The daughter of a prominent captain, Sara is enrolled at a boarding school while her father sails the seas. When tragedy strikes, Sara's world is turned upside down, but in the end, she finds a way to triumph over adversity.
2) My Robin
Fans of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel The Secret Garden will relish this charming anecdote that further expands upon the robin that features in that book. In response to a reader's letter, Burnett reminisces about her love of English robins—and one in particular that changed her life forever.
In this romantic tale from the author of The Secret Garden, a pair of star-crossed lovebirds stuck in a seemingly hopeless situation try valiantly to forget about their profound feelings for one another. Should they do what's right according to society's standards, or risk it all for a chance at true love?
Lancashire laborer Tim Hibblethwaite has a bad reputation, and employers around town have started to talk about his grumpy disposition and unwillingness to cooperate. Is there anyone who is willing to overlook his past and give him a chance at a fresh start? This short story from The Secret Garden author Frances Hodgson Burnett will resonate with any reader who has ever tried to put a rough patch behind them.
This two-part tale from Frances Hodgson Burnett has it all: a charming character portrait of Emily, who in the first part of the story lives alone and is content in her admittedly predictable life; an account of a swept-off-one's-feet romance that will have even the most jaded reader swooning; and a descent into a gothic mystery that's packed with plot twists.