Burnett, Frances Hodgson: Little Princess Collins Classics

HarperCollins is proud to present its new range of best-loved, essential classics. ''Whatever comes,'' she said, ''cannot alter one thing. If I am a princess in rags and tatters, I can be a princess inside.'' ''A Little Princess'' tells the story of Sara Crewe, beloved daughter of the revered Captain Crewe. Sent to board at Miss Minchin''s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, Sara is devastated when her adored father dies. Suddenly penniless, Sara is banished to an attic room where she is starved, abused, and forced to work as a servant. How this exceptionally intelligent girl uses the only resources available to her, imagination and friendship, to overcome her situation and change her fortunes is at the centre of this enduring classic. First published in 1905, ''A Little Princess'' is a heart-warming tale of hope, hardship and love set against a backdrop of Victorian England, and is one of the best-loved stories in all of children''s literature.