I enjoyed this so much; I wish I experienced it as a child! 
It is the kind of book that lets you dream and romanticize life despite the hardship and brings out the enduring nature of imagination and innocent perception. We all need more of that. My grandmother would have loved to share this story with me. It is perfectly similar to some of the style of stories she shared with me when I was young before she passed, and I hope she experienced this book as well. Some of the content is very dark, especially for children who may know what their experiences are like firsthand. Still, I think even having known touches of Sarah's experiences, it is beautiful nonetheless. I was much like her as a girl, and though I felt that I could not share my imagination or perspective very closely with that of Sarah, as Sarah does through the book, it is beautiful and reminded me of myself in a very different time. It is a lovely gift all around to read this book. 

I remember watching a movie adaptation of A Little Princess from the mid-90s, and the situation surrounding Sarah's father is much different in the original book than I saw back then. Sarah's story is a mostly a tragedy, but she always remains a hopeful young girl, which makes the book a joy to experience. She holds her tongue better than I think most clever girls could in her shoes. Her intelligence and good heart shine through even her darkest moments. I wonder how a modern retelling could fare or if one has been created. Reading classics like this show how our current technology would change the course of past protagonists' lives. 

Johanna Ward's narration brings this classic story to life, and allowing the listener's imagination to complete the picture. I particularly loved her portrayals of Sara, Becky and Miss Minchin.