If you loved
A Little Princess
Alfonso Cuarón · Film · 1995
You loved A Little Princess because you were captivated by resilient young outsiders reclaiming their worth against oppressive social structures.
Start with the source
Adaptation
Princess Sarah
Fumio Kurokawa · Series · 1985
Books on the same thread
The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry · Book · 1943
Explores: Friendship, Loss of innocence, Spiritual journey.
Much like the imaginative refuge Sara Crewe builds in A Little Princess, this fable explores how maintaining a vibrant inner life provides essential protection against a cold, lonely world.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling · Book · 1997
Shares a thread with A Little Princess: Coming-of-Age Story.
If the struggle of Sara Crewe against a cruel headmistress resonated with you, this story of a neglected orphan proving his value in a magical school will feel familiar.
The Midwife's Apprentice
Karen Cushman · Book · 1995
Shares a thread with A Little Princess: Female empowerment.
This narrative mirrors the transformation seen in A Little Princess, focusing on a marginalized girl who navigates a harsh environment to forge her own path toward self-discovery and independence.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J. K. Rowling · Book · 1999
Explores: Justice and Injustice, Friendship, Facing Fears.
Just as Sara Crewe relies on her sense of justice to survive boarding school, this story follows a young protagonist facing profound systemic threats while relying on his loyal friends.
Series on the same thread
Pride and Prejudice
Andrew Davies · Series · 1995
Explores: Social Class, Courtship, Misunderstandings.
The class tensions and societal expectations that defined the atmosphere of A Little Princess are examined here with equal precision, focusing on young women navigating rigid Victorian-era social hierarchies.
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
Lauren Faust · Series · 2010
Explores: Friendship, Magic, Teamwork.
The spirit of kindness and moral resilience that sustained Sara Crewe in A Little Princess is the central force that allows these characters to overcome challenges through friendship and teamwork.
The Queen's Gambit
Scott Frank · Series · 2020
Shares a thread with A Little Princess: Female Empowerment.
The determination of Sara Crewe to rise above her circumstances in A Little Princess is echoed in this story of a brilliant orphan girl overcoming adversity to master her craft.
Anne with an E
Moira Walley-Beckett · Series · 2017
Shares 3 threads with A Little Princess: Female Empowerment, Resilience, Coming-of-Age Story.
This series captures the same spirit of female empowerment found in A Little Princess, following an imaginative outsider who fights to find her place despite an often unwelcoming world.
Podcasts on the same thread
Nice White Parents
Serial Productions & The New York Times · Podcast · 2022
Explores: systemic inequality, educational reform, privilege and power.
This investigative look at school environments provides the real-world context for the class inequality and power dynamics that Sara Crewe navigated within the walls of her own boarding school.
Myths and Legends
Jason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod · Podcast · 2026
Explores: cultural origins, archetypal storytelling, human condition.
The storytelling tradition that allowed Sara Crewe to survive her hardships in A Little Princess is celebrated here, exploring how ancient myths define our understanding of the human condition.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is A Little Princess based on a book or a television show?
The 1995 film A Little Princess is an adaptation of the classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. There is also an earlier 1985 television series titled Princess Sarah, which serves as another adaptation of the same source material for audiences who enjoyed the story.
How does the story in Princess Sarah compare to A Little Princess?
Both Princess Sarah and the 1995 film A Little Princess are adaptations of the same original story. While they share the core narrative about a young girl at a boarding school, they are separate productions that interpret the source material through different visual and narrative styles.
Does A Little Princess take place during World War I?
Yes, the 1995 film A Little Princess is set during World War I. The story begins when the protagonist's father enlists to fight for the British, which forces her to move to a boarding school in New York where she encounters the strict headmistress Miss Minchin.
What is the conflict between Sara Crewe and Miss Minchin in A Little Princess?
In A Little Princess, Sara Crewe clashes with Miss Minchin because the headmistress attempts to stifle her creativity and sense of self-worth. This conflict drives the plot as Sara attends the boarding school while her father is away serving in the war.