I didn't read this as a child and I was blown away. It's so lovely. Just like the loveliest thing one could imagine. I bawled my eyes out for a good hour while trying to get through it. Everyone always talks about The Secret Garden, which I adored as a kid, but does this one get left behind sometimes? Because I so rarely hear it mentioned. But it's just so wonderful and I'm obsessed.

Sara is a sweet, spoiled, lovely little girl who is annoyingly perfect (and I can see having a problem with that as a reader), but then her life takes a turn and she goes through some hardships. There is something about having a character who is so unbelievably kind and innocent and watching them lose aspects of it while still keeping themselves true that breaks your heart.

I had a bit of an issue with the way maids and such were treated by the narrative. It definitely had a vibe of "real poor people" vs Sara, who was only playing at being poor, and the outcomes were indicative of that. There's definitely a lot to unpack in that commentary and it maybe should have affected my enjoyment of the book more, but it didn't.

Highly recommend. I want to reread The Secret Garden soon and see if I love it just as much, because I was shocked at my love for this. I expected to enjoy it, but not to this degree. I also just already want to reread this. I devoured it in a night and I almost feel a bit cheated that I didn't get to spend more time on this book. But I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a lovely middle grade.