Little Lord Fauntleroy

Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924) was born in England and moved to the United States as a teenager. She became a popular writer for adults before turning to children's books, and she is remembered today for A Little Princess and The Secret Garden as well as for this novel. Little Lord Fauntleroy was serialised in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1885 and published as a book in 1886, where it quickly became a runaway success.

The story rests on a simple contrast between the democratic warmth of an American boy and the stiffness of English aristocratic life. Burnett handles it with humour and affection, and she gives her young hero a voice that is trusting rather than saccharine. The book's popularity was enormous. It inspired stage adaptations, and the velvet suit with its lace collar that the hero wears became a fashion for boys for a time, much to the irritation of many of the children concerned.

Today the novel is best enjoyed as a period piece: a warm story about the power of generosity, told in the confident, emotional style of the late nineteenth century. This LibriVox recording has fifteen chapters and runs for about six and a half hours, and it is read by volunteers. It makes a gentle family listen, with plenty of charm for adults as well as children. It is easy to see why the story was loved by so many families, and why it has remained in print ever since. Listeners who enjoy classic children's literature will find in it a comforting, well-made tale, with a good measure of humour to keep sentiment in check.