Frances Hodgson Burnett author page

Frances Hodgson Burnett biography

Frances Hodgson Burnett was a British-American novelist and playwright. She is best known for her children’s novels Little Lord Fauntleroy (published in 1886), A Little Princess (published in 1905), and The Secret Garden (published in 1911). Burnett was born in Cheetham, Manchester, England, and emigrated to the United States with her family in 1865.

Her first published story appeared in Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1868. Burnett’s early writing career included short stories and serials for magazines such as Scribner’s Monthly and Harper’s Bazaar. Her first full-length novel, That Lass o’ Lowrie’s, was published in 1877.

Little Lord Fauntleroy achieved significant commercial success and influenced children’s fashion in the late nineteenth century. A Little Princess was adapted from her earlier work, Sara Crewe: or, What Happened at Miss Minchin’s (1888). The Secret Garden is regarded as one of her most enduring works and has been adapted for stage, film, and television.

Burnett also wrote adult novels, including Through One Administration (1883), The Shuttle (1907), and The Head of the House of Coombe (1922). She became a naturalised United States citizen in 1905.

In 1936, Burnett was posthumously inducted into the New York Writers Hall of Fame.