Storytime for Grownups

Host: Faith Moore

Episode: A Little Princess: Chapter 15

Date: December 11, 2025

Overview of the Episode

In this episode, Faith Moore reads and discusses Chapter 15, "The Magic," from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess. As the novel approaches its emotional climax, listeners follow Sara through her lowest hour and witness the remarkable, “magical” transformation of her fortunes. Interwoven with the reading are Faith’s signature literary insights and warm asides, highlighting themes of kindness, imagination, and endurance. This episode captures the wonder and heartache of Sara’s journey, making classic literature accessible and emotionally resonant.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Announcements and Community Updates (00:48–06:30)

• Faith announces prize drawing winner Juanita Evans and provides details about ongoing community activities, especially the Victorian Christmas Singalong.
• Encourages listeners to participate, highlighting the inclusive spirit:

  "You don't even have to be able to carry a tune… We’re not going for a Christmas concert, we’re going for friends gathered around singing together." (05:03)

Recap of Previous Chapters (06:31–13:06)

• Sara’s hardships intensify: she's cold, hungry, and now sometimes denied meals by Miss Minchin.
• Faith revisits Sara’s pivotal act of compassion—sharing her bun with a beggar girl—and explores its "pay it forward" effect, quoting comments from listeners Kathy and Pam.

  "Sara’s kindness had a pay it forward effect and she didn’t even realize it." — Kathy Kinney (11:05)

In-Depth Analysis: The Power of Pretending and Kindness (13:07–23:17)

• Faith explores the novel’s interplay between harsh reality and Sara’s imagination, noting Sara’s ability to “pretend” as a lifeline.
  • Faith likens Sara’s resilience to “dissociating,” discussing how her pretending borders on magical in dire moments.
  • Faith highlights a key line from Sara:

    “What you have to do with your mind when your body is miserable is to make it think of something else.” (17:40)

• Sara’s generosity is discussed as transformative, not just for herself but for those around her—her “princessness” enacts real change.
• Faith connects Sara’s actions and the story’s themes to the spirit of Christmas—“total generosity and love for your fellow beings... is a Christmas sentiment.” (21:45)
• Anticipates the fairy godmother/fairy godfather role to be played by Ram Dass and Mr. Carrisford.

Chapter 15: “The Magic” — Major Narrative and Thematic Moments

Sara’s Lowest Point (23:18–43:11)

• Sara returns from her errands to mistreatment from Miss Minchin and a harsh kitchen cook, denied proper food even after skipping meals.
• Faith’s narration emphasizes the physical and emotional fatigue:

  “Really, it was hard for the child to climb the three long flights of stairs leading to her attic…” (24:15)

• In Sara’s attic, she is visited by Ermengarde, and their friendship and mutual support shine through. Sara agrees to help Ermengarde with her schoolwork by teaching her in story form.
• The difference between book knowledge and kindness is noted:

  “To be able to learn things quickly isn’t everything. To be kind is worth a great deal to other people.” (29:24)

• Sara covers up her hunger, but Ermengarde, witnessing Sara’s tears after Becky is unjustly punished, finally realizes the extent of her friend’s suffering.

  “Yes, I am. I am so hungry now that I could almost eat you.” (43:32)

The Midnight Feast (43:12–61:10)

• Ermengarde remembers a food hamper sent by her aunt and the girls (with Becky) prepare a make-believe “banquet” using their imagination—old handkerchiefs become “embroidered napkins,” a red shawl a “tablecloth,” and so on.
• Faith brings out the enchanting details of Sara’s imaginative play:

  “Red is a wonderfully kind and comfortable color. It began to make the room look furnished directly.” (45:27)

• Sara’s guidance to Becky in the art of pretending is tender and empowering:

  “Perhaps it does if you’re not used to it… but you don’t know how easy it is when you’ve done it often.” (47:02)

• They are interrupted by Miss Minchin, who discovers the forbidden party, punishes Becky harshly, and threatens Sara.

  “You shall have neither breakfast, dinner or supper.” (61:03)

• Sara’s quiet, dignified defiance echoes earlier moments in the novel:

  “I was wondering, I said in a low voice, what my papa would say if he knew where I am tonight.” (62:00)

The Real “Magic”: Transformation of the Attic (61:11–72:53)

• After the nightmare with Miss Minchin, Sara tries to comfort herself with imagination before falling into an exhausted sleep.
• Faith’s reading captures the magical blurring of dream and reality—Sara wakes to find her attic transformed:

  “In the grate, there was a glowing, blazing fire. …On the bed were new, warm coverings and a satin-covered down quilt. At the foot, a curious wadded silk robe, a pair of quilted slippers, and some books.” (66:50)

• Sara’s disbelief is palpable—she tries to test the new reality (“A fire I only dreamed wouldn’t be hot!”) (68:10)—before she finds the note:

  “To the little girl in the attic from a friend.”

• Overwhelmed, Sara recognizes at last she is not abandoned:

  “I don’t know who it is... but somebody cares for me a little. I have a friend.” (69:30)

• She awakens Becky to share the joyful discovery.

  “It’s true, it’s true... the magic that won’t let those worst things ever quite happen.” (72:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Faith Moore’s reflection

  “What before was a sort of delightful pastime… has become a desperate weapon.” (16:25)

• On the nature of generosity

  “She gives the girl not just the gift of bread, but the gift of being seen.” (21:07)

• Sara, upon receiving kindness after despair

  “The magic has come and done it, Becky, while we were asleep. The magic that won’t let those worst things ever quite happen.” (72:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |------------|----------------------------------------------| | 00:48–06:30| Announcements, community updates | | 06:31–13:06| Recap of previous chapters | | 13:07–23:17| Thematic analysis (pretending, generosity) | | 23:18–43:11| Narrative: Sara’s ordeal, attic conversations| | 43:12–61:10| Midnight feast and Miss Minchin’s interruption| | 61:11–72:53| Sara’s magical awakening in the attic | | 72:54–END | Conclusion, next steps, listener call-to-action |

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode maintains Faith’s inviting, cozy, and slightly whimsical tone, reminiscent of a fireside chat. She blends literary analysis with personal warmth, underscores emotional moments, and encourages active engagement from her community.

For New Listeners

This episode is a moving installment in the A Little Princess journey, encapsulating everything that makes the novel—and Faith’s podcast—so beloved: classic storytelling, deep empathy, and an embrace of literature’s transformative magic. Faith’s commentary clarifies complex emotions and themes, ensuring the story resonates for listeners familiar and new.

Next time: The story continues toward its resolution, with new hopes blooming for Sara and her friends. Subscribe to catch the trailer for January’s book and join the growing Storytime community.