Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Hodgson Burnett Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett (24 November 1849 – 29 October 1924) was a British-born American novelist and playwright. She is best known for the three children's novels "Little Lord Fauntleroy" (published in 1885–1886), "A Little Princess" (1905), and "The Secret Garden" (1911). Frances Eliza Hodgson was born in Cheetham, Manchester, England. After her father died in 1852, the family fell on straitened circumstances and in 1865 emigrated to the United States, settling in Jefferson City, Tennessee. There, Frances began writing to help earn money for the family, publishing stories in magazines from the age of 19. In
Frances Hodgson Burnett 1852 the family moved about a mile further along York Street to a more spacious home in a newly built terrace, opposite St Luke's Church, with greater access to outdoor space. Barely a year later, with his wife pregnant for a fifth time, Hodgson died suddenly of a stroke, leaving the family without an income. Frances was cared for by her grandmother while her mother took over running the family business. From her grandmother, who bought her books, Frances learned to love reading, in particular her first book, "The Flower Book", which had coloured illustrations and poems. Because of their