Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett, born on November 24, 1849, was a distinguished British-American novelist and playwright renowned for her enchanting children's novels and captivating romantic adult fiction. Her enduring works, such as Little Lord Fauntleroy (1885-1886), A Little Princess (1905), and The Secret Garden (1911), continue to delight readers of all ages.

Burnett's life was marked by both triumph and tragedy. She began her literary career at the young age of nineteen, writing stories for magazines to support her family after emigrating from England to the United States. Success followed with her first novel That Lass o' Lowrie's, and later, widespread popularity with Little Lord Fauntleroy. Despite facing personal challenges, including the death of her eldest son and two divorces, Burnett's creative spirit never waned.

Her legacy is immortalized not only through her literature but also in a memorial sculpture in Central Park's Conservatory Garden, which was erected in her honor in 1936, commemorating her contributions to the world of storytelling.