cover image Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England

Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England

Diane Stanley. Four Winds, $16.95 (40pp) ISBN 978-0-02-786810-4

The authors of Shaka, King of the Zulus vivify another colorful character as they recount the life and times of Elizabeth I, queen of England from 1558 until her death in 1603. They portray their subject as a wise, strong-willed ruler whose style it was ``to use her wits rather than force'' in dealing with her own councilors as well as the leaders of other countries. Through concise, skillful writing, the queen's involvement in the complex political and religious conflicts of the day becomes engrossing and easily comprehensible. With their attention to period detail--most strikingly the elaborate Elizabethan dress, jewels and palace furnishings--Stanley's paintings transport readers back to an intriguing era. Ages 6-9. (Sept.)