The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawaii

Born in 1875, Princess Ka`iulani was heir to the throne of the kingdom of Hawai`i. When she was 11, the girl's storybook childhood came to an abrupt end. Her mother fell ill, and on her deathbed shared with her daughter a vision of the future: Ka`iulani would go far away from her country for a long time, would not marry and would never rule Hawai`i. Fay Stanley's clear, straightforward text explains how this grim prophesy came true. While the princess attended boarding school in England, Hawai`i experienced political upheaval that eventually led to revolution and the country's annexation by the United States. Although Ka`iulani's brief life was not as action-filled as many subjects of children's biographies, it is certainly a story worth telling. The author's daughter, a veteran author and illustrator of the genre, contributes richly textured gouache paintings that convey the drama--and the sadness--of the tale. Ages 6-9. (Apr.)