Product Description

The day she was born, bells rang joyously and cannon fired noisy salutes--at last there was an heir to the Hawai'ian throne. But although this beautiful young princess worked tirelessly to prepare herself to rule, and fought bravely to protect the rights of her beloved people, she would never be queen.

When it was first published, The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i won many honors for its sensitive text and brilliantly colored illustrations. "The full page paintings are reflecting the beauty of the islands and the handsome racially mixed people who live there...A visual treat," said School Library Journal in a starred review. A 1991 American Library Association Notable Book, it also won the Carter G. Woodson Award from the National Council Social Studies.

In this reissued edition of an inspired collaboration, author Fay Stanley, writing her only children's book, and daughter Diane Stanley, the celebrated author and illustrator, tell the touching, bittersweet story of Princess Ka'iulani and open a window onto a nation's history that is often forgotten.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #765414 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-04
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: .36" h x 10.02" w x 10.78" l, .99 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 40 pages

From Publishers Weekly
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.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-- Diane Stanley's newest picture biography with a text by her mother is the story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i. Expected to one day become queen, she is sent to England to be educated, only to have the haoles (foreigners) threaten her family's right to rule. Although her courageous plea to President Grover Cleveland postponed the end of Hawaii's independence, the islands were annexed by the United States in 1897. The beautiful Princess Ka'iulani died only 2 years later at the age of 23. As with Stanley's other biographies, readers are transported into another very believable world. The full-page paintings are stunning, reflecting the beauty of the islands and the handsome, racially mixed people who live there. Although her style evolves and adapts somewhat to her material, the book has an unmistakably Stanley look. A helpful note on the Hawaiian language and an extensive bibliography complete this visual treat. --Ann Stell, The Smithtown Library, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ingram
The moving story of a young woman who showed great bravery in a time of heartbreaking change, The Last Princess is illustrated with exquisitely detailed paintings by Diane Stanley and includes a note on the Hawaiian language, a map, and a bibliography. Illustrations in full color.