(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. In a mature voice, young Anacaona, a future Taíno chief, contemplates life as she records her daily activities. Disturbing premonitions foretell the invasion of European treasure seekers; her village must defend their culture and their lives. Set in Haiti in 1490, the story ends on a hopeful note, but an illustrated afterword recounts the near annihilation of the Taínos. Glos.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. Amidst 1858 Japan's political and cultural turmoil, Princess Kazunomiya discovers she is betrothed to two men: true-love Prince Arisugawa and imminent shogun Yoshitomi. Fictitious diary entries of the real-life princess vividly describe Japanese traditions while dramatizing Kazunomiya's girlish palace escapades and conventional heroism. An endnote includes a family tree, historical note, and period photographs. Glos.

Reviewer: Marika Hoe

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. When Kristina's father discovered that his newborn child was a girl, he declared that she would be king. Kristina's strong, determined character is captured in this fictionalized diary, which details life in the castles of Sweden in 1638, Kristina's extensive studies, and her training as a prince. Back matter includes a family tree and a historical note.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. This story of the fourteen-year-old Pocasset Indian who was a key figure in King Philip's War is presented as her "thinking" diary (she wouldn't have known how to read or write) and based completely on conjecture. Weetamoo's entries feature interesting details of her daily life and native rituals. Extensive back matter provides genealogy and history and offers what little information is actually known about Weetamoo. Glos.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. This fictional diary recounts the year and a half leading up to Eleanor's marriage to Louis, Prince of France. While the details of twelfth-century court life are vivid (as when Eleanor rules that children must use chamber pots for fear they will fall into the "privy"), it is hard to believe that the kind, earnest teenager will turn into the fiery Eleanor of Aquitaine that history remembers. A glossary of characters and historical note are appended.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. In 595 C.E., fourteen-year-old Sondok writes to her late grandmother about her frustrations at being dismissed as an astronomer because she's female. Although the plot frequently runs aground under the weight of information about admittedly interesting Korean customs, this fictional diary ostensibly penned by the future ruler of the Silla kingdom is eloquent. An author's note provides historical background. Glos.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. In this fictionalized diary of eleven-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, the young queen writes of living abroad with the family of her betrothed, the French dauphin; of conflicts with her future in-laws; and of more mundane preteen concerns. An abundance of exposition, while somewhat intrusive, provides the necessary background information. Portraits, a family tree, and a brief historical note provide additional context.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. The daughter of Moghul ruler Shah Jahan, Jahanara is surrounded not only by regal splendor but also by political intrigue. Her diary descriptions of exotic harem life and riches beyond belief are captivating, but the narrative founders at the book's end, attempting to summarize too many years in too few entries. A family tree, historical note, and archival photos add context. Glos.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. Between her tenth and twelfth birthdays, Victoria secretly recounts in her diary her daily activities and her dislike of a "Certain Person" (Sir John Conway, her mother's controlling advisor). Victoria's character is engaging, the villains detestable; an epilogue tells how she became queen at eighteen, dashing Sir Conway's hopes of power. Black-and-white archival photos, a family tree, and list of characters are appended.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. Sent to study in England, Princess Kaiulani longs for the day she can return to Hawaii. While she's abroad, a group of American rebels wishing to annex Hawaii overthrows its queen, making Kaiulani an exile. Aside from a few awkwardly rendered scenes with Kaiulani and Robert Louis Stevenson, the narrative flows smoothly and the main character is well developed. Archival photos, a family tree, and historical notes round out the book. Glos.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. When a neighboring tribe in the Great Forest of China in 531 C.E., begins to attack, Princess Redbird must put aside her own dreams to help her father defend their Hsien village and their neighbors, including the hated Chinese. Readers will be drawn to Redbird, who is based on a real person and whose presence in conflicting worlds tests her fortitude. Back matter includes a historical note, genealogy, maps, and archival illustrations.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. In this fictional diary of thirteen-year-old Marie Antonia, Lasky makes good use of detail, incorporating many aspects of everyday life in both the Austrian and French courts as the young archduchess prepares to become the Dauphine of France. Some minor liberties are taken with events, but in general this is an engaging read. Historical notes, a family tree, and black-and-white archival reproductions are appended.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. This fictional diary of the unconventional sixteenth-century warrior queen of Angola wisely stays close to known facts, yet manages to bring out the story of a girl learning to abhor slavery and fight the Portuguese invasion. One third of the book is taken up with generous background and source information, dark black-and-white contemporary photos, maps, and historical engravings. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. This is the fictional diary of Isabel of Castilla, who later sponsored Christopher Columbus. Dreading marriage to King Alfonso V of Portugal, she schemes instead to marry the younger Prince Fernando of Aragón. The writing flows well and is age appropriate, and Meyer makes a distinction between history and fiction in the appended historical notes. A family tree and glossary of characters are included.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. This fictionalized diary set in Russia in 1914 doesn't play on the myth that Anastasia escaped and lived, but instead concentrates on the Romanovs' daily life. This is an engaging account that sheds some light on the real Anastasia. A lengthy section at the end contains a historical note, family tree, glossary of characters, and black-and-white archival photographs.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. Despite occasionally breathless prose, this is nonetheless an engaging fictionalized account of twelve-year-old Cleopatra, as she awaits not only her fate but that of Egypt as well. Readers will need patience to keep track of names and events, but the book provides a clear picture of life in ancient Egypt and Rome. A historical note, reproductions, and maps are appended.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Royal Diaries series. The fictionalized diary follows Elizabeth from the age of eleven until the death of her father, Henry VIII, when she is almost thirteen. The first-person voice sounds too contemporary to be convincing, but the details of sixteenth-century family and political intrigue, holiday festivities, and hygiene practices are interesting. Historical information and black-and-white photos are appended.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta