(3) YA When eleven-year-old Miss V. becomes young Princess Victoria's companion at Kensington Palace, she doesn't realize how her father, Sir John Conroy, will manipulate her to support the oppressive Kensington System controlling the future queen's life. This alternate history chronicling the girls' friendship over several years until the coronation is full of accurate details and historical figures, including Miss V. A must-read for Queen Victoria enthusiasts.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(2) YA A vivid portrait of the feisty British monarch who ruled for over sixty years. Reef dexterously shows not only Victoria's development as a person but also her evolution as a ruler within the social and political upheavals of her time, elegantly layering in details to provide a broader view of the era. Primary source material and spectacular reproductions in full color appear throughout. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Monica Edinger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) 4-6 Rabid mechanical dogs and action-packed duels permeate this engaging novel set in a steampunk Victorian London. Charlotte and her sword-fighting friends repel the metal beasts, but, predictably, her father, surgeon to the Queen, ignores his daughter's allegations. Eventually Charlotte's spirited character wins her father over as she battles gender roles and a devilish plot to kill the Queen.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(3) YA This first-person reconstruction of Queen Victoria's life from late childhood through the early years of her marriage focuses on the isolation that colored her childhood and her capacity for intense loyalty and strong passions. Meyer ultimately implies that Albert's good sense stabilized Victoria's reign. Sympathetic without sentimentality and informative without overwhelming detail, Meyer provides a plausible window into Victoria's mind. Timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) YA Understanding World History series. In addition to an introduction to the monarch for whom the titular era is named, this thorough account offers a detailed discussion of the social, political, and economic climate in Great Britain during the second half of the 1800s. Sidebars, maps, and archival illustrations extend the information and help break up the dense text, which is enriched with primary source quotes. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) YA European Queens series. Whether they came to the throne through their own machinations or because they were next in line, these five women made history-altering contributions--both good and bad--to their respective countries. While the books don't neglect to discuss the intrigues and assignations of these monarchs, the laudatory tone downplays each ruler's flaws. Black-and-white and crisp color reproductions appear throughout. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these European Queens titles: Marie Antoinette and the Decline of the French Monarchy, Catherine de'Medici and the Protestant Reformation, Catherine the Great and the Enlightenment in Russia, Queen Isabella and the Unification of Spain, and Queen Victoria and the British Empire.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) YA In World History series. In balanced, readable prose, the books in this series recount their subjects' actions and motivations, setting them within appropriate cultural contexts: Queen Victoria's role in establishing the British Empire; Joan's martyrdom; Cromwell's assumption of power to rule England; and the ruthlessness of the Inquisition. Black-and-white illustrations and sidebars of primary material extend the documented text. Bib., ind. [Review covers these In World History titles: The British Empire and Queen Victoria in World History, Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years' War in World History, Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil War in World History, and The Spanish Inquisition in World History.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(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

(2) 4-6 In 1849, a British commander convinced a Dahomian king to free a young African captive and give the girl as a gift to Queen Victoria. Myers pieces together Sarah Forbes Bonetta's life from various accounts (including her own letters), and though none of these provide much insight into her African heritage or traumatic experience, the very absence of her voice bears undeniable witness to her story. Bib.

Reviewer: Mary Burkey | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 1999