The Last Princess

Bibliography:
Stanley, Fay. 1991. The Last Princess: The Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i. Ill. Diane Stanley. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-688-18020-5.

Plot Summary:
This story is about a time in Hawaii when Kings and Queens ruled the land. The young Princess Ka’iulani was heir to the throne. While she was away at school in England her native land was being overtaken by U.S business men. She made many unsuccessful attempts to keep her country from being annexed to the United States. After her Aunt, the last Queen Hawaii had, was forced to give up the throne, Ka’iulani returned to Hawaii to save her people from the businessmen. Again she was unsuccessful as Hawaii became a U.S territory. She died shortly after, never taking the throne.

Critical Analysis:
This book is accurate with its historical retellings and true to the emotions of the Hawai'ian people during that time. The illustrations of clothing, hairstyles, etcetera also accurately reflect the time period and setting in which the book takes place. The book is organized well, with text on every left page and a full-color, full-page illustration on every right hand side. The story is told in sequential order which makes it easy for children to follow and understand. The illustrator chose to depict the emotions of the characters through body language rather than facial expressions which makes it a bit more difficult for children to understand the impact the annexation had on the Hawai'ian people. Despite the mostly solemn facial expressions, the body language does depict ranging emotion starting with content family portraits and get-togethers where characters are close together) to sad and distraught (sickness and intense discussions where individuals stand farther apart opposing each other).

This book is good for older children aging 11-12. It is a good tool to use to help children understand the annexation of Hawai'i and the emotions felt during that time. However, it is not a book that many children would willing read and find interesting due to the large amount of text, old fashioned illustrations which lack action, and the wide range of vocabulary used.

Excerpt Reviews:
School Library Journal: "The full-page paintings are stunning, reflecting the beauty of the islands and the handsome, racially mixed people who live there...a visual treat."
Children's Notable Book: "It is a fascinating piece of American history."
ALA Notable Children’s Book 1992
Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice

Connections:
*A great tool to aid in the teachings of US History, especially in relation to the annexation of Hawai'i.
* Great book to include in a royalty discussion of notable Kings and Queens.
*Can be used to encourage children to think for themselves, work hard, and stand up for what they believe in.