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: #218318 in Books
• Published on: 2001-01-31
• Released on: 2001-01-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• 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.

About the Author
Fay Stanley, Diane Stanley's mother, was the author of suspense novels and short stories for adults. The Last Princess: the Story of Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i, was her only children's book.

Customer Reviews

A very worthy true story with terrific illustrations
Fay Stanley's very worthy true story, "The Last Princess," is the tale of the life of Princess Ka'ilulani of Hawaii (or "Hawai'i" as it's more correctly spelled throughout the book). The book is illustrated by Fay Stanley's daughter, Diane Stanley, and this mother-daughter team has come up with a captivating and sad true story about a portion of history little of us know anything about.

Princess Ka'iulani was the niece of the king of Hawaii when she was born towards the coming of the 20th century. Great rejoicing attended her birth, as the king himself had no children. By all accounts, Ka'iulani was cheerful, beautiful, polite, kind, intelligent, and more than worthy of taking over the throne when the time came. Unfortunately, Americans intervened and little by little usurped the king's power. By the time Ka'iulani returned to the island after her schooling in England, the Hawaiian islands were an entirely different place--and not for the better.

Ka'iulani appealed to President Grover Cleveland's better nature and although he did his best to help her, upon leaving the White House after his presidency, Ka'iulani now had no American political friends. It was far more in America's interests to annex Hawaii to America than it was to help this charming, serious princess regain her rightful access to the Hawaiian throne.

This is a terrifically absorbing tale. Ka'iulani is presented beautifully by the illustrations, which show different aspects of her personality while always emphasizing her dignity and popularity among the Hawaiian people. The two Stanley ladies have taken a little-known subject and presented it to us with power and handsome decoration, and the end result is highly compelling.

Educational, full of history and culture, nice pictures!
Gives children a real look at the history of Hawaii. A beautiful, sad and true story. Would like to buy a bunch more and give to children for gifts.

Absorbing Biography of a Woman I Had Never Heard Of Before
I thought I'd buy this to help teach history in school to my middle school ESOL students, I also am a fan of Diane Stanley, the illustrator. I didn't count on how absorbing the story would be and that I would be drawn into a world I barely knew existed. I had never heard of Princess Kaiulani before. I thought I would be reading about Queen Liliuokalani and it took me back a bit when I found out the story was about her niece. Kaiulani has a touching and very short life. I really want to read more about her. What more can an author hope for if they spur an interest in the subject they wrote about?