From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-In her diary, covering mainly her 12th year, Kristina explains that her father, King Gustav II Adolf, desperately wanted a son to become heir to his kingdom. Upon her birth, he declared that she would be treated as a boy, raised as a prince, and someday become King of Sweden. She describes learning from the finest tutors, engaging in fencing and horseback riding, and being schooled in the laws and practices of the Swedish government. She is intellectually curious and takes her role as prince-in-training seriously. The story is full of tutoring sessions and frequent disputes with Kristina's combative mother. However, the action lags somewhat and the pacing is often slow. Fans of the series will probably pick up this entry, but it may be a tougher sell for others.Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Upon discovering that their newborn infant was, in fact, female and not male as first thought, Queen Marie Eleonore wailed inconsolably and King Gustavus Adolphus declared, nevertheless, that the child be raised as a prince. At age six, upon the death of her father, the child Kristina, was proclaimed King of Sweden, with regents assigned to council until she assumes the throne at age eighteen. And indeed, her life followed her father's plan. We meet Kristina when she's almost twelve years old and eschewing feminine practices but reveling in the study of military tactics,

FROM OUR EDITORS

In this topsy-turvy Royal Diaries installment, the princess Kristina copes with a princely identity as she is groomed to inherit the Swedish throne as king. Fans of the series will revel in this remarkable tale in the history of aristocracy!

SYNOPSIS

Upon discovering that their newborn infant was, in fact, female and not male as first thought, Queen Marie Eleonore wailed inconsolably and King Gustavus Adolphus declared, nevertheless, that the child be raised as a prince. At age six, upon the death of her father, the child Kristina, was proclaimed King of Sweden, with regents assigned to council until she assumes the throne at age eighteen. And indeed, her life followed her father's plan. We meet Kristina when she's almost twelve years old and eschewing feminine practices but reveling in the study of military tactics.

FROM THE CRITICS

Children's Literature - Marya Jansen-Gruber

Kristina sets out to prove that a girl can become a king of a country. The only child of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden, Kristina ultimately becomes her father's heir when he dies in battle. What is truly remarkable for the times, the early 1600s, is that King Gustav decides that Kristina is going to be the next king, not the next queen. Gustav is determined that his daughter is going to rule Sweden and not be just a pawn in the royal marriage market of Europe. Not surprisingly, Kristina herself is a rather unusual girl. Born ahead of her times, she is an exceptional student and linguist. Having no time for silly, empty-headed females, she hates sewing and other feminine pursuits. Instead she loves the outdoors and is a skilled rider and a crack shot. Carolyn Meyer has succeeded very well in conveying the arrogant, standoffish, and slightly supercilious nature of this odd girl. Of the English, Kristina says "they have no culture to speak of," though she does admire Queen Elizabeth I who also ruled as her country's 'king.' Like Elizabeth, Kristina has no interest in getting married or having children. She is determined that she, and she alone, will rule Sweden. As with so many of the young women on European thrones, Kristina struggles with her lack of personal freedom. She realizes at an early age that she has very little control of her own destiny and fights against it. An interesting story about an often ignored part of Europe. One of the "Royal Diaries" books. 2003, Scholastic,

School Library Journal