Queen Liliuokalani: Royal Prisoner

March 1, 2014

Gr 4-6-Twins Maisie and Felix struggle to adjust to their parents' recent divorce and all the changes that spring from it. They move to their great-uncle's house and find a chest filled with objects that whisk them through time and give them a task to complete. Each time they do this, their great-uncle becomes younger and he begs them to stop, as he cannot bear watching his lady-love succumb to old age without him. The twins go through time anyway. In this adventure in 19th-century Hawaii, the siblings have a crown and are tasked with giving it to "Lydia," aka the future Queen Liliuokalani. They are welcomed into the royal family and learn about Hawaiian culture, and the sociopolitical changes of the time. Along the way, they lose the magic crown, find it again, get chased and kidnapped, escape, meet Herman Melville, complete their task, and get whisked home with a deeper understanding about the inevitability of change. Hawaii is somewhat exoticized and readers are expected to share the perspective of the protagonists' experiences; namely, one of an upper middle-class U.S. East Coast perspective. When their kidnappers plan to take them to Tahiti, Felix fears "natives with spears" and "cannibals." The two kids have distinct personalities and share a tender bond with one another. Content and vocabulary seamlessly blend the complex with the simple. The story also works in many details of 19th-century Hawaii, such as whaling ships and missionaries. After the fictional adventure, the book offers a brief biography of Queen Liliuokalani, Herman Melville, and some facts about 1959, the year Hawaii became a state. Kids who have outgrown the "Magic Treehouse" may enjoy this new series.-Amelia Jenkins, Juneau Public Library, AK

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