Anastasia

January 1, 2007
Gr 4-7-Anastasia was the Grand Duchess of Russia during the rule of her father, Tsar Nicholas II, in the early 20th century, but she had problems just like any teenager. Listeners can hear all about them as Anastasia chronicles the last five years of her life in this fictitious diary based on actual events. She writes about day-to-day happenings such as being reprimanded by her grandmother for her bad manners and searching for her sisters' hidden diaries, as well as traumatic events such as those that led up to her family's eventual capture and exile by the revolutionaries. The diary entries also offer historical information about that period of time in Russia. Listeners come to know Anastasia, not only as a member of the ruling family of Russia, but as a typical teenage girl. Carolyn Meyer's work of historical fiction (Scholastic, 2000) offers a humanizing portrait of a teenage girl and a welcome introduction to her life. Narrator Renée Raudman's voice embodies the excitement of happy times and the despair of unfortunate periods. A wonderful addition to school or public library collections for individual listening or for use by educators in tandem with a history lesson on the subject."Traci Glass, Southeast Regional Library, Gilbert, AZ"

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