Kristina: The Girl King, Sweden, 1638 [Hardcover]

Carolyn Meyer (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Carolyn Meyer, author of best-selling ROYAL DIARIES Isabel and Anastasia, now brings to the series this compelling story of Kristina, The Girl King, from 17th-century Sweden.

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,

Editorial Reviews

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, OH
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (May 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439249767
• ISBN-13: 978-0439249768
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #505,872 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

My first book, MISS PATCH'S LEARN-TO-SEW BOOK, published more than forty years ago, was intended to teach young girls how to knot thread, make a neat stitch, and sew simple items. The main character of my next book, CLEOPATRA CONFESSES, coming in June 2011, is a far cry from the roundish, gray-haired lady with a needle in her hand and spectacles on her nose. Since the thrill of seeing that first book in print, I've written over fifty more books, non-fiction and novels (most recently, historical fiction). In the process I've learned more about writing and a lot about history, a subject that was not my favorite when I was a young student but has become my passion--a passion I love to share with readers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Princess Born To Be King, April 15, 2003

By 

"royaldiaryfan2000" (Aston, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kristina: The Girl King, Sweden, 1638 (Hardcover)

Gustav and Maria Eleanor, the king and queen or Sweden, always wanted a child. What they got after many miscarriages, was Kristina. Maria wailed and keened, but Gustav praised his daughter. Gustav died only 6 years later, leaving his daughter as the KING of Sweden under many regents. Maria hated her daughter (she had mental illnesses that caused her to lveo and hate her daughter on and off)and after attempts on her life, Kristina was sent to live in Stockholm at the Castle of the Three Crowns with her beloved Aunt Katarina. When we meet 11 year old Kristina Vasa, the KING of Sweden, she is sitting by her window at the Castle of the Three Crowns in Stockholm, Sweden, writing in the small book given to her by her Aunt Katarina to record her thoughts and feelings. Over the next year and a half, we watch as young Kristina matures into a young woman (although she becomes more masculine everyday)and we witness her lessons in languages, military tactics, astronomy, history, etc. and her many (MANY) troubles: her insane mother, her frequent nightmares, memories of deaths and attempts on her life, and of course the constant nagging by her tutors and regents to marry. However, Kristina does not wnat to marry for she wants to become KING, as her father intended her to be. The diary greatly describes life in the Swedish court, the fashions, the arts, and the great people of the time. This diary reveals the Kristina most people ignore: not the very masculine woman who gave up her throne to parade around Europe dressed as a man on a white stallion and for Catholicism, but the young misunderstood princess who was alone in the world and had a very difficult childhood as she prepared for her greatest role: to be crowned king of Sweden. We end our journey with Kristina seeing how much she has matured when Kristina is presented before the Rad ( a group put together to quiz Kristina on her studies and preperations) and informs the men that (Kristina's mother had recently escaped Sweden to live in the enemy of Sweden's, Denmark, land and to mingle with the Danish king which showed treason and disloyalty to Sweden)she is going to support her mother now living in debt in Denmark with her own money. This act shows her regent, Axel Oxensteirna (who has only ever referred to Kristina as queen, not king)that Kristina is truly a wonderful and skilled young girl who will one day be a great KING of Sweden. I truly enjoyed this book and thought it was one of the best of the Royal Diaries, next to Carolyn Meyer's other Royal Diaries (Anastasia and Isabel)and Kathryn Lasky's. All fans of the series will enjoy this popular woman's story and leave with the notion of the feminist movement Kristina started so that women could be where they are today. Kristina should be a role model for all girls and if you ever see this book, be sure to pick it up, for despite the diary is short compared to others in the series at a mere 135 pages (epilgoue, historical note, photos, and family tree add up the book to 170 pages) those 135 pages will introduce you to a new world that you will enjoy.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The girl that was determined to be "King", April 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Kristina: The Girl King, Sweden, 1638 (Hardcover)

From the moment Kristina was born she was the disappointment of her mother. The astrologers had all predicted that she would be the long awaited heir of her father, King of Sweden, but instead she was a girl. For weeks her mother's court were too afraid to inform the King that the "boy" was indeed a girl and the whole Kingdom of Sweden rejoiced, ignorant to the truth. When finally the truth came out the King surprised all by declaring the girl a prince and raised her like a boy that he would never have. He was determined for Kristina to become King, not Queen. When her father died during battle, the young Kristina, then six, was declared the rule ruler of Sweden, and upon turning eighteen she would become King. When the story dawns on us, the young Kristina is eleven and can't wait until the day she will finally be able to rule without her father's council. Her days are monotonous, except for the occasional nightmares that have plagued her since her father's unfortunate death. She lives with her Aunt, and receives the education of a prince, but her thoughts are alway lingering to her mother, the women she disappointed so much at birth, who is broken after her father's death. Talks of marriage ensue, but the headstrong Kristina will have none of it, for her dream is to rule like Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of England.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kristina, The Girl King A+, April 27, 2003

By 

"gjetta00" (Tiverton, Rhode Island (teen reader)) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kristina: The Girl King, Sweden, 1638 (Hardcover)

Kristina, daughter of King Gustav II of Sweden, is a different and fun look into a little known figure. Being the only child of King Gustav, she has been brought up under male customs so she may become Sweden's next king. Taking place during the half way mark where she will become king, we learn many things in this book. We learn about her crazy and eccentric mother. We can also see the many male habits she has been brought up with. Throughout the book we question, why is she like this? Has she been brainwashed? Kristina, The Girl King will lead you on a great path. I promise you won't want to put it down. Although the first few pages are a bit boring, continue reading because the rest of the book is great.