From the day of her birth, Princess Ka'iulani of Hawai'i seemed destined to become queen of this ancient island kingdom. Bells rang joyously and cannons fired noisy salutes at the news: at last an heir to the Hawaiian throne had been born!

But though Ka'iulani would spend tireless years preparing for her royal duties and would fight bravely to preserve the rights of her beloved people, she would never rule Hawai'i. This is the bittersweet story of the princess who faced a time of heartbreaking change with courage and dignity. Diane Stanley illustrates her mother's colorful, moving text with beautiful portraits for readers to linger over as they learn about Ka'iulani and her majestic island home.

From the dust jacket