The Dear America series goes to the palace with this historical novel about one of England's most notorious queens, Elizabeth I. Her life, as described in her diary entries, was not a happy one. Her father, King Henry VIII of England, was difficult to please and often banished her from the palace. Her mother died when she was just 2-years-old, beheaded by her father which was a common punishment in those days. Elizabeth had to move from palace to palace when her father remarried, and was often afraid for her own safety. There were power struggles within the country and within the family as well. At twelve years old Elizabeth records all she sees and thinks and feels in her diary, but keeps it hidden so she won't be beheaded like her mother. Eventually, Elizabeth became Queen and ruled England for 45 years. The Elizabethan Age was named after her and is a reminder of how she dominated the world in her lifetime.