"The first Christmas tree in England! And Charlotte was the queen who brought it there."
Ages: 4 - 8
Grade Level: Preschool - 3
Pages: 32
Time Period: 1700s - 1800s
Princess Sophia Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz of Germany was rather unusual. A country girl at heart, she preferred to spend her time outdoors in the dirt rather than dress up for glittery balls. Yet she couldn't avoid her princess duties and, at age 17, became officially engaged to George III of England. When she set sail for England to marry the new monarch, she took along a yule bough and a precious family Christmas tradition. A story about a kind, charitable queen and how the Christmas tree came to be, The Queen and the First Christmas Tree by Nancy Churnin is the perfect tale for the holidays.
This picture book was so sweet! I enjoyed learning about Charlotte whom I knew very little about save her connection to King George III (ringing a bell, American Revolutionist enthusiasts?). It was interesting to learn about her connection to the Christmas tree (I had learned that the tradition was introduced by another British monarch; Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert). You can learn more about the queen and how the Christmas tree became popular in the back content titled, "About Queen Charlotte."
Related Reads
Curious about how life was like in England during this time? Perhaps about George III? Check out our review on George vs George by Rosalyn Schanzer!
Resources:
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Content Warnings
Content that some individuals may find controversial or objectionable. Attention was given to include content which may offend people of a particular culture, race or religion and details which the sensitive child may find unsettling or troublesome.
"No Spoilers" offers a summary of content issues while avoiding spoilers. "With Spoilers" lists the potential content issues in detail.
No Spoilers:
Brief mentions of death (non-descriptive) and a teen marriage.
With Spoilers:
Past Philosophies and Ideologies
Charlotte married at a young age, 17, which was not unusual for the time period.
Other
Brief mention of 2 infants' deaths.
Brief mention of how Charlotte's actions ensured that more mothers survived childbirth.
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