Little Elizabeth loved dogs and horses and dreamed of living on a farm. But, one day, she heard chants on the streets. Her uncle Edward had renounced the Crown, which meant her father would be the next king, and she heiress to the throne. From that day on, she had to learn how to one day be the queen.

There is no doubt that her love of country life and animals never dimmed, and one of my favourite illustrations is this one, of her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She spent her summers there every year, and it was at Balmoral that she died in early September 2022. (This was being published before her death.) I absolutely love the Little People, Big Dreams Series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. I think her books are wonderful for children and expand each’s vision of life’s possibilities. Yet, her books are not just for children, I always love reading them as an adult. Every time I read about a person, I learn something new. Little People, BIG DREAMS first came to life because author Maria Isabel had an idea—an idea that blossomed into a dream that came to life in a book series! Queen Elizabeth ll loved corgis dogs and horses and dreamed of living on a farm. Little did she expect that should be a reigning queen living in a grand palace all the rest of her life. In 1952, she was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom. Sadly she passed away on September 8, 2022 and the entire world mourned her death. Two of her corgis dogs and one of her horses attended her state funeral.Sadly, she lost her father shortly after and was stunned to discover she was it – the next head of state. Little Lilibet became not only Britain's longest-reigning monarch but also a wonderful, warm woman. Instead of a quiet life in the country, she unexpectedly became the longest-reigning British monarch and served with remarkable poise and dignity. Her parents and little sister used to call her Lilibet. To the rest of the world, she was Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary—King George’s granddaughter.” This book is not exploiting these recent events but helping our children make sense of another child who made a lasting impression in life.

These Little People, Big Dreams series are a wonderful find for small children. However, this book is so Special and was wonderfully written about a great lady Our Queen. At just 26 years old, when her beloved father dies, Elizabeth becomes Queen of the UK on June 2, 1953. I learned previously she had volunteered for the British Army as a Driver and Mechanic. At 21, she married Prince Phillip and saved Ration Coupons for the fabric for her Wedding Dress, loved animals and had 30 Corgi Dogs in all. Each dog was made a meal from the Palace Kitchen!Being a queen wasn’t something Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, or Lilibet as her family called her, had dreamed about nor been prepared for. After all, she was born a princess, the granddaughter of King George. There were many others in line for the throne. Unlike her grandchildren today who are being raised in the shadow of what’s ahead, the first decade of Elizabeth’s life was carefree, with little understanding nor expectation of a royal destiny. Overnight, the young princess became queen of kingdoms all over the world, from England to faraway South Africa.” Of course there was much that was enjoyable, and I remember plenty of pictures of her smiling and laughing with genuine pleasure.