Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Young Elizabeth | 1961 | Eleanor Burford / Hibbert | Buy |
| 2 | The Young Mary Queen of Scots | 1962 | Eleanor Burford / Hibbert | Buy |
The Famous Childhoods books by Eleanor Burford Hibbert, published under the Jean Plaidy name, introduce younger readers to two of the most famous women in British history. The Young Elizabeth covers the childhood of the future Elizabeth I, including the execution of her mother Anne Boleyn, her uncertain status under successive stepmothers, and the political dangers she navigated as a princess whose legitimacy was constantly questioned.
The Young Mary Queen of Scots tells the parallel story of Mary Stuart’s early years, from her childhood in Scotland and France to her claim on the English throne. These two women were rivals for most of their adult lives, and reading both books together gives a good sense of how their very different upbringings shaped the conflict between them. Readers who want the full adult versions of these stories can continue with Plaidy’s Tudor Saga and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots series.