The Six Queens of Henry VIII

by Honor Cargill-Martin, Jaimee Andrews (Illustrator)

We all know Henry VIII had six wives. But these ladies are FAR too interesting to only be known as wives. Did you know that Catherine of Aragon rallied her troops in full armour while heavily pregnant? Or that Anne of Cleves met Henry VIII BEFORE they married - only she didn't realise, because he was in disguise! Or that it was Catherine Parr who persuaded the king to return his daughters Mary and Elizabeth - two of British history's most famous monarchs - to the line of succession?

Get ready to lose your head as the six wonderful women behind the man take centre stage to overthrow her-story. From rumours of scandals and LOTS of lying, to political plays and fabulous frocks, The Six is a story filled with ambition, treason and strong women.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Childrens, Picture Books, Graphic Novels, Biography, Middle Grade

48 pages, Hardcover

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

A twenty-four year old from London, Honor read Classical Archaeology and Ancient History at Oxford, where she won a scholarship before graduating with a first-class degree in 2019. She remained at Oxford to study for a masters degree in Greek and Roman History, graduating with a Distinction. Honor completed a second masters in the History of Art at the Courtauld Institute in London, where she was awarded a Distinction for work focusing on the art of the Italian - and especially the Venetian - Renaissance. She is currently studying for a doctorate focusing on political sex scandals in Ancient Rome at Christ Church College Oxford.

Honor has published a number of fiction titles for children and teenagers. Her first non-fiction book Messalina: A Story of Empire, Slander and Adultery tells the story of the 1st century AD Roman empress Messalina, and reflects Honor’s passion for bringing to light the untold lives of historical women and for unpicking how gender and sexuality shape how we understand history.

Reviews

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a children's book for 8-12 year olds covering the history of The Tudors, that scandalous royal dynasty from the 1500s. For that reason it is a bit lighthearted and somewhat thin on details, although it doesn't shy away from mentioning pregnancies and the beheading of Queen Anne Boleyn. I actually was taken aback when one of the color illustrations was of the dripping bloody sword following this execution. Otherwise, there are lovely color illustrations throughout the book supporting the bare bones history of the Six Tudor Queens and some extended players in the Tudor Court. This is a cute book for a youngin' to dabble in this history. It takes about 15 minutes to read.

Thank you to the publisher SOURCEBOOKS Kids who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley, for granting me a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honor Cargill-Martin's The Six Queens of Henry VIII is a fun, accessible introduction to medieval England's most notorious ruling family, written for kids and pre-teens. Each of the queens receives a short chapter discussing their reign and background, accompanied by some neat illustrations and cartoons. There's also a family tree, glossary, and timeline provided to help keep track of the expanding cast of characters. This includes information about Henry's parents and the reigns of his three children. (Cargill-Martin even sneaks in a brief defense of Bloody Mary, noting that her tactics were on par with the other European rulers of her time.)

Because this is intended as an introduction to the Tudor court, major events like the Reformation are only mentioned in passing. More salacious details, like the debate over whether Catherine of Aragon's first marriage was consummated, or the accusations of adultery and incest against Anne Boleyn, are not included. This is perfectly understandable, given the intended audience, but it becomes a bit confusing in Catherine's Howard's case. We're told at the beginning of her chapter that she was one of the beheaded queens, but her chapter ends with Henry launching a vague "investigation" about her. Although the information about Catherine was clearly influenced by newer scholarship contending that she and Thomas Culpepper never had a sexual affair, young readers may walk away confused as to what Kitty Howard did that was wrong.

The illustrations were lively and colorful, although they threw off the formatting on my tablet. This may just have been because the copy I was reading was an ARC, but I would still recommend going with the physical copy of The Six Queens of Henry VIII just in case.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Divorced. Beheaded. Died. Divorced. Beheaded. Survived
6️⃣
This lively nonfiction read shines a spotlight on the six wives of Henry VIII: revealing them as powerful, complex women far beyond their famous marriages. From Catherine of Aragon rallying troops while pregnant to Catherine Parr securing the future of Mary and Elizabeth, the book uncovers the ambition, political savvy, scandals, and strength of these often-overlooked figures. Packed with drama, intrigue, and fabulous fashion, it reclaims their stories and puts these remarkable women center stage.
6️⃣
After seeing the musical Six in London this summer I became obsessed with the Tudors and this time in history so now any time I see a book about this topic, I’m all in. This title gave the queens so much dimension, drama, and agency. The ambition, the politics, the fashion, the sheer audacity of these women: I couldn’t get enough. It completely re-centered the narrative where it belongs: on six fascinating, formidable women who were so much more than “the wives.” This YA NF book is great for middle & high schools!

CW: death, war, religious persecution, pregnancy, infertility, divorce, body horror, murder

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

As someone who enjoys non-fiction, I really think there should be more graphic novels in this genre. Not everyone has the time or drive to read a biography, but many of those same people will read a graphic novel. Thus was a great way to learn more about Henry VIII and his wives.

For those who may be concerned, the worse thing in the book is a bloody sword.

There is tons of great historical information here that is age appropriate for children. I would definitely recommend this.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to a podcast interview with the author of this book and knew we had to own it. I ordered it from England. The day it came it was the last I saw it for a month. My daughter Evelyn (12) snatched it up and read it multiple times with her sister Courtney (10). She kept coming up to me telling me random facts about the six wives and Henry VIII. I was seriously impressed. We read it tonight as a family and with lots of commentary from the two girls.
They loved the illustrations and the graphic novel type stories. Well done all the way around.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history book for upper elementary students. Illustrations are a little stiff in places and sometimes confusing, especially the flashback for Catherine of Aragon. (I'm now mostly that first panel is King James IV)


No bibliography in the ARC, hopefully that will be added for final publication.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be fair, I feel like this should be a 3.75.

I will eat up just about anything about the Tudor period, so this really intrigued me. For those familiar with the musical "Six" you can think of this as a somewhat Six-ified take, giving each woman their diva moment to shine with lots of winks and nods to contemporary times and opinionsm. The cover is a big indication of what you have in store, with Catherine of Aragon making heart hands (the least likely Queen or Catherine for this, honestly--helloooo, Catherine Howard?) and Anne Boleyn voguing.

This may sound like I'm making fun, but overall the cheekiness works well. For very condensed biographies, the author pretty effectively makes these portraits feel vibrant and relatable, and Cargill-Martin keeps the spotlight firmly on the women, relegating (a rather buffoonishly-depicted) Henry to set dressing at best.

Having done a number of deep dives on the subject myself, I have to give credit where credit is due in terms of the author's ability to synthesize and reframe for modern readers. Also, I doubt many people are clamoring for justice for "Bloody Mary" but I did appreciate the note in her tiny bio acknowledging possible bias in her historical portrayal and the apt reminder that "history is written by the victors." Anne of Cleves and Catherine Howard feel a bit shortchanged here, but then, they often are.

My chief critique is with the art. While the pseudo comic book-style format matches the cheekiness, I wish the illustrator leaned into it more rather than mostly leaning on just the cells themselves to do the work. I would have liked to see more dialogue/speech bubbles and other visual language carried over from the format

Evenore disappointing, however: I know we're delving into tricky territory because we are so reliant on old paintings for reference, but the physical portrayals feel very off. The women look like Tudor Barbies, prettied up and slimmed down in the same sort of way, with features that aren't all that distinguishable from each other or the ladies-in-waiting who are pictured.This glow up is extra pronounced with Catherine Parr (not generally known for being a glamorous queen) and Anne Boleyn, the latter of whom even Cargill-Martin described as having "star quality" rather than beauty. For a book that tries to showcase these women as individuals, not just "wives" or victims, it's a pity that they aren't more physically differentiated and that the illustrator felt she had to make them over to make the relatable or get us on their side. It doesn't mesh with the girl power vibes the author seems to want to project, either. (Some props though to giving Catherine of Aragon fair hair, which most modern depictions get wrong.)

Overall, entertaining for sure, but has its flaws.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting and different approach to history and the stories of these infamous women.
There are always going to be arguments about what is fact or fiction. Some depictions of events had me arguing out loud with the pages.

[June Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read many adult level books on the Henry VIII era, I have to admit to more curiosity over how they'd handle, well, how he disposed of so many wives in a children's nonfiction book. As it turned out, pretty well. True, be forewarned that there is one illustration of a bloody sword, but overall it simply says they died and moves on. Don't get me wrong, there's quite a bit of info shared within, including the usual intrigue and efforts to gain status and position within the royal court, but it simply shows the times and, well, Henry VIII's ego and intent upon having whatever he wanted no matter what.

As for the wives, it actually does a nice job sharing their personalities with us. The charts used for each were quite informative, including education and interests, among other things, including date of demise. The illustrations are lively and colorful with the focus on the women, not Henry, I might note. The sections on each draw you in and provide the basics without drama. Heck, even Anne's end is handled rather matter-of-fact style. The sections also seem to follow the same pattern. giving a bit of the six queens background, how they encountered Henry, their doings within the royal court, and then their downfall. Again, all told without drama. We even get a peek at his daughter Elizabeth. The dress of the day is definitely fun to see and is well done by the illustrator.

Bottom line, while I question somewhat the designation of the book for "children", I don't feel most children today would find much to be shocked at within. While I can envision some reaction to the executioner's bloody sword, for instance, let's face it, kids will be kids, they've surely seen far more explicit scenes on television by the time they'd be ready to tackle this book. The family tree info and timelines at the back are also useful in helping ground us in the Tudor Era. The cover actually helps set the tone and was a fun prelude to the saga. Thanks #SourcebooksKids for this early peek at a period in history that has always fascinated me. I wonder how history might have been changed had Catherine Parr not been able to persuade Henry to return his daughters to the line of succession.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Six Queens of Henry VIII is a nonfiction text that highlights the women who were married to King Henry VIII. The book covers all of the queens and their rise to power, along with highlights from their royal career. Set in a comic-style format, the book is a really accessible text for younger readers, and the author does a good job of retelling the story of Henry VIII and the Tudor queens in an age-appropriate manner.

I really enjoyed this book, and how it de-centers Henry VIII from the story of the Tudor queens, apparent in the author’s conscious choice to use “queens” as opposed to “wives” in the title. I also appreciated how the author emphasized Henry’s active pursuit and involvement in the courtship of these women, rather than placing the blame for their rise to queenship on them alone. This approach challenges the implicit bias often directed at queens such as Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard, who are frequently portrayed as solely responsible for disrupting Henry’s previous marriages. When discussing Katherine Parr’s relationship with Henry, the author writes that “When Henry VIII proposed to you, you couldn’t really say no…Katherine hadn’t exactly wanted to be queen, but now she was determined to use her new power to her advantage” . The artwork is unique and eye-catching, capturing the characteristics of these historical figures while also having some fun.  On page 13 for example, when describing the tension between Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon, the illustrator shows the two of them about to duke it out in a fistfight. The book also includes some supplemental material at the end, such as short biographies of Henry VIII’s children, and a timeline of the Tudor dynasty during Henry’s rule. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am puzzled by the subject selected for this highly illustrated, partial graphic novel that has the appearance of books targeted at elementary school. Most children are not interested in the royal politics of 16th century England even if there is a king who had 6 wives. However, the digitally created graphic panels, illustrations and striking borders on each wife’s snapshot biography certainly draw the eye and may create readers who are drawn in by their attractiveness.

The pattern for each wife’s section is the same: The first page has a beautiful border, a large illustration of the woman, brief sidebar biography and a chart of details including birthdate, education, allies, years of marriage and death. This introductory page is followed by several pages of traditional text with several illustrations and often arranged in columns with sub-titles. The final section for each wife is done in graphic panels and provides a look at a possible event from her life. The beheadings of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard are stated but with only a bloody sword and no other gore. Any dalliances of the wives or Henry VIII were handled in a vague, non-sexual way.

Attractive, picture book length, multi-formatted non-fiction book with the publisher target age of 8 and up. Age 8 is probably accurate but in my opinion and considering the illustrations, page length and overall brevity of information, the “and up” interest level will likely end at about age 10 or 11. With that in mind, I hope that in the final addition, the author’s bio is edited to remove the word “sex” when her doctoral focus of political sex scandals in Ancient Rome is stated or simply include that Honor Cargill-Martin is pursuing a doctorate.

Thanks for the print arc, Sourcebooks Explore.

[Lady Bocwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read as an electronic release from NetGalley] Honor Cargill-Martin and Jamiee Andrews tag team to create an interesting, colorful, and engaging book about Henry VIII’s six wives for kids. Cargill-Martin keeps the text fast paced, giving a brief overview of each woman and highlighting their greatest accomplishments (yes, more than just having children - like leading armies and publishing books). However, think of it as an introduction to who these women are, not a full-on biography, the text is too brief for that. Andrews’ illustrations bring color to the words, keeping the reader’s eye moving across the page from one block of text to the next. The full-color illustrations and panel-style layout give the text a graphic novel feel, which will entice the target audience without making it feel like a stodgy textbook. But I feel like I need footnotes or an illustrator’s guide to point out all the intricacies and symbolism that Andrews worked into her illustrations, as there are a lot. I do, however, love how Andrews tracked the progress of time with the changing fashions and aging of Henry VIII. This would be a good starting place for 3rd - 5th grade students to introduce them to the lives of queens or fill out a collection for Women’s History Month. I would recommend it for a library or classroom. 4/5 stars – This is good! I will probably read it again and may buy the series. I definitely recommend this title.

[Princess Autumn (At Camp Half-Blood for Summer) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This was an interesting read, but I’m a bit conflicted.

I genuinely enjoyed learning new facts about all six queens—Catherine of Aragon and Catherine Parr are absolute icons, Anne of Cleves deserved better, Jane Seymour is more complex than she gets credit for, Anne Boleyn is endlessly fascinating, and Katherine Howard’s story is far more tragic than people realize.

However, this book is written for younger readers, and the lives of Henry VIII’s queens are… not exactly middle-grade material. The author clearly did her best to make difficult topics accessible, but in doing so, some important context felt oversimplified. For example, Katherine Howard’s story is reduced mostly to “hanging out” and “flirting,” and Anne Boleyn’s execution can feel abrupt without deeper political explanation. Of course, a children’s book can’t dive into every scandal and religious conflict, but I’m not entirely convinced this subject works at this age level.

It’s very clean—almost to the point of being unintentionally funny considering the historical realities.

I’d recommend this for fans of Six: The Musical who want a younger introduction to the queens before they’re ready for more mature histories. However, if you’re looking for a comprehensive or nuanced account, you may want something more in-depth.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve had some tweens really into learning about the wives of Henry VIII recently, which I believe is entirely due to their interest in the musical Six! And there’s a shocking lack of material on these women that’s appropriate for a younger audience (your average ten year old does not want a tome about Anne Boleyn). So I was excited to see this come across my dashboard, especially since it’s about all six in one place, rather than separate bios.

As others have pointed out, the focus on the women rather than on Henry is definitely a plus. They are FAR more interesting than him anyway. The illustrations are a little cartoonish, which I think is on purpose, but it does take away some of the gravity of the subject matter. (And they definitely seem to be borrowing from the musical) Although I do enjoy how Henry gets fatter and fatter as the book goes on (true to life for sure). There’s also an inordinate amount of exclamation points, which somehow makes the book feel more immature. Still, it’s a nice overview for younger kids who may be familiar with the musical and want to learn a little more. It’s not the deepest of dives, but it would be a good addition to a history or nonfiction collection.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honor Cargill-Martin’s THE SIX QUEENS OF HENRY VIII provides readers with an introduction to the six very different women who were all married to Henry VIII. Progressing in chronological order, the book gives readers a brief overview of each woman’s life, then a comic-style sequence showcases one of the significant events in the woman’s life in greater detail. Using a feminist lens, the book gives details about the women, highlighting their unique personalities and their achievements. Colorful illustrations by Jaimee Andrews complement the text. Staying true to history, the book doesn’t shy away from stating that two of the women met a bloody end at the orders of the king himself, but keeps the language and content appropriate for upper middle grade readers, making for an informative and engaging overview of these historical figures.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very colorful, accessible, and informative little book about the queens of Henry VIII. The history is told mostly chronologically with each queen being introduced with some facts about her and a biography of her life with some eye catching illustrations. These bits sort of reminded me of trading cards, which I found to be fun and I could definitely see kids enjoying. There are a few flashbacks to give more context to some of the issues that each queen had to deal with. It's pretty lighthearted considering two queens were beheaded and two died after giving birth, but it also stuck to the facts. I also appreciated that this book touched on the religious conflicts of the time. I think this would be a great introduction for any kids interested in learning more about history.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Kids and NetGalley for the review copy.

[sparkypink · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the popularity of Six the Musical, I can see many younger children looking to find out more information about Henry VIII's six wives. This book is a great place to start as it is only 50 pages and has lots of illustrations. It gives a short bio of each wife, and talks about their achievements while queen. While the Tudor time period was very brutal and bloody, this book gives brief mention of beheadings, going to war, childbirth (and death in childbirth), but not in a gratuitous way. There are simple summaries of the many political feuds that were happening, but not too much to get bogged down with. If you have an upper elementary student looking for more information about this time period, I recommend starting with this book.

I received a digital ARC of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

[Jj · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing and inconsistent, this book presents a largely cartoonish and dumbed-down overview of Henry VIII's half-dozen wives in comic-book style. The historical information at stake here truly doesn't need this treatment to be interesting and accessible to young readers. Said young readers are not stupid, but this book treats them like they won't understand anything if it's not exaggerated and spelled out plainly. The book is about real people, but they are presented in a very two-dimensional and "jokey" way, adorned with illustrations that are cringe-worthy at many points. It also does not get into the background of important issues at stake here, such as: WHY did Henry want a son so badly? What was the state of medicine regarding women and childbirth in this era? Some background would help to not only give context but enable readers to understand what was going on and why.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for 8-12 year olds, set in a graphic novel format, the descriptions of the six wives of Henry VIII go a long way to generate interest in history of the Tudors and the 1500s. There will be questions and comments - how could he have someone murdered? Cutting off someone's head - ewww!, which open the way for more discussion of the 1500s and customs of those times. The book is relatively factual and not overly gross. Pregnancies are mentioned, as well as women going into battle, and the beheading of Anne Boleyn.

Color illustrations, short amounts of text - I can see children this age become intrigued by the information found in this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids and Sourcebooks Explore, in exchange for an honest review.

[Critter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

I think this is a decent introduction to the subject. It is well suited for a younger audience and felt like it was giving nods to Six the musical. I do think this also showcases just how history can be different based on sources used and different historical biases. I don't dislike this book, but it definitely made me want to debate with different parts. I do think the six wives and their story will always be the subject of debate due to all the different historical sources there are surrounding them. I also didn't really love the art style in this book. At times it felt stiff and I just didn't quite love it. Overall I think this is a decent book to set up for children surrounding the topic.

[Stephanie P · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a graphic novel intended for children, this book is a cute interpretation of history. The artwork may not be the greatest, but it does its job well. The use of flashbacks at the end of each queen's story is a little confusing though. For instance, Catherine of Aragon's is a good use of the term because it does go back into the middle of her life. However, Anne Boleyn's flashback was the literal end of her life, so that would not be a flashback to her past. I would say this book can be used as a good jumping off point for children to get into the Tudors, but not used for someone wanting an accurate history lesson.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for allowing me to read an advanced reader copy of The Six Queens of Henry VIII in the return of an honest review.

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

I 100% absolutely LOVED this book! As someone who has always been intrigued by the Tudor dynasty especially the lives of the wives (didn't mean to rhyme there) of King Henry VIII and with amazing illustrations! I think this was marketed towards a younger audience to get an insight on this remarkable women's lives but as an adult, I loved it just the same. Chock full of historical information about these women and I felt like I got to know them individually and more than I had ever thought possible. I would like to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun non-fiction book about the six queens of Henry VIII. Who survived, who died/got beheaded is maybe the best word, who did what. It was a lot of fun to read and I liked the information we got + the way it was presented with tons of illustrations. I learned some new things along the way which I always love when reading non-fiction.
The style of the illustrations was not always my cup of tea (sometimes it looked a bit weird), and the comics at the end felt a bit odd. Things were done for the girls and then suddenly we would get a random story about them, I really had a hard time switching from oh they are dead to oh they are alive again.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I want to say that I love this cover. It kind of reminds me of the Disney Princess books.

As for the content of the book, I really enjoyed it. I found it quite informative, and I enjoyed the way it was written. They presented the information in an almost narrative style, which made it engaging to read. I also liked that the author included both a family tree and a timeline at the end of the book. And lastly, just like the cover, the illustrations were great within the book too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the ARC.

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

[i received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review]
Surprisingly child friendly for how bloody the period was. Probably not the most fun bedtime story but I would have loved reading this in school. I liked how it referenced the play Six! Im sure even if kids haven't seen the play, they've heard the songs. This gives a more in depth look into each woman. Each woman is given a small flashback story about an interesting moment in their lives that I haven't heard before.

[Chrissy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The six Queens are presented clearly with bright and beautiful illustrations. While the cover brings to mind the broadway musical, the information given is basic historical fact. I appreciate that the author tries to present each queen as herself, rather than as she relates to the king, although this is tough to do given the sources available. None of the queens are painted as villains, only women doing their best to do what they think is best, for themselves and their families. This is a solid history for a younger audience.

[Bexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short kid-friendly history of the Six Wives of Henry Tudor. Each wife gets 6 pages, a beginning bio, a short background, what their life was like as queen, and then a short flashback to a significant moment in their life. The illustrations are beautiful, and because it is barebones facts, the book goes rather quickly. There are a few resources at the end, including a timeline and family tree. If you have a kid who is obsessed with "Six," this is good introductory material.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book that gives an overview of King Henry VIII's wives and his family tree. It is a graphic novel that is a great introduction into this history. Due to the nature of the circumstances surrounding his wives, I would recommend this for middle grades and up. Overall, I recommend this to introduce middle grades readers to this period of history and King Henry VIII.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Interesting overview of the six wives of Henry VIII, done in a graphic novel style with a modern sensibility. I did like the one page brief bios of each woman.

Will pass on purchase for my library, but this would be great to have for readers of Meyer's Young Royals series.

[Diana Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about the six queens of Henry VIII. Honestly, my knowledge of these ladies comes from the soundtrack of the musical Six, so this book was a good companion to that knowledge and also seems to give a wink to the musical as well.

I read an advanced review copy courtesy of the publisher via Edelweiss+.