Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book)

Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book)

All you need to know to be a princess— Or Just live like one Compiled by Mia Thermopolis aka Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo of Genovia Meg Cabot entertained thousands of readers with her Princess Diaries series about a somewhat awkward teenage girl from Manhattan who discovers that she's actually heir to the throne of a small European principality. In this princess-pink guidebook, the unlikely royal Mia Thermopolis informs her fans that if she can be a princess, anyone can--with the help of a few princess lessons, that is. (Of course, she honestly doesn't know why anyone would want to when they could lead a perfectly normal life.) This how-to guide for princesses-in-training--written in the voices of Tina, Grandmère, and other characters from the series--is surprisingly applicable to daily, non-royal life. While it is peppered with princess-specific advice (such as how to perfect a curtsy), it is not quite the spoof one might expect. In the Beauty section, for example, the manual emphasizes confidence, minimal makeup, and hygiene. In the Etiquette section, we learn not to slouch, shuffle, skip, or saunter. Readers will find polite e-mail protocol, musings on popularity, five easy ways to save the planet, and even Lily and Mia's list of movies in which characters achieve self-actualization. Chesley McLaren's comical, artful illustrations reflect the tongue-in-cheek tone of this fairly common-sense manual for surviving Polite Society. And remember: "Throughout history, princesses have been remembered not for the waist size of their 501s, but for the good deeds they performed when they were on the throne." (Ages 10 and older) --Karin Snelson Gr. 5-7. So you, too, want to be a princess? Fans of Princess Mia's adventures in the small principality of Genovia may wonder how they, too, can have the accoutrements of princessdom. It's all here between pretty pink covers. Ostensibly written by Mia, this offers the secrets of her princess lessons with Grandmother: the etiquette, table manners, even thoughts about good citizenship. Mia also passes on help from Paola, her makeup artist; Sebastian, her fashion designer; and her best friend Tina, ostensibly a relationship expert. To say the advice here runs the gamut doesn't even begin to describe this book. Some is tongue-in-cheek (tiara maintenance); other bits are useful--how to write a sympathy note (although the example is to someone who has lost a pet cat). Even fans of the Diaries who start out reading this just for Mia's amusing ramblings may glean a few nuggets of decorum along the way. See p.1660 for the latest addition to the Diaries series. Ilene Cooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “So you, too, want to be a princess? It’s all here between pretty pink covers.” - ALA Booklist All you need to know to be a princess— Or Just live like one Compiled by Mia Thermopolis aka Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo of Genovia Meg Cabot ’s many books for both adults and teens have included numerous #1  New York Times  bestsellers, with more than twenty-five million copies sold worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series was made into two hit films by Disney, with a third movie coming soon. Meg currently lives in Key West, Florida, with her husband and various cats.