Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book) [Hardcover]

Meg Cabot (Author), Chesley McLaren (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2003 | Series: Princess Diaries

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

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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

From Booklist

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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: HarperTeen (March 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060526777
• ISBN-13: 978-0060526771
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,561 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write! Books for you, your sister, your best friend, your mother . . . . even for men with good taste!

Most of my time is spent over at my website, http://megcabot.com, so be sure to stop by!

UK, New Zealand, and Australia fans, visit http://www.megcabot.co.uk.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pure Fun, May 26, 2003

By 

Nancy E. "Nancy" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book) (Hardcover)

By now, most people who read YA novels knows that Mia Thermopolis is the star of the Princess Diaries series by Meg Cabot. Throughout the first four books of the series we have seen Mia's triumphs and pitfalls as she's dragged kicking and screaming into the life of a Genovian Princess. In Princess Lessons the bubbly anxious teen takes a break from telling us about her life in learning how to be a princess and tells us what all princesses, and teenage girls in general should know. After a quick introduction from Mia we hear about Beauty from the amazing Paolo ("I spit on kohl!" and fashion from Grandmere. Throughout the rest of the book we heard about manners, education and character from the various characters in the book and finally, about dating from Tina Hakin Baba. This last part includes a very funny interview from Michael Moscovitz.

This book is pure fun. It manages to provide a sort of self help book for teenage girls while throwing in much humor from the characters from the series. Mia is always there, writing in pink and commenting about the things she agrees and disagrees about. Some of my favorite parts has to be Paolo's humorous part on makeup and Sebastinano commenting on fashion, with his poor accented English. Another favorite part of mine has to be Michael's brief but amusing interview.

This book is not necessary for fans of the Princess Diary to read. It must have taken place after the fourth book but it doesn't really continue the story at all. If you're a fan of the series you don't have to read it. Personally I think that it's just pure fun. You'll read it in one sitting. Still it is not a real Princess Diary book, and I'd prefer another edition to the series than a self help book any day. Reading page after page of "how to"s gets annoying after a while but it's still a great thing for fans of the Princess Diaries to read while they're waiting for The Princess Diaries Volume Four and a Half: Project Princess to come out.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick and enjoyable (but optional) addition to the series, April 23, 2003

By 

Sarah Lewis (booklete dot com) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book) (Hardcover)

Princess Lessons is to the Princess Diaries books as the Harry Potter Schoolbooks are to the Harry Potter series: a quick read that is both entertaining and enjoyable, but not plot-advancing or groundbreaking. And that's okay.

This book is clearly aimed at the young teen and pre-teen audience that has formed around the Princess Diaries series. In addition to the fun humor that we've come to expect from Meg Cabot, there are some not-so-subtle bits of guidance that older readers will spot immediately. It seems very well directed for the younger readers, though, and is good advice. For instance, the overriding theme of the book is that it never hurts to behave like a princess even if you aren't one, and it's most important to be yourself.

The book includes practical advice on health, beauty, and clothes, though it should, of course, be taken with a grain of salt, coming as it does from the characters Paolo, Grandmere, and Sebastiano.

The light feel is complemented by the illustrations, which are charmingly stylistic and make good use of the two-color layouts. Many books of this type and length leave readers annoyed at the lack of substance, but Princess Lessons uses its format well and will be much enjoyed as a quick, fun read by the young fans of the series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun, but Unsubstantial : A Quick One- Afternoon Read, May 11, 2003

By 

"liaden" (Somewhere Over the Rainbow) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Princess Lessons (A Princess Diaries Book) (Hardcover)

Okay, Meg Cabot has definitely won herself a nice cozy place atop the literary-must-be-read authors, but Princess Lessons is less of the novel I had expected (in fact, its not a novel at all) and more an feel-good/look-good book for teens.

So some of the stuff is cute and fun to read with commentary from our favorite Princess Diary characters and with some definite hints about Prince Rene's involvement in further novels (hello, he's like her cousin! excuse me, but please don't set Mia up with him!)

...

So, three stars because it did have some fun stuff in it, but had nothing substantial for a reader to feast upon.

Happy Reading!