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Meg Cabot
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The Princess Diaries (Princess Diaries, 1) Mass Market Paperback – June 1, 2001

by Meg Cabot (Author)
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 2,589 ratings
See all formats and editions
She's just a New York City girl living with her artist mom...

News Flash: Dad is prince of Genovia. (So that's why a limo meets her at the airport!)

Downer: Dad can't have any more kids. (So no heir to the throne.)

Shock of the Century: Like it or not, Mia Thermopolis is prime princess material.

Mia must take princess lessons from her dreaded grandmére, the dowager princess of Genovia, who thinks Mia has a thing or two to learn before she steps up to the throne.

Well, her father can lecture her until he's royal-blue in the face about her princessly duty -- no way is she moving to Genovia and leaving Manhattan behind. But what's a girl to do when her name is Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo?

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  1. Reading age
    11 - 13 years, from customers
  2. Book 1 of 11
    The Princess Diaries
  3. Print length
    304 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    7 - 9
  6. Dimensions
    4 x 0.75 x 6.75 inches
  7. Publisher
    HarperTeen
  8. Publication date
    June 1, 2001
  9. ISBN-10
    0380814021
  10. ISBN-13
    978-0380814022
  11. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A teenager living in modern-day Greenwich Village in New York City discovers that she is now the heir apparent to the throne in a European country, in this novel, soon to be a motion picture starring Julie Andrews. Ages 12-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...[A] classic makeover tale souped up on imperial steroids..." -- --Publisher's Weekly

"A hilarious read" -- -- Buffalo News (NY)

"If girrrrl heroines are what you want, the hilarious Princess Diaries has a winner in sassy Mia." -- -- Twist

"It's got all the bubbly and frivolous pleasure of imported champagne, and readers will drink it in." -- -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A classic makeover tale souped up on imperial steroids. -- Publishers Weekly

If girrrrl heroines are what you want, the hilarious Princess Diaries has a winner in sassy Mia. -- Twist

It s got all the bubbly and frivolous pleasure of imported champagne, and readers will drink it in. -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books

This funny, fast-paced book should appeal to hip, young women. -- School Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperTeen; First Edition (June 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0380814021
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0380814022
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 11 - 13 years, from customers
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 7 - 9
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4 x 0.75 x 6.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 2,589 ratings

About the author

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Meg Cabot

Meg Cabot

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Meg Cabot was born in Indiana during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign, but has been working hard ever since to give herself a happy ending. Her books for both adults and tweens/teens have included multiple #1 New York Times bestsellers, selling well over 25 million copies worldwide. Her Princess Diaries series has been published in more than 38 countries and was made into multiple hit films by Disney. Meg’s numerous other award-winning books include the Mediator series and the Heather Wells mystery series. Meg Cabot (her last name rhymes with habit, as in “her books can be habit forming”) currently lives in Key West with her husband.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
2,589 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They find the humor witty and snarky. The story is described as heartwarming and moving along nicely. Many readers find it relatable for young teens, though some feel the characters lack depth and are flat or stereotyped.

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ReadabilityHumorStory qualityAge rangeCharacter developmentBoredom
21 customers mention "Readability"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and well-written. They describe it as a realistic teenager's journal, descriptive, and interesting. Readers also mention that the book is more detailed and engaging than the movie.

"...Yet Cabot writes in a realistic and appealing way, showing that Mia Thermopolis, despite being anything but the picture of a princess, can adapt..." Read more

"...So I got it from the Kindle store. And it was absolutely juicy, hot, intresting, fun, and cool!!!!!..." Read more

"...It is such a quick read and keeps you moving. I love this and wish the movie would have stuck to the book but was refreshing the way it was written ." Read more

"...All in all i love this book! It is written like a teenagers journal!" Read more

19 customers mention "Humor"19 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it witty and snarky, though not as much as the movie.

"...Worth it! Very funny, even if in a different way from the movie...." Read more

"...- her voice as an innocent, somewhat nerdy 14-year-old girl is hilarious and totally believable...." Read more

"...Queen Clarisse is definitely no Julie Andrews, but she's witty and snarky and funny. The only real drawback is the level of maturity...." Read more

"The Princess Diaries is a very funny, creative, and heartwarming fiction about a Manhattan girl who's father turns out to be the Prince of a country..." Read more

16 customers mention "Story quality"13 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging story. They find the story light and humorous, keeping it heartwarming. The plot is complex and intriguing, with a good ending that leaves them feeling emotional.

"...The book would have worked well without them. Otherwise, the story moved along nicely and set up Mia for a fascinating first couple months of..." Read more

"...like this before and find the complexity of the plot and overall story very intriguing! If anyone is considering buying this book, don't hesitate!..." Read more

"The Princess Diaries is a very funny, creative, and heartwarming fiction about a Manhattan girl who's father turns out to be the Prince of a country..." Read more

"...does a wonderful job of giving Mia's point of view, while keeping the story light and humorous...." Read more

14 customers mention "Age range"11 positive3 negative

Customers find the book relatable for young teens. They say it's an easy read with a great vocabulary and shows emotion. The story is described as funny and romantic, making it suitable for all ages.

"Book is perfect for young readers." Read more

"...It's a great series for young adults and fans of the royal genre.Happy Reading... enjoy!" Read more

"...The befuddlement and confusion about who she is makes this an utterly relatable novel. I loved this when I was younger and my daughter loves it now...." Read more

"...But sometimes she’s just too naive...." Read more

11 customers mention "Character development"4 positive7 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development. Some find the main character relatable, while others find them disappointing, flat, and self-centered. They also mention that Mia is a stereotype.

"...The characters have no character—they gossip, lie, whine—pick a vice...." Read more

"...The ending was a bit abrupt, butt otherwise the characters and the story were satisfying." Read more

"...But the biggest complaint I have is that there is little to NO character or plot development...." Read more

"The father and grandmother in this book are both very disappointing characters...." Read more

7 customers mention "Boredom"0 positive7 negative

Customers found the plot dull and depressing. They felt the book did not generate as much enthusiasm while reading and was juvenile.

"...The entire book was juvenile and ended up getting on my nerves, but I stuck through it. For nothing...." Read more

"...The plot was bland and a bit boring. I will continue the series since I own the physical copies already." Read more

"...I judged this book by its cover and that was a complete mistake. It was depressing and several things mentioned were gross...." Read more

"I mean, it's a pretty good book but some parts of the book can get really boring and the writing style is kind of annoying in my opinion but despite..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

joybelle
5.0 out of 5 stars perfect for young readers
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2024
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Book is perfect for young readers.
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Beth Rodgers
4.0 out of 5 stars Realistic, Yet Fantastical
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2016
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Meg Cabot's 'The Princess Diaries' seems somewhat fantastical. The idea that a young girl can find out she is heir to the throne of a small country and its fortune is not something that happens everyday. Yet Cabot writes in a realistic and appealing way, showing that Mia Thermopolis, despite being anything but the picture of a princess, can adapt like the best of them - even if it's under duress.

When Mia's father shares that he can no longer have children and then reveals his princely status, Mia is floored. She doesn't understand how there is any way that she has royal blood in her. It becomes increasingly evident that it's all the truth when Mia's grandmother, the dowager princess and present leader of Genovia, comes to town to give Mia "princess lessons."

Concerned that her newfound royal status will ruin her longtime friendship with best friend Lilly, Mia avoids telling her about it. When word leaks anyway, she is a found in a mess, dealing with paparazzi, mean girls turned nice, and the interest of popular boy Josh Richter, whom Mia has been interested in for as long as she can remember. Lilly's brother, Michael, also plays into the revelation, talking to Mia even when she and Lilly are on the outs. Add in that Mia's mom is dating her algebra teacher, Mr. Gianini, plus the fact that she's flunking algebra and realizing that everything isn't what always meets the eye, and Cabot has set up the equation for a disastrous but salvageable first couple months of school. Mia just has to see herself for who she truly is and how she can use that to her advantage.

Even though it was a big part of the book to have Mia flunking algebra and trying to save her grade through after-school study sessions with Mr. Gianini and Lilly's brother, Michael, the algebra equations throughout the book (which were supposed to be part of Mia's journal) were somewhat distracting. The book would have worked well without them. Otherwise, the story moved along nicely and set up Mia for a fascinating first couple months of freshman year of high school.

Beth Rodgers, Author of 'Freshman Fourteen,' A Young Adult Novel
4 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars love love LOVE!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2024
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Been one of my favorites since middle school years! Definitely a must-read series that needs to be completed for me.
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Catherine Chicotka
3.0 out of 5 stars Now I really like the movie
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2017
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Now I really like the movie. It’s cute, fun, and stars Julie Andrews. So I really wonder what I would have thought about this book had I not seen the movie. I don’t normally mind when books and movies are different, and I usually like the book better, but I think the movie is better. Mia is very whiny, complaining about everything from her flat chest to her grandma to her cat. The book seems so much more immature and definitely for a younger audience. The grandma in the book seems so evil compared to her character in the movie. There are some other major differences, one being that the book takes place in Manhattan while the movie takes place in San Francisco.

Now I can respect how the story really shows how Mia grows up and learns to stand up for herself. And her insecurities, as well as her awkwardness and naivety, are pretty relatable. But sometimes she’s just too naive. I still enjoyed the read because things happened differently than the movie, but I think I would’ve enjoyed this more if I read it when I was younger. Not sure if I will continue reading the series.
4 people found this helpful
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Archimedes
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny as heck!
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2021
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Firstly, I had already seen the movie; got the Bok out of morbid curiosity. Worth it! Very funny, even if in a different way from the movie. Ann Hathaway is a significantly different person than Mia, but close enough.

I thought Julie Andrews was great Grandmere, and raised the movie to a whole different level; I think the grandmother in the book was less believable (e.g. tattooed eyeliner).

What was most effective in the book is how the author tried--- mostly successfully--- to write with the voice of a fifteen - year- old! That was entertaining, even if it might not have been convincing to a real teenager (but who cares?)

The ending was a bit abrupt, butt otherwise the characters and the story were satisfying.
4 people found this helpful
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pokemon28
5.0 out of 5 stars <The Princess Diaries>is totally so hot!!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2011
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One day I was watching Disney Channel, and I found a movie called <The Princess Diaries>. Then I found out it actually was a book. So I got it from the Kindle store. And it was absolutely juicy, hot, intresting, fun, and cool!!!!! Then I bought the second one, and the third one, and the forth one, and the fifth one. But after all that stuff, my mom and dad won't let me buy it again. I don't know why, but I never ever bought one again. But at least it was fun! And I never liked the movie, because it was boring. And bad. And lame. But the book was different from the movie. It was not boring or bad, or lame. But it was fun, good, and exciting. So it's OK, I like it, and I love it!!!!! I especially like Mia, because she's the main character. And she's the princess, and her dad is the crown prince of Genovia. And she has many friends, too.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
Reviewed in Brazil on August 10, 2020
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Produto maravilhoso e vendedor honesto e eficiente.
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Daniela
5.0 out of 5 stars 10/10
Reviewed in Mexico on July 7, 2019
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Libro excelente y muy entretenido.
Excellent book, very entertaining.
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Shashwat Sharma
5.0 out of 5 stars Princess Miaaa
Reviewed in India on May 30, 2020
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Dear Meg Cabot......your books are just amazingggg. Princess Diaries is like literally my favourite series after Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. It is a light, funny and enjoyable book, totally meant for tweens. The books are wayyy better than the movies. This book is definitely the kind of book which you will read when you are bored, or after some tragic movie you saw. This book talks about a 14 year old high school freshman student, who is the heir of a tiny European principality called Genovia. She also kinda has a crush on her bff's, Lilly's, older brother(though at that time she doesnt realise it). Toooo cutee!!!The books just keeps getting better and better, as the series progress. Buy it!!You wouldnt regret it!!!!
XOXO
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Buberry159
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 1, 2018
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good book, arrived quickly
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Luca
5.0 out of 5 stars Libro bello
Reviewed in Italy on May 1, 2019
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Il libro è bello e corrisponde a quanto comprato
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