The Princess Present (The Princess Diaries) ANNOTATION
In a series of diary entries, Princess Mia describes celebrating Christmas with her friends in Genovia.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Mia would give all the jewels in Genovia for the perfect present
Every year, Princess Mia spends the holidays in Genovia with Grandmère. This year, she's looking forward to the most perfect Christmas ever: her boyfriend, Michael, and her best friend, Lilly, are coming to Genovia, too.
But even a princess's plans can go awry. Lilly has a lot to learn about palace protocol, and with all the state holiday functions Mia must attend, there's no time to linger under the mistletoe with Michael. Worst of all, Mia hasn't been able to find him the perfect gift.
Can Mia stop her (bah-hum)bugging long enough to see that the perfect present has nothing to do with international express courier — and everything to do with real love? (Though some shiny silver ribbon never hurts ...)
About the Author:
Meg Cabot is the author of the best-selling, critically acclaimed, immensely popular Princess Diaries novels, as well as All-American Girl, Haunted, and two Regency novels, Nicola and the Viscount and Victoria and the Rogue. Meg was born in Bloomington, Indiana, and her childhood was spent in pursuit of air conditioning, of which there was little at the time in southern Indiana. A primary source proved to be the Monroe County Public Library, where Meg whiled away many hours, reading the complete works of Jane Austen, Judy Blume, and Barbara Cartland.
Armed with a fine arts degree from Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City, intent upon pursuing a career in freelance illustration. Illustrating, however, soon got in the way of Meg's true love, writing, and so she abandoned it and got a job as the assistant manager of an undergraduate dormitory at New York University, writing on the weekends, and whenever her boss wasn't looking.
Meg lives in New York City with her husband, Benjamin, a poet, financial market writer and fellow Hoosier, and their one-eyed cat, Henrietta.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
It's back to Genovia in The Princess Present: A Princess Diaries Book by Meg Cabot, the sixth title in the series. Meg's friend, Lilly, and beau, Michael, are coming to visit her in Genovia for Christmas, and Mia wants to make sure everything is perfect. Lilly's aversion to the wealth around her and a disastrous gala ball add to the craziness, before all is resolved in an O'Henry-esque denouement. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Heidi Hauser Green
Princess Mia is back in this sweet holiday trifle, the latest addition to the popular "Princess Diaries" series. Every year, the young heir of Genovia spends the holidays in the royal kingdom with her father and grandfather. Holidays are usually pretty spectacular there, but Mia believes this holiday will be more perfect than any others, because she has made arrangements for her boyfriend, Michael, and her best friend, Lilly to join her. However, things quickly go awry. Mia's royal obligations keep her busy and apart from her beloved Michael. She argues with rebellious Lilly about the responsibilities of royalty and their guests. Mia even inadvertently disrupts her grandmother's holiday festivities, in a most unusual way. Altogether, Mia's holiday spirit is taking a real beating. Can she find the meaning of Christmas in time to prevent her visit from being a total loss? Fans of the excitable young princess are sure to love this book. 2004, HarperCollins, Ages 12 to 16.
KLIATT - Paula Rohrlick
This brief new entry in the popular series about Mia, a Manhattan high school student who also happens to be heir to the throne of a small European nation, is a version of the classic O. Henry story "The Gift of the Magi." In diary form, Mia breathlessly relates how she spends the Christmas holidays in Genovia with her demanding Grandmﾽre. She is thrilled that her boyfriend, Michael, and her best friend, Lilly, are coming to join her, but distraught because she hasn't yet found the perfect gift for him. Meanwhile, state functions cut into her make-out time with Michael, Lilly wreaks havoc, tourists need rescuing from a sinking ship, and hilarious disasters ensue as Mia struggles to master her royal responsibilities. Another funny, frothy confection from Cabot that will please Mia's many fans. (A Princess Diaries book). KLIATT Codes: JS*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, HarperCollins, 96p., Ages 12 to 18.
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