Princess in the Spotlight

I enjoyed reading the first Princess Diaries book so much that I quickly picked up the second book. Like I've said previously, I was very entertained by this book and even though I know the story, I enjoyed looking for differences and making comparisons to the movie.

Mia is again a unique and interesting character. Now that I have spend so much time reading her diary though, I wonder what young readers might learn from Mia's secret keeping, forgetfulness, and infrequent lies. For example, the major conflict in Princess in the Spotlight arrives when Mia discovers that her Grandmere is planning a royal wedding for Mia's mother, an eccentric artist.

Mia keeps the secret of the wedding from her mother because her grandmother basically bribes her with a pretty dress. Also, Mia doesn't tell anyone about the secret admirer letters and instant messages that she keeps receiving.

Though I see flaws in Mia's character that I really wouldn't want my child to learn from, I plan to keep reading the stories because I laugh at Mia's unique observations and quirkiness. Knowing the story does not make the series less entertaining for me of for the readers in the library that have been returning the books. The series and the movies are so different that we merely just know the characters.

Cabot, Meg. Princess in the Spotlight. Harper Teen, New York, 2001. ISBN 978-0-06-147994-6.