The Princess Diaries
Title: The Princess Diaries
Author: Meg Cabot
Publisher: HarperTeen
Number of Pages: varies based on format
Advertised Age Level: Ages 13 and up
Age and Grade of Main Character(s): 14/9th grade
Language: no profanity
Sex: kissing
Drug/Alcohol Use: main character is invited to a party where drinking will take place
Violence: none
Social Issues: fitting in at school, single parent dating, fighting with best friend, mean girls, judging other people
Suggested Movie Grade: PG
Premise: Mia Thermopolis is an average freshman a private school in New York City, just trying to fit in, pass Algebra, and navigate the new world of boys, popularity and the fact that her mother is dating her math teacher. When Mia learns that she is, in fact, a princess who will one day become the reigning monarch of the tiny country of Genovia, her problems take a turn for the bizarre. Suddenly, she’s fighting off paparazzi, taking “princess lessons” from her uptight grandmother, and trying to deal with having a bodyguard as her newest full-time accessory. When her long-time crush, Josh Richter, finally takes notice of her, Mia wonders if her luck is about to change.
Potential Points of Concern: Mia is invited to a party where drinking will happen and she admits her parents wouldn’t let her attend.
Mia becomes popular once everyone discovers that she is a princess, but she soon learns that these people are not true friends but rather using her for her fame.
Age Appropriateness: 13 +
