“I am disturbed by the number of children and adults who have never experienced the joys of reading a book just for pleasure. Therefore, I write the kinds of books for children and teenagers that I liked to read at their age, books meant purely to entertain, to amuse, to divert." -Ellen Conford
A book I read more than once when I was a 'tween was Ellen Conford's A ROYAL PAIN (Scholastic, YA). Abby, 16, finds out she is really a European princess, that she was switched at birth with a commoner. After leaving the only family she has known behind in Kansas, she moves to a small European country, assumes the identity of a princess, and tries to get to know her new parents, the king and queen. She also has to live with the girl who had mistakenly taken her place, who is cold and unfriendly. While Abby crushes on a young journalist, she is stuck in some prearranged engagement to an unappealing prince. At the end, Abby learns there was a mix up and she was never a princess after all.
This book feeds into the fantasy
that young girls may have (whether they admit it or not) about being a
princess. Here, the protagonist gets that proverbial wish fulfilled, and finds
out that while being a princess has its perks, it also has drawbacks too.
Have you read A ROYAL PAIN? Have you ever gotten something you wished hard for, and if so, was it everything you'd hoped for?
Have you read A ROYAL PAIN? Have you ever gotten something you wished hard for, and if so, was it everything you'd hoped for?
18 comments:
I found your blog through the Insecure Writers Group Blog hop. I agree with the point that it's a pity that people, children included, are no longer reading for pleasure but with a purpose. This book sounds excellent.
I have not read Royal Pain, it sounds very familiar to the movie Princess Dairies.
Like many excellent books, it sounds like a re-telling of a familiar tale.
Keith Channing A-Zing from http://keithkreates.com
I haven't heard of this one, but it reminds me a little of Princess Diaries, as well as that movie "The Prince and Me."
Sounds like a cute book! I like the author's thought to write something that is appealing to readers to get them to read. I think down the road reading for enjoyment might end up being a lost art.
betty
Once I got past second or third grade, I didn't read a lot of children's books, it seems. I'm not familiar with most of the books in your A to Z so faR!
Sounds fun indeed. The whole "be careful what you wish for" thing is fun to play with.
I haven't read that one, but I think it sounds wonderful. I'm betting my 11 yr old would love it. I should go track down a copy.
Crystal Collier
From Kansas to European princess - talk about culture shock!
It sounds like a great book. I'm thinking my daughters would really enjoy it.
I have not read that book but i could see myself having read it when I was young. I have dreamt of something and it finally did happen and it was all I thought it would be
this sounds like a fun book to read as a tween girl. Fun
This sounds like a really good read :) I like how she has to deal with a nasty sister type and realises sometimes what have is better than what you thought you wanted. Sounds like something young girls could really relate to
Debbie
I'd never even heard of this one before, but I love me some Ellen Conford. The Lovey Hart books and Hail, Hail Camp Timberwood were my favorites.
Nope I haven't read that one either. What's wrong with me? 😳
Ellen Conford sounds familiar, but I never read this one.
I probably would have liked this when I was younger, or even now :) The beginning sounds kind of like the Princess Diaries, but it appears to have a different outcome.
This sounds like a really fun book. I can't believe I missed it!
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