Once Upon a Princess

April 1, 2018

Gr 3-6-Twelve-year-old Princess Fredericka is looking forward to her first royal ball to celebrate Colsteinburg's Octocentennial. But things turn sour quickly. A revolt is afoot to rid the country of the monarchy and replace it with a modern democracy. Fredericka's family is in grave danger as unruly protests break out. She is whisked away to America with her mother and sister while the king must stay behind for fear of abdicating his throne. Fredericka enrolls in school in Boston, where she hides her identity from her fellow students by reinventing herself as "Fritzi." Trust becomes a main concern at school and with the few remaining contacts from Colsteinburg. In the cafeteria, first friendships surprisingly collapse and initial enemies mutate into unexpected allies. Inspired by appealing television commercials, Fritzi creates her own snappy goodwill videos in order to reach out directly to the citizens of her country. Online followers in both countries enthusiastically watch every episode, but to Fritzi's dismay, one sinister viewer has evil intentions. The many pages dedicated to the topic of who or who not to trust amongst the countrymen slows an otherwise intriguing narrative. Readers will enjoy following Fritzi's efforts to keep her royalty secret from her classmates and the ensuing surprise when they discover her true identity. VERDICT A solid addition to medium and large collections. Hand this to fans of Gail Carson Levine and Meg Cabot.-Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
Having hurriedly fled with her mother and sister to America, Princess Fredericka tries to rally popular support for her royal family in order to combat a revolt in her home country, Colsteinburg.Once ensconced in the States, her social media campaign begins. Twelve-year-old "FeistyFritzi" bases her viral videos on soft-drink ads: "Short. Sweet. Upbeat." This is the magic formula for the story too, which skims the surface of otherwise-heavy topics such as a coup d'etat, kidnapping, and death threats. Surrounded by a one-dimensional, mostly default-white cast, only red-haired Fredericka pops. Her concern for her father, the king, is sincere. Dramatic tension rises when Fredericka inadvertently reveals the family's location with her videos (boo geotagging). In a dark turn, rebels hold Fredericka hostage until her father arrives in America and agrees to abdicate. Pap has every intention of doing so, but in a convenient turn, thanks to another of Fredericka's videos, the U.S. State Department rescues them (yay geotagging). Despite her country's rejection of the monarchy, all's well that ends well.Despite the clich's, children who have faced changes in their circumstances will welcome the message. (Fiction. 8-12)

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