Cordially Uninvited

March 5, 2012
Children with royal aspirations (or at least fascinations) are a natural audience for Roy’s (Yellow Star) amusing novel about Claire, an 11-year-old American, whose cousin is about to marry the prince of England—and Claire gets to be a
junior bridesmaid. Upon arriving in England, Claire is a bundle of nerves, worried that she’ll mess up during the ceremony (“I had a knack for embarrassing myself. It was horrible enough to do it in front of my classmates, but my cousin’s wedding was going to be a much, MUCH larger audience”). Her fears seem to be well founded, since another bridesmaid, Pandora, is bent on making Claire look like a fool. Claire must toss her anxieties aside to save the day when she finds out that Pandora and her aunt are plotting to break up the royal engagement. Although Roy’s plot twists are over the top—the project has the campy feel of a Disney Channel TV movie—readers caught up in Claire’s adventures aren’t likely to mind. Ages 8–12. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group.

March 15, 2012
A junior bridesmaid's work is never done. Eleven-year-old Claire has been dutifully hiding the fact that she is a cousin and fast friend to Belle, the commoner who is soon to wed the Prince of England. As the wedding date approaches, the secret is revealed, and Claire and her mother are whisked off to England so that Claire can fulfill her role as junior bridesmaid in the wedding. Once in London, Claire discovers that there is something fishy going on involving a fellow junior bridesmaid called Pandora--a young girl clearly infatuated with the Prince--and her great-aunt Cornelia. Cornelia may or may not be a witch who has cursed the Prince's relationship with Belle. The text is peppered with letters between Claire and Belle and text conversations between Claire and her friend Evie from back home as well as her new London buddies. Claire is likable enough, and readers will enjoy making the inevitable connection between Belle and real-life Kate Middleton, but the relationship between too-perfect Belle and her much younger, much more ordinary cousin doesn't ring true. Furthermore, the plot twists, such as they are, feel thin and forced, and the story limps along to a forgone conclusion. Only the most passionate of princess devotees will fall head-over-heels for this one. (Fiction. 8-11)

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July 1, 2012

Gr 4-6-Clumsy Claire Gross, 11, has a secret. Her cousin Belle is about to marry the Prince of England, and she has asked Claire to be a junior bridesmaid. The catch is that Claire can't tell anyone, and she has her doubts about the wedding. "Over half of marriages fail these days. How do we know the prince is good enough for her? What if he ends up breaking her heart?" Once the media uncovers their royal connection and the secret is out, Claire and her mom are whisked from Lake George, NY, to London to begin preparing for the big event. Shopping, fittings, teas, and receptions keep Claire busy, and she updates her best friend via text messages, phone calls, and Skype. When Claire meets the other junior bridesmaid, she becomes convinced that Pandora does not want the prince to marry Belle, who is a commoner. Since Claire's parents are divorced, she wonders if happily-ever-after is really possible. Will she be able to stop Pandora from ruining Belle's day? Much of the plot echoes the real-life romance and wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Letters between Claire and Belle are scattered throughout the novel. A fluffy, funny read for those who enjoyed Meg Cabot's "Princess Diaries" books (HarperCollins).-Tammy DiBartolo, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA

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