Diary of a Would-Be Princess

By Jessica Green

Rating: 3 1/2 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

In this Australian import, Jillian is a 5th grader writing in her journal for school at the beginning of the school year. Want she wants to be most of all is part of the "Princess" clique of girls in her classroom, but all attempts to befriend those girls falls flat. Instead, class nerd, Nigel, begins to hang around to her despair. But as the year progresses, Jillian begins to see the good side of Nigel and also some of the other outcasts in her class, like Sam (who can barely read), Vincent (a "bad boy") and Raymond (who tends to get violent). Even the new boy, Rodney, and Amanda, who is great at sports, become members of Jillian's ragtag group. By year's end, Jillian is surprised at the change in direction both she and her new friends have taken, and realizes there is more to her than any "Princess" could hope for. A light feel-good read about becoming happy with who you are. Fun!