by Kristina Springer
Farrar Straus Giroux
2011
197 pages
Just Your Average Princess is a delighful romp in America's heartland where small towns hold quirky festivals in which the whole town populace gathers to watch a parade complete with a coronation float and a princess who holds the title of Pumpkin Princess or Potato Princess or Sweet Pea Sweetheart.
amie Edwards dreams of the crown of Pumpkin Princess; after all, she has worked the past eight years alongside her parents at the Pumpkin Patch, her family's business. Not only do they sell pumpkins, there are hayrides and a petting zoo for the kids, a candy apple stand, a pumpkin chucker where you can see how far you can launch a pumpkin with a contraption Jamie's father created, a gift shop, and a pumpkin tower.
Jamie has been crushing over Danny for two years. He works at the Patch but barely notices her. He is nice enough but Jamie wants him to ask her out. It is not until her rich Hollywood Kardashian-wanna-be celebutante cousin arrives in town that the real fireworks start.
Milan is the pampered, bratty diva daughter of Hollywood royalty; both her mother and father a mega-stars in Hollywood, and their only daughter spends her time shopping on Rodeo Drive and complaining about everything and everyone else. Jamie thinks it's suspect that Milan arrives during the school year--doesn't she have to attend school in Beverly Hills? When her parents put Milan to work at the Patch, she parades around in barely there size one outfits and high heels. She does as little work as humanly possible and starts grabbing lunch with Danny.
Milan acts like a haughty queen around Jamie constantly belittling her and making her look bad. Jamie can't believe it--she has been nothing but nice and accomodating with Milan. Why is Milan so mean-spirited and snarky?
First her mom, then her co-workers, then her hot crush Danny, and finally her usually conservative and quiet dad falls under Milan's magical spell. Dad allows Milan to buy a fancy latte machine and serve pumpkin lattes to the tourists. Then he stocks a fancy pumpkin facial that Milan gushes about in the gift shop, but the last straw is when Milan enters the Pumpkin Princess contest. Jamie can't stand it--that crown is hers!
What can she do to grab the crown? How can she make Danny notice her long enough to ask her out? Why can't her parents treat her as nicely as they treat Milan? Is the whole town crazy? Jamie knows she has to work to win that coveted crown--and fast.
Fun, cute, quirky, and highly entertaining, Just Your Average Princess is a light read that teen girls will love. Girls who read and liked The Teashop Girls, The Cupcake Queen, The Sweetest Thing, and It's Raining Cupcakes will like this novel.
Highly recommended grades 7-up. No sex. Mean girls behavior--Milan. Mention of Milan making a sex tape but no details. Girls hear worse gossip on Entertainment Tonight than in this novel.
FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.
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