Once Upon a Princess

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.