The Princess Diaries, Volume VI: Princess in Training

Really great series for younger children. It goes through topics in an age-appropriate way and follows Mia as she is growing up.

Meg Cabot seems to be on a roll. This book is fun to read, you can't help but to turn the page and see what comes next. The book is involved in both her relationship with Michael and the fact she's a princess, which is nice. Every page I turned, I laughed- there is not a book I have read that is as entertaining as Princess in Training. If you like any books written previously in the series, I suggest this book. It's more PG-13 than the others, but this book is also a closer look at her life.

I thought Princess in Training was a very nice addition to the Princess Diaries books. I will admit that this was not my favorite book in the series, but I still couldn't put it down. Meg Cabot always does a wonderful job of capturing real teenage problems in her books. I could totally understand and relate to the problems Mia had. Like other reviewers, I thought this book did go a little over the top on the whole sex thing, but it was still a great book. Also, how could you not love Mias student council debate speech? I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend Princess in Training to everyone who likes the other books in the series.

Mia begins her sophomore year dreading high school life without Michael. After she helps him move into his dorm at Columbia, she finds herself busier than ever between Princess lessons, trying to understand geometry, taking care of baby brother Rocky, and now --- thanks to Lilly --- running for Student Council President. And that just covers the first day of school. Soon, other worries enter her sphere. She wonders if Michael will expect her to be intimate with him now that he is in college. She is now running against Miss Popularity herself, Lana, for President. Her efforts to save some of Genovia's waters have resulted in strained international relations. Lilly is her campaign manager and teams up with Mia's Grandmere. And her new English teacher wants her to write about something more serious than popular culture. The "Princess Diaries" series is as funny as ever, and Mia proves once again that running a country will be easy for her after surviving high school. While there is a lot of fantasy here, Mia remains in many ways a normal teenager with boy, family, school, and confidence issues. Readers will enjoy watching her start to grow up and deal with these matters. Meg Cabot keeps enough surprises coming to retain freshness for the many devoted fans of this series. Obviously, through Mia's reactions to the critical English teacher, Cabot is trying to fight back at some reviewers who may think she writes fluff, but she is preaching to the choir here with points about the value of entertaining reads. --- Reviewed by Amy Alessio

This was a little bit shorter then the other books, but it was still great! Mia starts out the novel with a major problem. That problem being she dumped algae eating snails into one of nearby bodies of water of Genovia. Now, she has to worry about Genovia and whether or not it will be kicked out of the EU (European Union). At the assembly during the first day of school, Lilly nominates Mia as school president, and of course, she will be going up against her rival, Lana. Also during that first week, Lana sticks the idea in Mia's head that college boys are going to wanna get a few steps further, something that scares Mia because her love, Michael has just started college. Mia is excited about school though, because her English teacher seems very enthususatic about the subject and besides being Queen when she gets older, she wants to be a writer. Unfortunately, her teacher, Ms. Martinez, grades Mia a little lower then usual because of her usage of Popular Culture in her writings. All of this, and being a new older sister is almost too much for Mia to bear! And she gets very surprised when rivals, her Grandmere and best friend Lilly, work together too make Mia have a good campaign. Tina, another good friend of Mia, tells her to talk to Michael about her comfort level relationship wise, and when Mia does talk to him, she gets upset because she finds out that Lana was right. Finally, the pre-voting debate happens. Mia gives a speech that convinces everyone, and becomes president. Ms. Martinez apologized after Mia made a comment in her speech anout "Teachers of a subjective subject coming down on students' dreams," plus her Dad tells Mia that the snails actually started eating the algae! Then Mia works things out with Michael, and everything turns out okay between them.

Mia is back in this latest Princess Diaries book. In this installment of our favorite self-actualizing princess, Mia is starting her sophomore year of High School. Unfortunately she's starting it without her boyfriend Michael who is now in College. He's a college guy and according to archenemy Lana he's going to expect her to "do it". Not only that Lilly has nominated her to run for Student Council President against Lana. Not to mention the snail incident and the fact that her mom and step-dad are taking Rocky to Indiana to meet the grandparents. Plus she gets a B in ENGLISH!! Really, it's more than a princess can take! As always this tale of Mia is loaded with humor and pop culture references. I loved this volume of Mia's life. Mia is growing up and standing up for herself. But her insecurities and paranoia that make her a realistic teen are still in tact. Meg Cabot's writing style keeps me laughing. I was not disappointed.