Part-Time Princesses - Softcover

Gr 9 Up—Four high school Queen Bees decide to work as costumed princesses at a theme park the summer before senior year. They are preparing themselves for life after graduation. Before summer ends, they each realize that the dreams they had aren't going to happen as planned. Courtney tried out for the college cheerleading squad and didn't make the team. Amber aspires to be a model, but is turned off by the industry's superficiality. Tiffany is an actress and wants to go to Europe to meet foreign men. Michelle, a smart but lazy student, didn't get into any of the schools to which she applied. From the start, readers might find it difficult to empathize with the unlikable protagonists. However, the characters show some growth throughout the novel as their dreams change. Too many competing plot points fold together, making the narrative feel convoluted and difficult to follow. Readers might have to turn to the creator's webcomic to find resolution to the open-ended conclusion. VERDICT This title falls short of other works in this format.—Caitlin Wilson, Brooklyn Public Library

BOOKLIST-Amber, Tiffany, Michelle, and Courtney have it all figured out. They're smart, pretty, athletic, and popular seniors in high school and they play the coveted roles of the four princesses at their town's seasonal “Enchanted Park.” Still, they're more than ready to say good-bye to the part-time gig (next summer, they'll be heading to college, Europe, or modeling gigs, of course) when, one by one, they learn their dreams might be out of reach for now. Then another surprise: Enchanted Park has become the target of repeated thievery, and its (let's face it, already crumbling) facade is tarnished in the eyes of the community. But could it be that these two wrongs-the park's future in jeopardy and the girls' post high-school plans turned to dust-make a big right? The princesses stay on at the park and discover that this surprising challenge would be thrilling to overcome... together. Gallagher's zippy black-and-white art and sometimes-wordless spreads keep the pace quick, and a blossoming love between two of the girls will charm readers.