Part-Time Princesses

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.