Princess Private Eye (Princess Private Eye #1)

by Evelyn Skye (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

The Princess Diaries meets Nancy Drew in this middle grade novel about a New York foster kid who discovers she's actually a long-lost princess--and must solve the mystery behind a threat to the crown.

Twelve-year-old Gen Sun has bounced around New York's foster care system ever since her parents died in a car crash ten years ago. No one seems to know anything about her birth family, and the only link she has to them is a baby blanket embroidered with her name. But that's all right. Gen is savvy and self-reliant, using her keen sense of justice and her ability to go unnoticed to solve mysteries in her neighborhood. She's in the middle of solving one such mystery when her life changes forever: suited strangers reveal that Gen is actually the long-lost princess of a small, obscure country overseas.

In no time, Gen is whisked away to the kingdom of Raldonia. But becoming a princess overnight isn't easy, and Gen's American ways and no-nonsense demeanor don't exactly endear her to the royal court. Before long, there are whispers that a legendary curse has been awoken by Gen's sudden appearance. And when plague-like events start befall the small country, Gen realizes she'll have to crack her biggest case yet: catching the culprit out to dethrone her. And who knows? She just might find her place in the kingdom along the way.

Evelyn Skye brings a blend of wit and adventure to this middle grade series that asks: what truly makes a princess? And what makes a home?

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$16.99

ALA/Booklist

This captivating story follows the perspective of Gen, revealing all sorts of details about what is going on around her. It is broken up into small, easy-to-digest chapters; the mystery of her kingdom's blights (all of which are being attributed to her presence) unfolds slowly, without a rush.

Kirkus

A fun, breezy, and charming modern princess tale. 

Publishers Weekly

A bold orphan with a penchant for sleuthing learns that she is a long-lost princess in this clever tale by Skye (The Crown's Game). Twelve-year-old Gen Sun, who is white and East Asian, grew up using her sharp mind and strong sense of justice to solve crimes while rotating between foster homes in N.Y.C. When secret agents from an obscure nation, Raldonia, claim that she is their missing princess, Gen is whisked away to the grand palace, where she must undergo princess training in order to rule one day. Rough-and-tumble Gen doesn't believe she's cut out for a standard princess gig, and clashes with her prim and proper grandmother, Queen Michelina. Soon, mysterious disasters begin plaguing the kingdom, and citizens blame Gen's reemergence, sparking rumors of a long-feared Raldonian curse. But Gen knows foul play when she sees it: someone is out to dethrone her, and Gen will have to crack the case. Surprising plot twists, high emotional stakes, and vibrant characters coalesce into a royal series starter propelled by Gen's take-charge narration, making for a solid addition to the kick-butt princess canon that's just right for fans of The Princess Diaries. Ages 8-12. Agent: Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary. (May)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.
Evelyn Skye
Evelyn Skye is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including Damsel (also a Netflix film starring Millie Bobby Brown). Evelyn is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and daughter.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781368078023
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Disney Hyperion
Publication date
May 02, 2023
Series
Princess Private Eye
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV028000 - Juvenile Fiction | Mysteries, Espionage, & Detective Stories
JUV034000 - Juvenile Fiction | Royalty (kings queens princes princesses knights etc.)
Library of Congress categories
Detective and mystery fiction
Princesses
Foster children

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