Cordially Uninvited

Gr 4–6—Clumsy Claire Gross, 11, has a secret. Her cousin Belle is about to marry the Prince of England, and she has asked Claire to be a junior bridesmaid. The catch is that Claire can't tell anyone, and she has her doubts about the wedding. "Over half of marriages fail these days. How do we know the prince is good enough for her? What if he ends up breaking her heart?" Once the media uncovers their royal connection and the secret is out, Claire and her mom are whisked from Lake George, NY, to London to begin preparing for the big event. Shopping, fittings, teas, and receptions keep Claire busy, and she updates her best friend via text messages, phone calls, and Skype. When Claire meets the other junior bridesmaid, she becomes convinced that Pandora does not want the prince to marry Belle, who is a commoner. Since Claire's parents are divorced, she wonders if happily-ever-after is really possible. Will she be able to stop Pandora from ruining Belle's day? Much of the plot echoes the real-life romance and wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Letters between Claire and Belle are scattered throughout the novel. A fluffy, funny read for those who enjoyed Meg Cabot's "Princess Diaries" books (HarperCollins).—Tammy DiBartolo, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA