The Journal of the Two Sisters: The Official Chronicles of Princesses Celestia and Luna

by Amy Keating Rogers

As seen on the hit animated series My Little Friendship is Magic !
Learn the history of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna by reading the diary they kept when they were younger. PLUS, hidden inside, readers will discover the pages of a bonus book-- The Journal of Friendship . Inspired by Celestia and Luna, the pony friends Princess Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Applejack share a diary of their own! Read their entries--as seen on the show--and then write some of your own friendship observations in the book, too!

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Middle Grade, Art, Juvenile

192 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2014

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another example of how My Little Pony bridges the age gap and creates various forms of media that can be enjoyed by all ages. While intended for children, the writing was not painfully simplistic as is often the case with children's literature. It was written perfectly for what it was (a journal of two young sisters) and Amy Keating Rogers did an awesome job of writing the character's in each of their unique voices and perspectives while still telling a whole new story.

I loved how it was relatively simple and entertaining, but still gave a surprising amount of insight into the history of Equestria while tying well into the actual series. It had just enough content to give you some canon, but enough was left out that you can imagine the details yourself, an effect that was due in large part to the fact that it's a journal from the point of view of just two characters.

I was apprehensive about the part when it catches up to the present and begins to tell the Mane Six's (and friends') stories. I was afraid I would get bored because we've already experienced the stories through the show. The book, however, did an amazing job at adding the right amount of the respective characters' own emotions and unique take on the various situations as well as expanding on the events of the show. In particular, I loved Applejack's thoughts on the "Bats!" incident. I felt her "lesson" was not expanded upon enough in the episode, and her entry in the book elaborated on the episode perfectly. I also loved all the little details (Spike's comic drawing, some of Pinkie's entries); they added an extra dimension to all the characters' stories and made the world seem more real (sometimes you really just need a random journal entry on how rocks are slippery when wet).

The whole book was just super cute and fun, and I loved the addition of the extra journal entries at the end of the book where you can right your own stories. It was just a really nice touch that again made the book more "real".

I really hope to see more content like this in the future. Books are able to express things in ways that watching on a screen can't, and it is extra content like this that really helps expand the world and add a whole new dimension to the stories and characters that we love.

[Emily Hightower · Rating 3 out of 5]

a fun thrift store find in a similar vein as the gravity falls journal 3. i liked seeing insights into

[Aidan O'gain · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a solid epistolary fantasy. Great for kids at the age of magic and wonder. Grown-ups, too.

The presentation sells it, and I really appreciated the different handwriting and other details the publishers put into it. They're clearly going for a genuine feel of an Equestrian artifact and are cleverly using their well-wrought secondary world, knowledge of showmanship and toy design to enhance the value and make books appealing for children. It succeeds at that. I'm very happy that they've, once again, taken their cupcakes and rainbows seriously. Like Elements of Harmony, the binding and cover are awesome.

There is some pretty heavy product placement for this book in season 4 of the show. The book actually features centrally in the plot and story arch of the whole season. I know people find commercialism cynical, but I don't mind it one bit if its teaching children to value books and reading. I only wish more kids shows would sell books along with the toys. I wish more grown-up shows would sell books along with the cars and soft drinks, too!

Great for story time or just to get another perspective on life in Equestria and the worldview of magical ponies.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's about a two sister's journal. On a few of the extra pages the ponies who have the elements write. They write about the good stuff and lessons the learned. Twilight is also a princess and she gets a castle on the last page. Before she just lived in a tree with her friend Spike.

[Serina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for children and hardcore adult fans alike!

[Anson Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

DONT JUDGE ME

this is homage to my 3rd grade craze, Ellie Pfieffer, and Pinkie Pie.

[niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

banger

[Rayn Coat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love u luna n celestia this is sooo awsome

[Brian Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Journal of the Two Sisters is a companion piece to the Friendship is Magic main series. I bought it for the glimpse into the show's backstory. It definitely delivered on that.

This is backstory specifically for Celestia and Luna. It starts when they were first crowned princesses of Equestria, shortly after its founding. Their half of the book records their activities from that day through officially taking up their duty of raising the sun and moon. It fills the gap between the Unicorn Tribe doing it in the origin story, "Heartwarming Eve", and Celestia and Luna doing it in the story recounted in "Mare in the Moon". (Small note: The journal ends before Discord's reign of terror).

It is a fun read. The journal is written in-universe (what the human reader holds is a defictionalization) and so the personalities of the two princesses show in the first person narration. As it turns out, Pinkie used the Organ-to-the-outside exactly as Luna designed it. Fans rarely get to see Celestia and Luna interact as sisters and this has a lot of that. They fit the mold of the Foolish Sibling-Responsible Sibling dynamic; Celestia is a polite princess and a book nerd while Luna likes adventure and pranks.

There are lots of adventures within this tory. They range from befriending a manticore in the Everfree Forest to negotiating peace with the griffin kingdom. Also, there's something with the ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE that is too awesome to spoil here.

It's not just the royal sisters. Starswirl the Bearded is also an important character here. He was basically Merlin to Celestia and Luna's King Arthur. No wonder Luna could recognize Twilight's Nightmare Night costume and praise it for accuracy.

The second half of this book is the full version of the Mane Six's journal entries from Season 4 of the main show. It was fun to read those too but there was nothing new there.

POLISH
　
Celestia and Luna have alternating motifs of sun and moon and warm and dark colors for their pages. The art style is similar to fairy-tale recounting in "The Mare of The Moon". The Mane Six (and others) also have distinct backgrounds. This adds to the emotion of the book.

Trickster Eric Novels gives "Journal of the Royal Sisters" an A+

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un-ironically a banger. Love Celestia and Luna so much so getting a look at how life was when they first took the throne is really neat. FULL of information the show probably wants us to forget about (aka: a whole race of Alicorns who lived in *Ancient Canterlot and one day they just DISAPPEAR???)
Wish there was more information though, especially regarding Celestia and Luna’s childhoods.
Overall an easy but engrossing read with duo perspective that really shows both of their personalities so well.
Fun Fact I did this book for an English project in 8th grade and got a 100 on it #Slay

[Emily Baer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading about Princess Celestia and Princess Luna becoming princesses was AWESOME. †I also thoroughly enjoyed reading the excerpts from the Journal of Friendship, which is the second half of the book. Even though I'd seen all the episodes that the journal entries referred to, many of the entries had little tidbits that we didn't see, and there were some whole entries that hadn't appeared at all in the show. The more My Little Pony, the better!

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my fav cartoon and book as well this book is awsome everyone have to read it i like it and wish the producer release 10 season of it in which they describe that what happend to luna and celestias parents
And how twilight and her friends go to another adventure

[janel kraft · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this book and it is sssssoo good!! It even has a little sneak peak of the the book the journal of friendship!!!

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really know why I read this but I did and it was interesting.

[Marthe Jaspers]

Finished!! Really quick fun read

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of juicy details in this one, I knew Celestia and Luna had more stories to share!

[Trisha Gricken · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm an adult and honestly ate this up. I loved reading about what young Celestia and Luna got up to.

[Chris Wall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can not read it

[Sonee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It gave me so mucb more context on the two sisters. I really adore Celestia and Luna

[sparkleseven · Rating 4 out of 5]

me pone muy mal pensar en como va a terminar todo, y más viendo lo emocionadas que estaban al principio lol, aun así, LOS DETALLITOS QUE TIRABAN, superó mis expectativas

[Rella · Rating 4 out of 5]

im biased i love mlp
curious to see that i was real the thing about "Equestria hasn't seen the birth of an alicorn"

[florka · Rating 3 out of 5]

n ma co mnie oceniac, kocham my little pony i yolo

[Jumbolice]

the lore book of all lore books

[Soheiljaberi · Rating 3 out of 5]

.

[wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book!!!🎁🎁🎁🎆🎆🎇🎇🎆🎆😛😎😎🙊👭

[Tiamatty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really fun book. A look at Celestia and Luna when they were young. We see Celestia's uncertainties, and Luna's sense of fun and adventure. The looks at early Equestria were interesting, too, of course, but the main point was to see a side of the sisters that the show can't really explore. It was really nice. The second half of the book, the Journal of Friendship, was also good. It wasn't really getting into new territory with the Mane Six - really just them recapping lessons they'd learned - but it was still good stuff. Both halves of the book had plenty of the great humour of the show, so the book was always fun to read.

I enjoyed this.

[Kerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally bought this and read it in a hour (as expected). As I assumed Luna and Celeste's entries were intriguing (albeit they neglect mentioning their parents which feels like a plot whole). The authors did a good job foiling Celestia and her sister, it makes since to me that Celestia would be the nerdy, book loving serisious sister while Luna would be a fiery prankster. I wish they had done more to explain the history of Eqaustria especially regarding the origins of allicorns but overall it was a fun read and did give me more understanding of their universe, even if Twilight and her friend's entries wasted my precious reading time.

[Jess Saxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like that they've finally put out some backstory to Princess Celestia and Luna, that it's pretty much canon that they were made princesses shortly after the founding of Equestria presented in the Hearth's Warming tale, and that we even got a look at characters like Starswirl, Commander Hurricane, and Princess Platinum. The Journal of the Two Sisters was a very enjoyable read, though I think I would have been happier if Celestia had gotten to say more, but she's Best Princess, in my opinion.

That being said, I think I'll stick with my own headcanon ;-)

[Egg Head · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This book is great for all my little pony fans but probably more so to the bronies out there. The reason I think this is because not only was it mentioned in the show but also all the great backstory it adds to not only the princess's but to all of if Eqestria! So go read it.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed in this one, though overall it was still alright. It lacked any real conflict in the sisters' stories, Especailly the conflict between the two of them. Every problem was solved easily. I also didn't like the modern, casual voice both sisters used. It was fun to read the show and character references, though.