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A quick shopping trip with her royal Grandmere turns into a much bigger deal than Olivia Grace, the newest Princess of Genovia expected in this e-short edition (Royal Day Out) to Meg Cabot's illustrated chapter book series From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess. Olivia Grace Clarisse Mignonette Harrison never thought that being a real life PRINCESS OF GENOVIA could ever be boring, but with all of the new vans and paparazzi staked out in front of the palace, the whole family has been on lockdown for weeks. So when Grandmere suggests a shopping trip to buy a small present for Princess Mia, Olivia jumps at the chance—especially since the shopping trip comes with the promise of lunch at the Royal Genovian Yacht Club (makers of the best ice cream sundae in the world)! Surely nothing could go wrong with such a simple day out, could it?

31 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 10, 2016

173 people are currently reading
853 people want to read

About the author

Meg Cabot

183 books35.4k followers
Librarian note: AKA Jenny Carroll (1-800-Where-R-You series), AKA Patricia Cabot (historical romance novels).

Meg Cabot was born on February 1, 1967, during the Chinese astrological year of the Fire Horse, a notoriously unlucky sign. Fortunately she grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where few people were aware of the stigma of being a fire horse -- at least until Meg became a teenager, when she flunked freshman Algebra twice, then decided to cut her own bangs. After six years as an undergrad at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York City (in the middle of a sanitation worker strike) to pursue a career as an illustrator, at which she failed miserably, forcing her to turn to her favorite hobby--writing novels--for emotional succor. She worked various jobs to pay the rent, including a decade-long stint as the assistant manager of a 700 bed freshmen dormitory at NYU, a position she still occasionally misses.

She is now the author of nearly fifty books for both adults and teens, selling fifteen million copies worldwide, many of which have been #1 New York Times bestsellers, most notably The Princess Diaries series, which is currently being published in over 38 countries, and was made into two hit movies by Disney. In addition, Meg wrote the Mediator and 1-800-Where-R-You? series (on which the television series, Missing, was based), two All-American Girl books, Teen Idol, Avalon High, How to Be Popular, Pants on Fire, Jinx, a series of novels written entirely in email format (Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl, and Every Boy's Got One), a mystery series (Size 12 Is Not Fat/ Size 14 Is Not Fat Either/Big Boned), and a chick-lit series called Queen of Babble.

Meg is now writing a new children's series called Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls. Her new paranormal series, Abandon, debuts in Summer of 2011.

Meg currently divides her time between Key West, Indiana, and New York City with a primary cat (one-eyed Henrietta), various back-up cats, and her husband, who doesn't know he married a fire horse. Please don't tell him.


Series:
* Airhead
* The Princess Diaries
* Mediator

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5 stars
234 (37%)
4 stars
215 (34%)
3 stars
143 (22%)
2 stars
28 (4%)
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10 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
Profile Image for Dirty Dayna.
2,179 reviews109 followers
May 3, 2016
this was short and sweet from mias new sister ... how fun .. I miss my princess diaries !!!
Profile Image for Kayla.
1,647 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2018
Ever since I was a little kid, I loved The Princess Diaries series. I got hooked on the series in fourth grade, and even re-read it from time to time as an adult. It still holds the same joy for me that it did back then. Therefore, when I saw there was a new Princess Diaries series featuring a new character, I knew I had to get my hands on it. I started the series with Royal Day Out. I found it enjoyable, but had some problems with it.

I think part of the problem why Royal Day Out wasn't a five star read for me was that I read it out of order, which was my own fault. After finishing the story, I realized it was book 1.5 in the series. Most people recommend reading it after Royal Wedding, book eleven in The Princess Diaries series, which I haven't read either. Once again, that's my own fault and doesn't reflect in any way upon the book. It did make confusing at first because I had no idea what was going on, or any of Olivia's backstory. The other problem I had with this story is that Grandmere drove me nuts. Usually I find her quirky, eccentric, and charming. However, in this story, I just found her to be annoying. Most of her actions were petty, rude, and out of character. It drove me crazy.

I did really like the main character, Olivia. I enjoyed that she brought something new and fresh to The Princess Diaries series. She has a great personality. No matter what was going on around her, she was able to adjust quickly. Whether it be Grandmere's split-second decisions to leave the shop, or things that had happened at the yacht club, she was able to still have fun, and make the most of it. I also really enjoyed how she got Grandmere to think on different terms, which is hard to do. She introduced Grandmere to the term gender neutral, and really got her to think about it and accept it, which I don't think Mia would have been able to do.

Despite a couple of issues that I had with the book, I really did like Royal Day Out. I loved Olivia's character. I think it will be interesting to see what she brings to the world of The Princess Diaries. I enjoyed this book so much in fact, that I put a hold on all three of the other books in this series at my local library. I can't wait to read them, and see what other interesting adventures Olivia gets into with Grandmere, Mia, and the rest of the characters that we know and love.
Profile Image for Diana.
873 reviews102 followers
July 26, 2017
I will forever absolutely love the princesses of Genovia!

What's not to love about Olivia's happy-go-lucky attitude? She is definitely a kid I would want to spend more time around.
Not only do I love that we're getting more Genovian everything with these books but we get to see it from a fresh new perspective.


This story is short and sweet, letting us get to know Olivia a little more and giving us something to look forward to with Royal Wedding Disaster.

It's a cute catch up on what's been going on with Olivia since we last saw her at the end of Middle School Princess.



I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Liralen.
3,375 reviews281 followers
May 15, 2023
Cute—I didn't know this one existed until I started my harebrained reread of the Princess Diaries series this year. More a short story than a novella,* Royal Day Out takes Olivia and Grandmère out of the palace and into town in Genovia...with a few hijinks along the way. Honestly, it is not wildly exciting, but it's sort of nice to see a softer side of Grandmère, who has more patience for Olivia than she usually does for Mia. (You and me both, Grandmère. You and me both.)

*I don't usually rate or review short stories on Goodreads, but I'm making an exception for the sake of having this retread all in one place.
Profile Image for Kristin.
1,444 reviews118 followers
January 30, 2019
I would like to thank netgalley and the publishers for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I have read and am a big fan of the princess diaries series and always enjoy reading Meg Cabot’s work, so I was excited to read this book.
This book gives a cute snap shot of what is happening in Genovia. It’s fun to see Mia from a different angle and there are lots of references back to the original series.
Grandmere is the same as ever and I love her! But she does have some character development like understanding Mia better. The book does touch on issues such as equality and LBGT+ in way that is appropriate for the age range the book is aimed at.
Profile Image for Ethereal Amorist.
472 reviews2 followers
May 22, 2024
A heartwarming short story of how Grandmere and Olivia set out to find a perfect present to Mia in midst of the Royal Wedding preparations.

Olivia is so innocent and cheerful girl! She is smart for her age and very compassionate to the people around her. I love the way she softens Grandmere - which even Mia could not manage to do. If you're looking for a delightful read that offers a fresh perspective on the beloved characters of Princess Diaries series, From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess series is a must-read.

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Genovia and experience the joy of the heartwarming adventure of the new Princess- Olivia.
Profile Image for Elle.
715 reviews61 followers
May 6, 2016
This is a fun return to Genovia and a nice taste of Meg Cabot's new middle-grade series.

This is a middle-grade book, so overall it was clean. However I do feel like it is relevant to mention two things.

The first is that Mia is pregnant with twins and is not yet married; during this story they are making wedding preparations.

The second is that it was mentioned that a shopkeeper was using gender-neutral pronouns in order not to offend anyone. The book mentioned she called people 'sir' who had turned out to be women and vice versa.

The main character had mentioned that she and a friend had watched a movie about an 'alien who didn't have a gender, or was both, or something. So in the movie the shopkeeper would have to call it 'dear' so as not to offend it.'

That is all that was said on this topic.

I just thought that those two things were relevant to mention, since everybody has a different opinion on what they want their children to read.

Other than those two things, the book was an enjoyable trip back to Genovia. I loved the return of the characters from the original 'Princess Diaries' and am interested to see will happen to each of the characters in the rest of this fun new series.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
2,334 reviews
May 22, 2016

Royal Day Out is a short e-book that is #1.5 in the From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess series.

The narrator is 12 year old Olivia. I would recommend reading it after Royal Wedding (last book in the Princess Diaries series) and From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess (book 1) as there are spoilers from these two books.

I have read both Royal Wedding and From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess. So I was excited to get another extra little story about a shopping trip between Olivia and her grandmother.

This story takes place in Genovia. It was really cute. It is a charming little story, perfect for reading right before book two (Royal Wedding Disaster).


Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and netgalley for allowing me to read this e-book.
Profile Image for Madi ~☆TheBookNerdDiaries☆~.
338 reviews211 followers
March 5, 2019
*I received this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley and this has in no way affected my review.*

This book is what I would call a "meh" book. A "meh" book is a book that basically had no effect on me and one that could go either way for me. I had never read a Meg Cabot book before and have never read any of the Princess Diaries novels (I have seen the movie, however that I don't think matters all that much here). I just felt "meh" the whole way through. Nothing was super good and I didn't loathe anything. To be honest, I don't really know if I enjoyed this one or not.

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Profile Image for Laura  Hernandez.
802 reviews84 followers
May 1, 2016
An exciting and refreshing read that draws you in with witty characters and a delightful story line.
Profile Image for Riski Oktavian.
468 reviews
April 3, 2022
Aku baca judul ini di Google Play Books secara gratis, tapi nggak tahu kalau sekarang apa masih tetep gratis atau enggak.

Bisa kubilang judul ini semacam novela atau cerita pendamping dari seri Middle School Princess (if im not mistaken), jadi halamannya juga nggak terlalu banyak.

Formatnya di sini kayak semacam diary dan itu hanya berlangsung selama 1 hari yaitu di tanggal 30 Mei. Narasinya diambil dari sudut pandang seorang putri gitu deh dan aku suka gaya penceritaannya beneran se-ngalir itu! Bahasa Inggrisnya seriusan deh gampang banget untuk dicerna.

4,2 stars.
Profile Image for Jen.
196 reviews35 followers
April 23, 2016
I am one of the biggest fans of The Princess Diaries series (and indeed, Meg Cabot), that I know. I own every single book in the original series (including the quarter, half and etiquette books!). I was thrilled to discover that Cabot was rebooting the Thermopolis Renaldo clans for a new generation, so I started reading the Notebooks series and have thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Genovia crew through the eyes of Olivia, who is 12.

This e-short (#1.5 in the series) is a tasty confection, full of trademark Cabot humor and strong first-person voice. It holds true to canon and was a fun way to pass a short amount of time. The first Notebooks series required a lot of backstory, but this e-short gets to hop right into the action (Olivia is out on the Genovian town with Grandmere, antics ensue).

For younger readers, I would highly recommend reading From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess first. For adults/anyone who has read The Princess Diaries series, make sure you've read Royal Wedding (which reunited Princess Diaries characters for adults, not strictly YA), as all of these storylines coexist in the same universe and timeline and plot twists revealed in those books would be completely spoiled here. But for people like me who devour everything about Genovia, this was a perfect airy confection of a story, like having sherbet to cleanse the palate after a delicious meal (in preparation for the next course - in this case, Royal Wedding Disaster, coming soon).

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Profile Image for Mehsi.
15.2k reviews456 followers
April 24, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!

I was delighted when I spotted this little book, I just love Olivia, so I just had to get this one.

This little book is all about Olivia's and Grandmeré's day out. They are going to be a present for Mia (who is pregnant/ruling the country/sick because of the pregnancy), and afterwards going to the Yacht club for some drinks and food. Now doesn't this sound fun? But there is more fun than this alone! With Grandmere a day is never boring and bland and a lot of things (hilarious and OMG things) happen!
I won't spoil anything of course, though I think those who know the Princess Diaries series, and know Grandmere can just imagine what will happen.

The book is (duh) narrated by Olivia, and I just loved her comments, and I also loved how she treated Grandmere. Unlike Mia who treats her Grandmere with a lot of distrust (but duh) or with disinterest (also duh) (though I am sure Mia also loves her Grandmere somewhere), Olivia is really loving her Grandmere and loves being around her (at least this is what seems to be going on, and I think I can guess why, due to Olivia's background).

I also love Olivia, unlike Mia, she has a good head on her shoulders, she is not whiny, bratty, or thinks strange stuff. She is just a normal kid, and she doesn't overreact like Mia constantly would do. I do hope that Olivia won't go acting strange when she gets older, I hope she will just stick the way she is.

All in all, this was a hilarious book, I was sad when it was over, but luckily soon book 2 will be out and I can continue reading about Olivia's life (now at Genovia).

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Profile Image for Henri Neto.
Author 24 books90 followers
July 12, 2017
Visitar Genovia sempre é um momento nostálgico e divertido. Seja pelo ponto de vista ansioso e drama queen de Mia Thermopolis, seja pela narração doce e deslumbrada de Olivia Grace, o Principado sempre rende ótimas histórias. Por isso, ao descobrir hoje este pequeno conto da série Diário de uma Princesa Improvável, obviamente eu tinha que parar tudo o que eu estava fazendo para ter o meu momento Meg Cabot do mês.

Em Royal Day Out, um livro meio da série da nova princesa Reynaldo, acompanhamos um sábado de passeio entre a jovem Olivia e sua avó, a nossa adorável megera Grandmeré. Situado entre o primeiro e o segundo volume do spin off de O Diário da Princesa, a narrativa traz o que a autora sabe fazer de melhor: personagens carismáticos, texto fluido e muitos momentos Hilários.

É engraçado se acostumar com a ideia de que Mia não é mais aquela adolescente desajeitada de outrora, mas em compensação, a princesa Clarice continua passeando no fino limiar entre a arrogância e o badass. A relação que ela possui com Olivia é completamente diferente da que ela tinha com sua neta mais velha - e mesmo assim a personagem não perde nada as suas características (rendendo uma ótima cena em que ela vira uma leoa para defender a nova herdeira do trono - sem descer do salto ou largar seu sidecar).

Com apenas quatro capítulos, Royal Day Out é mais um tira-gosto do que de fato um livro meio. Entretanto, enquanto o novo capítulo na vida de Olivia não chega por aqui, ele é uma ótima forma de matar a saudade da família real de Genovia - além de ser perfeito para quem estiver com vontade de praticar o seu inglês.
Profile Image for Vicky.
459 reviews24 followers
April 21, 2016
I’ve read the first couple of Princess Diaries books; my 20-something daughter has them all, but I wasn’t aware of this spinoff series. I did a quick Wikipedia check to catch up on the goings-on in Genovia to see where this much-younger half-sister came from. I don’t want to give too much away, but there you have it.

This is a cute spinoff, and it’s nice to see that Grandmere is her old salty self. This is an “e-short”, so don’t expect a lot of plot development; there’s just not time. That said, it’s a fun interlude as preparations for Mia’s wedding hit high gear.

I feel like Olivia’s voice in this first-person account comes off as a little too young. She is supposed to be 12, but she sounds younger in her wide-eyed wonder.

This book would come before Royal Wedding if you are trying to read the books in chronological order.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Grandmere does enjoy a good cocktail. Mia’s pregnant (with twins) before the wedding. Guess I need to read the rest of the books and find out just what goes on!

Who Might Like This Book:
It is aimed at middle grades, but I think my third-grader could understand the goings-on just fine. Like all its sister books, it’s definitely targeted at girls, but there’s nothing to say a boy couldn’t enjoy it.

This review also at http://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/20...
Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.
Profile Image for Kristyn - Reading to Unwind.
252 reviews19 followers
April 28, 2016
I haven't read a Meg Cabot book in a little while, but do love her writing style. The stories are always super cute and a light-hearted read!

This book follows Olivia and her grandmother on a day out around town. Olivia is new to being a Princess of Genovia and still learning how to be a princess. Grandmere has been a princess in Genovia for a long time is set in her own ways. Olivia really looks up to her Grandmere and does enjoy a day out. They are trying to find a gift for her sister Mia and also going to the Genovian Yacht Club for lunch. Olivia loves the Yacht Club because they always bring her exactly what she loves!

This book is a super short read and very cute! There is a little bit of action and some comedy, which makes it a fun read. I haven't read the previous books before this, but you don't need to read them to understand what is going on.

Olivia is a super cute character that the author developed who is trying to learn her role as a new princess. She is easy to relate to because sometimes children are just trying to learn there way around. Also, Olivia is very respectful of Grandmere, which is refreshing to read.

I would suggest this as a quick read when you really need an escape or a change up between your reading. It didn't take long to read and it was funny!

I was received this book from the Netgalley for the purpose of providing an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Profile Image for Kourtney.
579 reviews22 followers
April 20, 2016
Note: If you have not read Royal Wedding yet and plan to, this short story (and my review) may provide spoilers!

Like a soft, comfortable and familiar blanket, Royal Day Out is an e-short story drawing us back into the world of Genovia through the eyes of our newest princess, Olivia. As told in conjunction with Olivia's books ( From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess and Royal Wedding Disaster) and with Mia's book ( Royal Wedding) we find ourselves at the time when Olivia has been living in Genovia, Mia is feeling her morning sickness and Olivia and Grandmere are looking to do something nice for her. As Olivia adjusts to life and lessons with Grandmere, they plan a shopping trip and lunch at the Royal Genovian Yacht Club. What should be a simple trip turns into quite the ordeal, as can only happen in Genovia!

It's always great to see what is going on with Mia and her crazy family, and Meg Cabot has a dedicated reader for Olivia's stories in me! Recommended for all Princess Diaries fans that have been with Mia throughout the years!

I received this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Holly Letson.
3,849 reviews527 followers
May 21, 2016
While I have seen both movies of The Princess Diaries, I had never read any of Meg Cabot's books. I decided to remedy that by reading this novella. I doubt I'll ever read (much of) her works again.

This novella was fun for awhile, but then I got to the part where Grandmere gets upset about a store worker calling her "Dear" and throws a huge childish fit. I found that to be extremely annoying. I live in the South, and we call lots of older people "Dear", "Hon/Honey", or "Sweetheart" if we don't know their name. For someone to find respect and common courtesy to be offensive like she did really bothers me.

I was happy that Olivia had them go back to the store at the end, where the worker explains it. But, the fact that it happened at all still bothers me.
Profile Image for The Brown Dog Bookshop.
135 reviews5 followers
May 2, 2016
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

This is the first Meg Cabot book that I have read, so I really can't compare. I have seen the movies and was excited about reading this little book to see if it would be good to recommend for my niece. The answer is no, it's basically a political statement in short story form.

Mia is pregnant with twins and not married, which has apparently made the populace of Genovia angry at the monarchy, but which, for some reason doesn't bother the queen, who is portrayed in the novel as hard core about manners and being "correct".

There is also a weird scene in a shop that seems to be specifically in the book to bring up gender identity issues.

I just wanted to read a light, fun book about princesses. There is already too much politics on my tv.
Profile Image for Ron.
242 reviews16 followers
December 20, 2017
I had, of course, heard of Meg Cabot's series years before. However, not being a teenage female I was content to ignore it. Then I found this little story as a free offering and decided to risk it. I didn't expect too much and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this little gem. Meg Cabot has a talent of taking a rather insignificant topic and painfully shallow story and turning it, by employing the narrative prism of her protagonist's point of view, into a supremely amusing yet still touching tale.
This text even succeeded in its implied goal as a gratuitous literary appetizer to persuade me to purchase and read some more of the author's oeuvre, a rare occurence in my case.
Profile Image for Aisha.
220 reviews
April 19, 2016
This is a short story - perhaps 20 pages or so. I finished it within 15 minutes or so. Don't let that put you off though, it's well-written and engaging. I laughed out loud a few times. I feel this would be perfect for struggling younger readers, I'm sure they'll love it as much as I did! I'd seen the middle school princess books before but didn't think they'd appeal to me. How wrong I was! I think I'll have to get hold of them :D
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Penni .
48 reviews14 followers
July 1, 2016
*I recieved this eBook from NetGalley for an honest review.*

This was a cute short story. I haven’t read the From the Notebooks of a Middle School Princess books yet but I plan to as soon as I finish The Princess Diaries series.

It was a nice introduction (for me) of Princess Olivia, who is Princess Mia’s half-sister. It made me want to hurry up and get to the remaining books that I am behind of The Princess Diaries so that I can read her story. She seems like she is going to be almost exactly like Mia, who is awesome.

Looking for a cute, short read, then I’d recommend this for sure.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,224 reviews37 followers
April 21, 2016
It seems like forever since I read the Princess Diaries books- more than I decade I'd guess, but when I saw this e-short I couldn't resist. It seems like a lot has been going on since I last left Princess Mia and her world. This new series focuses on her sister, which I couldn't exactly figure out where she came from. We also learn that Mia is pregnant with twins and getting married to Michael.

All in all it's a short, fun read for anyone who used to read the Princess Diaries books.
Profile Image for Suzanne.
1,813 reviews
April 28, 2016
This was a cute little book about young Princess Olivia and a day shopping with her Grandmother. I have not read all of the Princess Academy books, and if I had, I would have had more context. However, it was still a sweet little romp with shopping and ice cream. I especially liked the commentary on thank you notes (and the example). I also liked the glimpses into Grandmama not being quite as perfect as I'd originally thought.

1,927 reviews6 followers
April 26, 2016
A Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Childrens for the ARC for my honest review.

I haven't read anything in this series in a while-and was happy to see this. It is a quick fun read and you learn more about grandmere. I never knew she drank... as always Ms Cabot spins a delightful tale. Well worth the read-even after not reading anything I could follow. Might read it in order if reading to younger children as they may get confused.
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