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The Princess Diaries Graphic Novels #1
The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel
#1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot's hilarious classic The Princess Diaries is back and better than ever in an all-new, full-color graphic novel adaptation!
Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there's nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine frizzy-haired freshman, who also happens to be flunking algebra.
Is she ever in for a surprise.
First, her mom announces that she's dating Mia's algebra teacher. But her dad's announcement is even he is the crown prince of Genovia, and guess what that makes Mia?
A frizzy-haired freshman who is flunking algebra, and also happens to be a PRINCESS.
Mia might not be ready for the throne, but one thing totally #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot has adapted her classic The Princess Diaries into a royally hilarious graphic novel with art by Bethany Crandall!
Mia Thermopolis is pretty sure there's nothing worse than being a five-foot-nine frizzy-haired freshman, who also happens to be flunking algebra.
Is she ever in for a surprise.
First, her mom announces that she's dating Mia's algebra teacher. But her dad's announcement is even he is the crown prince of Genovia, and guess what that makes Mia?
A frizzy-haired freshman who is flunking algebra, and also happens to be a PRINCESS.
Mia might not be ready for the throne, but one thing totally #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot has adapted her classic The Princess Diaries into a royally hilarious graphic novel with art by Bethany Crandall!
224 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2026
About the author
Meg Cabot
199 books35.6k followersLibrarian 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
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
July 30, 2026
This is the third media rendition I have consumed of the first Princess Diaries story, and I am conflicted. On one hand, I think this is a very relatable and funny story for 12 to 15-year-olds. But at the same time, I know it is technically shelved as Middle grade, which I just don't agree with. I think YA needs to split in half and only cater to 15+ while we create something new for 12 to 15-year-old readers (a lot of books already exist in this realm but sometimes get imo, miscategorised as MG). Anyways, the art was beautiful, and if I'm ignoring the story, which I equally liked and disliked at points (I think this book would be very entertaining and comforting to younger readers, but atp in my life I was a bit bored or was left feeling old for portions). As an adaptation, I think the illustrator did a great job, and old and new fans will probably appreciate this new addition to their collection.
Read
June 29, 2026I received this book from the publisher on Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.
I was super hyped for this one, I really liked the OG series (well, up to a point at least, haha), and I was excited to see how the GN would be. Sadly.. it wasn’t meant to be.
🤔 This one is marketed as 8+ (since MG is 8-12) and while for most that works.. these girls also talk about virginity, kissing, Michael is clearly just walking around half-naked to flirt with Mia. I think it would be more age appropriate to say 12/14+.
🤔 Mia is vegetarian but apparently her favourite food is blackened sea bass from Nobu? That really confused me. She was so adamant against meat, but this is good? Um?
🤔 The story felt very choppy and at times more like random bits rather than one story. At times I would have to go back to earlier pages to check if I hadn’t missed anything. The OG book felt more connected/more one flow. Oh, and there was one point that had me scratching my head. After the whole Lana Weinberger incident Michael and Mia talk about it, cue to the next day and Michael once again compliments her about it to which Mia replied if Lily was talking about her, um, he said things the day before Mia? Also her listing what is wrong in her life, he knows all of those things. I don’t know if it was said in jest, but it didn’t translate if that was the case.
🤔 Didn’t get why Mia would fall for Josh this badly when even a blind pony can see that he was only giving her attention because she is famous. It really got on my nerves how she would just forget everything and everyone (even Michael who was so sweet) as soon as Josh just blinked his eye lashes. Girl, please.
🤔 Mia’s transformation just felt way too fast given how she was so against things. At first we saw she was against it, being unhappy about having to put on make-up. Getting angry over the haircut. But due to the choppiness of the story the next moment she is seemingly OK with it. She never once rebels. Instead she keeps her hair as it is. She wears make-up. She wears high heels. Maybe it is the money her dad is bribing her with, but then at least I would have liked a bit more struggle, or her just foregoing things when at school, at least a little bit. Plus, I remember from the OG that she was quite awkward and I really missed that from this one.
🤔 Didn’t enjoy how the dad was semi-jealous of his ex dating a new guy. It was just a bit weird.
🤔 Sorry, but Boris what. If someone doesn’t want to sign your petition you don’t have to go all on about how you come from Russia, talk about the secret police, and privilege. She said no. That is it. She is free to express her opinion, you cannot force her to sign something.
😡 Grandmere can just fall of a cliff, what a horrendous character. She not only forces her granddaughter in impossible situations or outs her, but also forces her to eat meat. She has no care who Mia is, she just wants the princess. Sure, at times I could see a better grandmere, but for most? Nah.
😡 Lily was just horrendous and I don’t want her in the story. She constantly had something to say which isn’t bad if she actually would listen to the person on the other side. She doesn’t give a poop about someone’s opinions, hers is the number one and that is the one that counts 100%. She is toxic. And at times it also feels like she is just reciting things from the internet to feel good and more superior. Look at me knowing all these things. These fancy words (that seriously no 8-11 year will know). And let’s not begin to talk about how fucking horrible she is towards her boyfriend who I hope gains a backbone and just says NO for once, instead of whimpering in the fucking closet. Or how hard she ditched Mia and didn’t even care to listen to her.
What I think for me enhanced the dislike for these characters is because we can now actually see them, sure I am a visual reader but a graphic novel brings a whole new layer. We see Grandmere, we see Josh, we see Lily. We see their expressions. We see them move.
Now for some likes!
😍 I really liked the art! It was such a fun style, lots of colours, expressions, and it brought people and the story to life.
😍 Michael x Mia forever.
😍 Tina was such a sweetheart, I love how she was there for Mia and how quickly they became friends.
😍 I did love that Mia had such a strong personality. And that she wasn’t going to let a girl like Lana walk over her. I was actually rooting for her to just get her back.
😍 Fat Louie is such a cutie!
😍 I love the addition of the diary pages!
But all in all, this was a disappointment for me.
Review also posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was super hyped for this one, I really liked the OG series (well, up to a point at least, haha), and I was excited to see how the GN would be. Sadly.. it wasn’t meant to be.
🤔 This one is marketed as 8+ (since MG is 8-12) and while for most that works.. these girls also talk about virginity, kissing, Michael is clearly just walking around half-naked to flirt with Mia. I think it would be more age appropriate to say 12/14+.
🤔 Mia is vegetarian but apparently her favourite food is blackened sea bass from Nobu? That really confused me. She was so adamant against meat, but this is good? Um?
🤔 The story felt very choppy and at times more like random bits rather than one story. At times I would have to go back to earlier pages to check if I hadn’t missed anything. The OG book felt more connected/more one flow. Oh, and there was one point that had me scratching my head. After the whole Lana Weinberger incident Michael and Mia talk about it, cue to the next day and Michael once again compliments her about it to which Mia replied if Lily was talking about her, um, he said things the day before Mia? Also her listing what is wrong in her life, he knows all of those things. I don’t know if it was said in jest, but it didn’t translate if that was the case.
🤔 Didn’t get why Mia would fall for Josh this badly when even a blind pony can see that he was only giving her attention because she is famous. It really got on my nerves how she would just forget everything and everyone (even Michael who was so sweet) as soon as Josh just blinked his eye lashes. Girl, please.
🤔 Mia’s transformation just felt way too fast given how she was so against things. At first we saw she was against it, being unhappy about having to put on make-up. Getting angry over the haircut. But due to the choppiness of the story the next moment she is seemingly OK with it. She never once rebels. Instead she keeps her hair as it is. She wears make-up. She wears high heels. Maybe it is the money her dad is bribing her with, but then at least I would have liked a bit more struggle, or her just foregoing things when at school, at least a little bit. Plus, I remember from the OG that she was quite awkward and I really missed that from this one.
🤔 Didn’t enjoy how the dad was semi-jealous of his ex dating a new guy. It was just a bit weird.
🤔 Sorry, but Boris what. If someone doesn’t want to sign your petition you don’t have to go all on about how you come from Russia, talk about the secret police, and privilege. She said no. That is it. She is free to express her opinion, you cannot force her to sign something.
😡 Grandmere can just fall of a cliff, what a horrendous character. She not only forces her granddaughter in impossible situations or outs her, but also forces her to eat meat. She has no care who Mia is, she just wants the princess. Sure, at times I could see a better grandmere, but for most? Nah.
😡 Lily was just horrendous and I don’t want her in the story. She constantly had something to say which isn’t bad if she actually would listen to the person on the other side. She doesn’t give a poop about someone’s opinions, hers is the number one and that is the one that counts 100%. She is toxic. And at times it also feels like she is just reciting things from the internet to feel good and more superior. Look at me knowing all these things. These fancy words (that seriously no 8-11 year will know). And let’s not begin to talk about how fucking horrible she is towards her boyfriend who I hope gains a backbone and just says NO for once, instead of whimpering in the fucking closet. Or how hard she ditched Mia and didn’t even care to listen to her.
What I think for me enhanced the dislike for these characters is because we can now actually see them, sure I am a visual reader but a graphic novel brings a whole new layer. We see Grandmere, we see Josh, we see Lily. We see their expressions. We see them move.
Now for some likes!
😍 I really liked the art! It was such a fun style, lots of colours, expressions, and it brought people and the story to life.
😍 Michael x Mia forever.
😍 Tina was such a sweetheart, I love how she was there for Mia and how quickly they became friends.
😍 I did love that Mia had such a strong personality. And that she wasn’t going to let a girl like Lana walk over her. I was actually rooting for her to just get her back.
😍 Fat Louie is such a cutie!
😍 I love the addition of the diary pages!
But all in all, this was a disappointment for me.
Review also posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 11, 2026
Meg Cabot is back with a graphic adaption of her Novel Princess Diaries.
I found this graphic so fun and nostalgic. I really appreciated that Cabot left in the late 90 and early 2000 cultural references from the original novel rather than updating them to fit current trends. It made the book feel like a blast from the past and like I was rereading the original for the first time.
I found this graphic so fun and nostalgic. I really appreciated that Cabot left in the late 90 and early 2000 cultural references from the original novel rather than updating them to fit current trends. It made the book feel like a blast from the past and like I was rereading the original for the first time.
May 8, 2026
well now I want to rewatch the movie
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy of this work :)
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy of this work :)
July 11, 2026
This was adorable! Definitely need to rewatch the movie now.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’ve never read the original The Princess Diaries books, but am very familiar with the 2001 film adaptation directed by Garry Marshall, and aware of some of the changes (mainly the setting switch from NYC to San Francisco). So seeing a graphic novel accurate to the original novels was a treat and I ate up this graphic novel experience with great characters and plot, and lots of deep lessons.
To start with, I love that instead of setting the book in the 2020’s, they kept it to the original Y2K time period of the series, starting with 1997. Every choice adds to that feel of that era, from the art style, references to then-current events (like Princess Diana’s death) and early internet chatroom etiquette. If you were around for those times, you pick up on these things fast.
Mia Thermopolis is a high school freshman and wears her activism on her sleeve. Her mom gives her a diary to write her thoughts in. Which makes her perfect for the bombshell that she’s a princess of a small country, which on the surface, clashes with her ideas. Mia was a great character choice to wind up as a princess, as she’s forced to learn that being a princess is much more than it seems, and it’s about standing up for one self and being able to change the world in her own way. She’s easy to root for as she realizes several things about her life and about friendships and early stages of romance.
The rest of the cast was really great, each with their own quirks and personalities, and I enjoyed Grandmere, and I liked Tina (who wasn’t in the movie). It made the world of NYC in the late 90’s whole.
The plot itself is rather simple: girl becomes princess, gets princess lessons and navigates life as a princess, along with high school.The pacing’s great and doesn’t just sit on one thing for too long. The themes were well done, with the whole coming of age self discovery, toxic friendships, and standing up for one’s self, all important for teens and adults.
I love the art style, it’s very expressive and has a manga-esque feel to it, especially feeling like it could have come out in that Y2K period. I especially liked the full page of Mia’s makeover, where it was much more fitting than in the movie (no curly hair to tame). It’s colorful and just perfect for my eyes.
If you haven’t experienced the series, and even if you have, please pick this up! This was a grand experience, and I can’t wait to read more!
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and HarperAlley. All opinions are my own.*
To start with, I love that instead of setting the book in the 2020’s, they kept it to the original Y2K time period of the series, starting with 1997. Every choice adds to that feel of that era, from the art style, references to then-current events (like Princess Diana’s death) and early internet chatroom etiquette. If you were around for those times, you pick up on these things fast.
Mia Thermopolis is a high school freshman and wears her activism on her sleeve. Her mom gives her a diary to write her thoughts in. Which makes her perfect for the bombshell that she’s a princess of a small country, which on the surface, clashes with her ideas. Mia was a great character choice to wind up as a princess, as she’s forced to learn that being a princess is much more than it seems, and it’s about standing up for one self and being able to change the world in her own way. She’s easy to root for as she realizes several things about her life and about friendships and early stages of romance.
The rest of the cast was really great, each with their own quirks and personalities, and I enjoyed Grandmere, and I liked Tina (who wasn’t in the movie). It made the world of NYC in the late 90’s whole.
The plot itself is rather simple: girl becomes princess, gets princess lessons and navigates life as a princess, along with high school.The pacing’s great and doesn’t just sit on one thing for too long. The themes were well done, with the whole coming of age self discovery, toxic friendships, and standing up for one’s self, all important for teens and adults.
I love the art style, it’s very expressive and has a manga-esque feel to it, especially feeling like it could have come out in that Y2K period. I especially liked the full page of Mia’s makeover, where it was much more fitting than in the movie (no curly hair to tame). It’s colorful and just perfect for my eyes.
If you haven’t experienced the series, and even if you have, please pick this up! This was a grand experience, and I can’t wait to read more!
*I received an ARC from Netgalley and HarperAlley. All opinions are my own.*
June 12, 2026
As a huge Meg Cabot Stan for like 23+ years I obviously had to read this as ASAP as possible. This book adapted SO WELL into a graphic novel and I’m so impressed by it!
Since the book is told in Mia’s journal entries it naturally goes into graphic format well when we see Mia’s listicles and such.
Most importantly so much of the nuance of the hilarity of the book is transferred over. We see the manhattan Mia grew up with complete with creepy guy who pretends to be blind so women will help him cross the street, we see grandmeres cup over following with sidecars, we see the underlying theme of a 14 year old trying to self-actualize.
I already preordered my copy and my nieces copies, Thanks for the galley!
Since the book is told in Mia’s journal entries it naturally goes into graphic format well when we see Mia’s listicles and such.
Most importantly so much of the nuance of the hilarity of the book is transferred over. We see the manhattan Mia grew up with complete with creepy guy who pretends to be blind so women will help him cross the street, we see grandmeres cup over following with sidecars, we see the underlying theme of a 14 year old trying to self-actualize.
I already preordered my copy and my nieces copies, Thanks for the galley!
June 23, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.
As someone who grew up with The Princess Diaries movie, this graphic novel adaptation was a fun dose of nostalgia. The story still centers around Mia discovering who she is and learning to embrace the person she is meant to become, even when life suddenly becomes much more complicated than she expected. While I can’t compare it directly to the original novel, it felt true to the spirit of the story I remembered.
The artwork was absolutely beautiful and was one of the biggest highlights for me. The illustrations had a style that felt almost Japanese-inspired, with expressive characters, bright colors, and plenty of personality. The graphic novel format made the story incredibly approachable, and honestly, I don’t think I would have finished it as quickly in a traditional novel format. I read the entire book in a single sitting.
One thing I would note for parents is that this is firmly a teen YA story despite the cute art style and princess-themed cover. The illustrations may look younger, but the book includes discussions about dating, relationships, sex, and growing up. My least favorite character was Mia’s best friend, while I found Tina much easier to connect with. Overall, this was an enjoyable adaptation that balanced humor, heart, and nostalgia.
Who Should Read This? Fans of The Princess Diaries, readers looking for a nostalgic YA graphic novel, and teens who enjoy coming-of-age stories with friendship, romance, and plenty of awkward moments. Adults who grew up with the movie will likely enjoy revisiting Mia’s story in this format as well.
As someone who grew up with The Princess Diaries movie, this graphic novel adaptation was a fun dose of nostalgia. The story still centers around Mia discovering who she is and learning to embrace the person she is meant to become, even when life suddenly becomes much more complicated than she expected. While I can’t compare it directly to the original novel, it felt true to the spirit of the story I remembered.
The artwork was absolutely beautiful and was one of the biggest highlights for me. The illustrations had a style that felt almost Japanese-inspired, with expressive characters, bright colors, and plenty of personality. The graphic novel format made the story incredibly approachable, and honestly, I don’t think I would have finished it as quickly in a traditional novel format. I read the entire book in a single sitting.
One thing I would note for parents is that this is firmly a teen YA story despite the cute art style and princess-themed cover. The illustrations may look younger, but the book includes discussions about dating, relationships, sex, and growing up. My least favorite character was Mia’s best friend, while I found Tina much easier to connect with. Overall, this was an enjoyable adaptation that balanced humor, heart, and nostalgia.
Who Should Read This? Fans of The Princess Diaries, readers looking for a nostalgic YA graphic novel, and teens who enjoy coming-of-age stories with friendship, romance, and plenty of awkward moments. Adults who grew up with the movie will likely enjoy revisiting Mia’s story in this format as well.
July 12, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Alley for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Whoa whoa whoa! As someone who was an adult when the original Princess Diaries book came out, my only familiarity with it is the Garry Marshall-directed movie starring Dame Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway. My mind was blown by how different the book and movie were. (I know, I know, books are almost always better.)
I absolutely loved the illustrations. They pop and convey a lot, much like the graphic novel versions of The Babysitters Club. Slightly Japanese-inspired, yet slightly “normal” graphics, too. I loved the color palette that drew my eyes in to notice fun little details in the drawings.
For those that read The Princess Diaries when they were tweens (because the book is definitely YA material for its discussion of dating and sex), this is a nostalgic look back at a book series that has captured several generations of fans.
Whoa whoa whoa! As someone who was an adult when the original Princess Diaries book came out, my only familiarity with it is the Garry Marshall-directed movie starring Dame Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway. My mind was blown by how different the book and movie were. (I know, I know, books are almost always better.)
I absolutely loved the illustrations. They pop and convey a lot, much like the graphic novel versions of The Babysitters Club. Slightly Japanese-inspired, yet slightly “normal” graphics, too. I loved the color palette that drew my eyes in to notice fun little details in the drawings.
For those that read The Princess Diaries when they were tweens (because the book is definitely YA material for its discussion of dating and sex), this is a nostalgic look back at a book series that has captured several generations of fans.
July 1, 2026
I went into this fully expecting a "family friendly", disney-esque version of the princess diaries, so I would like to take a moment to formerly apologize to the publisher and everyone involved for not giving them enough credit!
This is such a fantastic graphic novel adaption. They don't impress me often but this one did. If you loved the original book, pick this up ASAP! Everything to love about the princess diaries is in here and it was so fun to revisit it in a new way. The drawings of these characters (and their pets) made me so happy, they're all so cute! And the humor is there, which was probably the most important thing for me. Even some of the more mature topics are present as well, which really surprised me (in the good way!)
I love that this will introduce a whole new group of young readers to Mia and the princess diaries series. 🤍
I am now praying they continue to adapt the series. This was all around delightful.
This is such a fantastic graphic novel adaption. They don't impress me often but this one did. If you loved the original book, pick this up ASAP! Everything to love about the princess diaries is in here and it was so fun to revisit it in a new way. The drawings of these characters (and their pets) made me so happy, they're all so cute! And the humor is there, which was probably the most important thing for me. Even some of the more mature topics are present as well, which really surprised me (in the good way!)
I love that this will introduce a whole new group of young readers to Mia and the princess diaries series. 🤍
I am now praying they continue to adapt the series. This was all around delightful.
Read
July 14, 2026Ugh, this was not meant for me, a 33-year-old. Know that before I wind up.
This was a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel with manga-influenced art. The candy color palette and the overly simple and overly spacious interiors took me out of the realism and out of New York City, and the boys looked so Bieber-y!
I don’t feel like anything super scandalous was done with the characters or anything, but as a hardcore Princess Diaries reader, this was always going to be a tough sell. Having such a rich personal history with the novels, which are completely comprised of Mia’s inner thoughts, made this feel like a mouthful of cotton candy when I’m used to a steak: sweet and fun, but not nearly as satisfying.
This was a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel with manga-influenced art. The candy color palette and the overly simple and overly spacious interiors took me out of the realism and out of New York City, and the boys looked so Bieber-y!
I don’t feel like anything super scandalous was done with the characters or anything, but as a hardcore Princess Diaries reader, this was always going to be a tough sell. Having such a rich personal history with the novels, which are completely comprised of Mia’s inner thoughts, made this feel like a mouthful of cotton candy when I’m used to a steak: sweet and fun, but not nearly as satisfying.
May 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’sBooks for an ARC of this book!
If you enjoyed The Princess Diaries novel by Meg Cabot, you will love this graphic novel! Sometimes graphic novels can remove too much out of the story, but I didn’t feel like that with this story. It added so much to the storyline and characters with great use of artwork, facial expressions, and kept to the original humor of the story. This book does have some advanced ideas and concepts that elementary or even middle grade girls won’t appreciate so it may be more geared for teenagers.
I really enjoyed Bethany Crandall’s illustrations and design work on the pages. They really came to life and this was the perfect book to adapt to a graphic novel. I am hoping they adapt more of Meg Cabot’s books and I’m looking forward to reading this with my daughter in the future!
If you enjoyed The Princess Diaries novel by Meg Cabot, you will love this graphic novel! Sometimes graphic novels can remove too much out of the story, but I didn’t feel like that with this story. It added so much to the storyline and characters with great use of artwork, facial expressions, and kept to the original humor of the story. This book does have some advanced ideas and concepts that elementary or even middle grade girls won’t appreciate so it may be more geared for teenagers.
I really enjoyed Bethany Crandall’s illustrations and design work on the pages. They really came to life and this was the perfect book to adapt to a graphic novel. I am hoping they adapt more of Meg Cabot’s books and I’m looking forward to reading this with my daughter in the future!
May 2, 2026
I didn’t think I could love the Princess Diaries more but the graphic novel version is just simply iconic. It’s the Princess Diaries story that I love filled with gorgeous artwork that just enhances it in every way. 5⭐️
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel.
June 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers. I loved the original series and this being the graphic novel made it so fun to read! It was an easy read, very enjoyable. I hope there are more to come because I will definitely be reading them all.
July 18, 2026
I loved this so much. It gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings that I had when I read the original book. They did a great job of making a diary entry book into a graphic novel. I really hope they do the full series this way. I loved every bit ❤️
July 8, 2026
ok so i reached the end and didn’t even realize it so i fear i will be needing the rest of this series adapted into a graphic novel!!
July 13, 2026
The illustrations in this were just so charming. Such a fun bit of nostalgia. Can’t wait for the next one!
July 16, 2026
This translated really well to the graphic novel format, but it lost a little of the book’s charm.
July 21, 2026
Was this for kids? Yes. Do I care? No! I’ve always loved the princess diaries series so I had to read this. I had some Y2K hits playing in the background while enjoying it too.
July 25, 2026
I started with low expectations after some other disappointing adaptations, but this one did not disappoint!
July 6, 2026
This was okay- way different from the movie, which I wasn't expecting! The art was spectacular, plot plot felt chopped up in places. Dare I say I like the changes they made in the movie?
July 12, 2026
So adorable and nostalgic!
Read
July 21, 2026The movie is too iconic to be bested by a graphic novel (tho tbh I never read the books so…). Also this is so mean so I’m sorry but some of the poses were really giving episode lmaoooo that threw me right out of it
June 4, 2026
As a big fan of The Princess Diaries, I couldn’t wait to read Meg Cabot’s first graphic novel adaptation! The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel truly brought back all the nostalgia of reading the series for the first time. The illustrations complemented Mia’s story perfectly, making it a fun way to revisit this beloved book series.
The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel will be published on June 30, 2026. Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperAlley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Princess Diaries: The Graphic Novel will be published on June 30, 2026. Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperAlley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 2, 2026
Aaah! I was excited to see triangle hair, but I don’t think it was that obvious? Other than that, I’m so excited to re-discover Princess Diaries in a graphic novel format. I hope more of these come out and I get to go on this familiar adventure again. Mia’s strong self-critical voice is a bit gone in this graphic novel adaptation but her absolute cluelessness is not. Also so much Fat Louis! I love it! It’s also a bit insane how easy it was for me to revert into teen hood/tweenhood when reading this and how relatable Mia and the gang continue to be.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
July 7, 2026
Thanks so much for an EARC! Overall the production of the graphic novel is fantastic! The art was great and really made me nostalgic to revisit the old story! There was a couple places that were a little disjoined and the dad being stuck on the ex after this long was a lil odd. I would recommend this for teenage age reader!
July 17, 2026
This was super cute! I loved this adaptation and I think the format worked really well with the original journal/diary entries from the book. It was great to see how the author wanted to see her characters in a visual format especially since these books are so special but also so distinct from the also well-known movie adaptations.
I thought the art style was extremely fitting for the age of Mia and the age range of typical readers of this book, I'm very excited to see how the characters looks change as our time with them goes on and they get older!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I thought the art style was extremely fitting for the age of Mia and the age range of typical readers of this book, I'm very excited to see how the characters looks change as our time with them goes on and they get older!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 13, 2026
I'm conflicted - should I start with what I loved, or the very big concern I have about this book? Let's sandwich the negative in between two positive sections.
When I was in middle school, I believe I read the original The Princess Diaries series in about a month and a half. Not just the ten main books, but the novellas as well, and the later (very adult book I shouldn't have been reading) Royal Wedding. That's about 20 books in one and a half months. Reading this graphic novel brought back so many happy memories of trips to the library where the librarian would break the rules and allow me to check out more books than the limit, since she knew I'd be back in two days otherwise. When I finished the entire series in record speed, I then moved on and read a significant portion of the rest of Meg Cabot's YA collection. This series was the start of my love for epistolary novels. As I read this graphic novel, I was reminded of so much I had forgotten, especially since I've seen the movies much more recently than I've read the books. It was nice to have moments like "Oh, Tina Hakim Baba! I remember her!!!" and "Boris! I totally forgot about Boris! Now I remember that sometime later in the series he " In a lot of ways, the series formed me (although not always in the best ways, since I was only twelve).
Which brings me to my great concern with this graphic novel. I think we can agree that the cover looks like it's roughly been designed for middle school, right? That makes the most sense to me, especially since they've been recently re-publishing the series for a middle grade audience. The books are being made relevant once again for a younger generation. When I opened my local library copy, I saw they marked it as "Grade 3 and Up." Okay, I suppose they've really censored the content and brought the reading level down. Well the former is not true - there's a whole scene where the characters discuss losing their virginities at the end of the world. And we're going to allow 3rd graders to read that? 3rd Grade children are 9-years-old at most. I know a lot of people on Goodreads call me a Karen when I try to bring this up, but I think it's important to say that we should be keeping mature content packaged in books that are for mature readers. Stop trying to force sex into books for younger and younger children. I think it's one thing if a child grabs a more mature book and starts reading up, but it's another thing to package mature content up and say "Here, this is for you!" I know that author Ireen Chau has brought this up a few times and made it sound much more eloquent than I have.
Well, considering I'm not a young child, I had a fun experience reading this book overall. I thought the artwork was a fun style, and I appreciated that it stayed true to the books, rather than the movies. I was really disappointed by To All the Boys I've Loved Before: the Graphic Novel, but I found this book to redeem the genre of novel-to-graphic-novel adaptations (although I'll continue to say that it concerns me that we feel the need to adapt popular middle grade and YA books into graphic novels for the next generation of readers - do we really think they don't have the attention spans to read a whole novel??). I would consider reading more of these graphic novels if they made more.
When I was in middle school, I believe I read the original The Princess Diaries series in about a month and a half. Not just the ten main books, but the novellas as well, and the later (very adult book I shouldn't have been reading) Royal Wedding. That's about 20 books in one and a half months. Reading this graphic novel brought back so many happy memories of trips to the library where the librarian would break the rules and allow me to check out more books than the limit, since she knew I'd be back in two days otherwise. When I finished the entire series in record speed, I then moved on and read a significant portion of the rest of Meg Cabot's YA collection. This series was the start of my love for epistolary novels. As I read this graphic novel, I was reminded of so much I had forgotten, especially since I've seen the movies much more recently than I've read the books. It was nice to have moments like "Oh, Tina Hakim Baba! I remember her!!!" and "Boris! I totally forgot about Boris! Now I remember that sometime later in the series he " In a lot of ways, the series formed me (although not always in the best ways, since I was only twelve).
Which brings me to my great concern with this graphic novel. I think we can agree that the cover looks like it's roughly been designed for middle school, right? That makes the most sense to me, especially since they've been recently re-publishing the series for a middle grade audience. The books are being made relevant once again for a younger generation. When I opened my local library copy, I saw they marked it as "Grade 3 and Up." Okay, I suppose they've really censored the content and brought the reading level down. Well the former is not true - there's a whole scene where the characters discuss losing their virginities at the end of the world. And we're going to allow 3rd graders to read that? 3rd Grade children are 9-years-old at most. I know a lot of people on Goodreads call me a Karen when I try to bring this up, but I think it's important to say that we should be keeping mature content packaged in books that are for mature readers. Stop trying to force sex into books for younger and younger children. I think it's one thing if a child grabs a more mature book and starts reading up, but it's another thing to package mature content up and say "Here, this is for you!" I know that author Ireen Chau has brought this up a few times and made it sound much more eloquent than I have.
Well, considering I'm not a young child, I had a fun experience reading this book overall. I thought the artwork was a fun style, and I appreciated that it stayed true to the books, rather than the movies. I was really disappointed by To All the Boys I've Loved Before: the Graphic Novel, but I found this book to redeem the genre of novel-to-graphic-novel adaptations (although I'll continue to say that it concerns me that we feel the need to adapt popular middle grade and YA books into graphic novels for the next generation of readers - do we really think they don't have the attention spans to read a whole novel??). I would consider reading more of these graphic novels if they made more.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for access to an e-ARC for review purposes.
Pre-review, written before reading:
I would like to start off with a little background. I read the original books when I was a preteen and I was OBSESSED. Last year I re-read the first Princess Diaries book and to say I disliked it was an understatement. Mia and everyone in the book were insufferable. Honestly, re-reading it sort of ruined a bit of my nostalgia. Yes, the book was written in a way that makes sense for the time, but it’s a tough read in these current times. Also, I need to mention my LOVE for the movies. I think I’ve seen Princess Diaries 2 maybe 100 times. With all that background, let me quickly lay out my hopes and expectations for this new graphic novel series. I hope that there are changes made that keep the heart of the original story but better fit the times. We do not need a carbon copy for this generation, just a nice graphic novel that pays homage while still bringing something unique. I have high hopes for these graphic novels!
Review after reading:
Well let me address the elephant in the room. This book is definitely a carbon copy for this generation and not unique from the original story in any way. If you want Princess Diaries from the 90s with no changes, this one is for you. I’m not necessarily saying that as a negative thing, just the truth. I think I went in expecting something for a younger age range, but this definitely isn’t that. Just a heads up that there are subject matters included that are not suitable for some children in the age range this book is aimed at. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very anti-censorship, but I think this one might need to be looked at a little closer before being given to younger children.
I do think this book is better suited for a graphic novel. Lilly’s rants in particular can be long-winded and it’s nice to have a little visual interest to get you through them. The art style is really fun. It is bright and engaging with still giving more of a preteen vibe than illustrations for younger children. The character designs are very fun and feel right for the characters they represent. I especially enjoy Grandmère’s style and overall character design. When I first saw her, I immediately thought she looked like Yzma from the Emperor’s New Groove, which is pretty dang iconic.
If you are looking for a true adaptation of the original book, this is for you. Having somewhat recently read the original, it is pretty much exactly the same. I will say some of the content may go over the heads of younger readers as it is set in the 90s and follows a pre-teen rather than a middle schooler. I think this book is better suited for people who read the original book and crave nostalgia. A younger audience could (and will, I’m sure) enjoy this but may need a little guidance from parents.
Pre-review, written before reading:
I would like to start off with a little background. I read the original books when I was a preteen and I was OBSESSED. Last year I re-read the first Princess Diaries book and to say I disliked it was an understatement. Mia and everyone in the book were insufferable. Honestly, re-reading it sort of ruined a bit of my nostalgia. Yes, the book was written in a way that makes sense for the time, but it’s a tough read in these current times. Also, I need to mention my LOVE for the movies. I think I’ve seen Princess Diaries 2 maybe 100 times. With all that background, let me quickly lay out my hopes and expectations for this new graphic novel series. I hope that there are changes made that keep the heart of the original story but better fit the times. We do not need a carbon copy for this generation, just a nice graphic novel that pays homage while still bringing something unique. I have high hopes for these graphic novels!
Review after reading:
Well let me address the elephant in the room. This book is definitely a carbon copy for this generation and not unique from the original story in any way. If you want Princess Diaries from the 90s with no changes, this one is for you. I’m not necessarily saying that as a negative thing, just the truth. I think I went in expecting something for a younger age range, but this definitely isn’t that. Just a heads up that there are subject matters included that are not suitable for some children in the age range this book is aimed at. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very anti-censorship, but I think this one might need to be looked at a little closer before being given to younger children.
I do think this book is better suited for a graphic novel. Lilly’s rants in particular can be long-winded and it’s nice to have a little visual interest to get you through them. The art style is really fun. It is bright and engaging with still giving more of a preteen vibe than illustrations for younger children. The character designs are very fun and feel right for the characters they represent. I especially enjoy Grandmère’s style and overall character design. When I first saw her, I immediately thought she looked like Yzma from the Emperor’s New Groove, which is pretty dang iconic.
If you are looking for a true adaptation of the original book, this is for you. Having somewhat recently read the original, it is pretty much exactly the same. I will say some of the content may go over the heads of younger readers as it is set in the 90s and follows a pre-teen rather than a middle schooler. I think this book is better suited for people who read the original book and crave nostalgia. A younger audience could (and will, I’m sure) enjoy this but may need a little guidance from parents.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Disclosure: I have never read the original books nor have I watched any of the movies. Therefore, I am going into this review totally unbiased without any comparison to the books and movies. With that said, I liked it – a lot!
We have a Mia Thermopolis in the heart of Manhattan who is in her freshman year of high school, which we all know is awkward beyond words. She lacks confidence with her tall stature, frizzy hair, flat-as-a-board chest and she’s failing algebra! The reason for the latter may be because her mother is dating her algebra teacher Mr. Gianini. Can things get any worse? Her mother senses that Mia is unable to express her feelings to her so she gives her a diary which is a tool to help with her frustrations. Mia tries to navigate her crushes with a popular boy at school and her BFF’s brother. As if that weren’t enough things to deal with, her father Phillipe Reynaldo pays a surprise visit to reveal the truth that he is actually the Prince of Genovia, a principality (think Monaco). He is unable to bear any more children due to having undergone chemotherapy so Mia Thermopolis, whose full royal name is HRH Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Reynaldo, is the sole heir – a princess. She must move to Genovia and live in the palace with her father and her Grandmère. Mia wants no part of the entire scheme. She wants to join Greenpeace and save the baby seals in Iceland. Another surprise visit, her Grandmère, a crotchety, critical woman, arrives in Manhattan to give her princess lessons, whether Mia wants it or not. As the story progresses, it navigates through Mia’s transformation from an awkward freshman to a young lady learning the ropes of what it means to be a princess and have to deal with the paparazzi and her peers.
I adore the illustrations, facial expressions, dialogue, colors – everything! This is a great example of a middle grade/YA graphic novel where the illustrations are easy on the eyes and the dialogue is not too verbose. I am familiar with the illustrator’s previous works so it doesn’t surprise me with the quality of the artwork. I’ve seen some commentary where some of the panels were blank or one color rather than filled with some background. It’s obvious to me that the commentator is not familiar with graphic novels. The lack of background helps to bring the attention to the characters. I hope to see more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
We have a Mia Thermopolis in the heart of Manhattan who is in her freshman year of high school, which we all know is awkward beyond words. She lacks confidence with her tall stature, frizzy hair, flat-as-a-board chest and she’s failing algebra! The reason for the latter may be because her mother is dating her algebra teacher Mr. Gianini. Can things get any worse? Her mother senses that Mia is unable to express her feelings to her so she gives her a diary which is a tool to help with her frustrations. Mia tries to navigate her crushes with a popular boy at school and her BFF’s brother. As if that weren’t enough things to deal with, her father Phillipe Reynaldo pays a surprise visit to reveal the truth that he is actually the Prince of Genovia, a principality (think Monaco). He is unable to bear any more children due to having undergone chemotherapy so Mia Thermopolis, whose full royal name is HRH Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Reynaldo, is the sole heir – a princess. She must move to Genovia and live in the palace with her father and her Grandmère. Mia wants no part of the entire scheme. She wants to join Greenpeace and save the baby seals in Iceland. Another surprise visit, her Grandmère, a crotchety, critical woman, arrives in Manhattan to give her princess lessons, whether Mia wants it or not. As the story progresses, it navigates through Mia’s transformation from an awkward freshman to a young lady learning the ropes of what it means to be a princess and have to deal with the paparazzi and her peers.
I adore the illustrations, facial expressions, dialogue, colors – everything! This is a great example of a middle grade/YA graphic novel where the illustrations are easy on the eyes and the dialogue is not too verbose. I am familiar with the illustrator’s previous works so it doesn’t surprise me with the quality of the artwork. I’ve seen some commentary where some of the panels were blank or one color rather than filled with some background. It’s obvious to me that the commentator is not familiar with graphic novels. The lack of background helps to bring the attention to the characters. I hope to see more in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy.
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