Review: Great Role Model Story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 24, 2013
I received this book from Library Thing to read and review. This is a wonderful story about a princess who ends up doing what she wants, regardless what others say and do.  Princess Valeria does not heed her mother's warnings about eating too much and adding extra pounds, which makes her an unattractive choice for some young prince who is looking for a wife. Her parents send her to a training school, with a strict regime for developing into a strong warrior type and no time to nibble on all the goodies the kitchen can produce (and thus slim down). Valeria is not happy there until she finds a way to satisfy her desires as well as those of her mother. Today, we are bombarded by young emaciated girls from every direction. It is refreshing to read a story about one young girl who takes it upon herself to fight this norm, and still ends up satisfying everyone and herself. Valeria proves that you do not have to starve yourself and be rail thin to enjoy life and be successful. The author has presented a moral in a rather entertaining and interesting way. Princess Valeria is a strong, competent and confident girl/woman, who is not swayed by others or what society is trying to pass off as the norm. She is not intimidated by others or situations, but manages to overcome them with inner strength and a good dose of humor to boot. This is, I think, the real heart of the story. Because the story presents such a good alternative to what we see and hear daily (and nothing about someone who fights the rail thin myth perpetuated by the media), I recommend this story to all young girls struggling to find themselves and their place in life.