Families who loved Mary Anne and the Little Princess by Ann M. Martin often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child is struggling with a friend or peer who seems overly demanding, entitled, or difficult to please. It is an ideal tool for teaching the delicate balance between being a gracious host and maintaining personal boundaries. The story follows Mary Anne as she babysits a young 'princess' visiting from Europe, only to find that the girl's rigid expectations and spoiled behavior create a social nightmare. Through Mary Anne's experience, children learn that empathy is important, but it should not come at the cost of one's own self-respect. It is a gentle, realistic look at social dynamics for the 8 to 12 age range, modeling how to handle 'difficult' people with both kindness and firmness.
