A wonderful tale of misunderstanding, culture shock, and opposites all rolled up in one!

Miranda, the princess, is going to her first day of public school. She has always had a private tutor before today.

Maude, the absolutely not a princess, wants to work for social justice.

Miranda is quiet and a girly, girl. Maude is a talkative, chicken loving, very casual dressing, knowledge seeking, loner – though not by choice.

On the first day of school, Miranda and Maude must sit next to each other in the back of the classroom because of alphabetical order. The princess assumes all the students will know all her likes and dislikes just like the servants do in the palace. Wrong. The other students just stare at her.

Day after day the class spends their time on practicing the Mandatory National Reading and Writing and Math Exam. Miranda does not understand the questions on the test. Miranda does not own a pencil. She is asked to borrow a pencil, which is sticky, from Maude. Miranda does not like the noisy lunch room or its food, noisy PE or noisy recess, or the music room’s recorders. Miranda keeps to herself. Maude is by herself, too. Maude is after knowledge and social justice. She has no friends, either.

Miranda’s parents inform her they are inviting her entire class to her birthday party in two weeks. Miranda says, “No.” Miranda thinks the class does not like her. When Miranda places a gold invitation on each student’s desk, before school, she purposely does not give one to Maude. Of course, Maude notices this immediately. Maude, in her quest for social justice, talks to each student individually about boycotting the party. They all agree.

The day of Miranda’s party no one shows up. Back at Maude’s house, Maude is upset, too. Then, Maude discovers the bandana she had tried to lend to Miranda is stinky. “No wonder Miranda hadn’t wanted to use it on her sneezy nose.” (103) Off Maude goes to talk to Miranda. Silence between Miranda and Maude. “And then Maude yelled, ‘ARE THOSE RAINBOW SWEETIES?’ “(107) The silence is broken and like falling dominoes the two girls discover a few things they have in common. Maude invites Miranda over to her house. Over the course of a few weeks, they become good friends. The only friend each of them has ever had.

Opposites attract. Miranda and Maude are opposites and they are now good friends.