Highland Park Mom Writes Princess Books

Emberli Pridham of Highland Park spent two years researching, writing, and finding an illustrator for her latest children’s book, A Real Life Fairy Tale Princess Diana. 

The story comes as the first of her A Real Life Fairy Tale series, which will grow later this year with a story about Princess Grace Kelly and in 2024 with Jackie Kennedy.

A Real Life Fairy Tale Princess Diana follows Diana from childhood to becoming a princess, focusing on her family, nature, and grace.

“It’s important to share these stories with our children because young people today, and in this generation, do not get exposed to some of these iconic women like Princess Diana,” Pridham said.

Pridham as a young girl became interested in Diana.

“Diana’s life truly highlighted the inequities in society and in many ways showed how to repair those inequities,” Pridham said. “People have always been fascinated with Diana because of how she reached out and touched people and how warm and kind she was to almost everyone.”

A wife and mom to three kids, Pridham was inspired to write by her grandmother who authored a motivational book about challenging oneself and not living in fear. After getting married and learning the importance of teaching children to read at a young age, she collaborated with her husband on their first series, If Not You, Then Who? about inventions and inventors.

The idea for the  Real Life Fairy Tale series came about when Pridham was reading to her 7-year-old daughter and thought, “‘How cool would it be to read about a real princess that did exist and used her royal platform for the good of others?’”

“I chose to start with Diana because she was one of the most amazing women who I grew up with,” Pridham said. “She had an amazing heart for charity and those less fortunate, and she truly used her position to build a bridge to those people that society had forgotten about.”

During the two-year production period, Pridham spent six months searching for an illustrator “perfect for Princess Diana.” She found Danilo Cerovic out of the U.K., who created the art for the book published in September 2022.

The foreword was written by Carleton Varney, American interior designer, president of Dorothy Draper & Co., and author. He provided inspiration for the series as he often talked about his relationship with Grace Kelly and designed a print based on her.

Ten percent of proceeds from the series are donated to Centrepoint in the U.K., which is a cause dear to both Pridham and Diana that supports young, unhoused people.

“I just hope they can take away that these women were known for their kindness in their compassionate hearts and someone they can grow up in and aspire to be like,” Pridham said. “Another mission and goal of the book is to show how women can rise above impediments in their life and lead truly an inspirational life.”