Priscilla the Great is a five-part series of novels, written by Sybil Nelson. The first book of the series, Priscilla the Great won the Strongest Start Novel competition, and was named a Flamingnet Top Choice Book. It was also Booklopedia's 2010 Most Hilarious Read.
In all, there are five books in the series by Nelson (who also writes young adult novels under the pen name Leslie DuBois):
Nelson says that the inspiration for the novels comes from her experiences as a math teacher at Ashley Hall, a private girls day-school in Charleston, South Carolina.
Plot
The story revolves around a girl named Priscilla Maxine Sumner, and her family and friends. Her family is made up of her father, Greg Sumner, her mother, Quindolyn, and her three brothers, Josh, Chester, and Charlie. Priscilla learns that she has powers, but is doubtful of them at first. It is learned that her older brother, Josh, also has powers, but keeps them a secret. Their mother, who at first claimed to be a pharmacist, is actually a superhero, and passed down her powers to her children, which helps them later in the books save their family and friends. This article is about the first book in the series.
At the beginning of the book, Priscilla is captured by an unknown, but familiar, source, and tied up to a chair. It is soon learned by her that her kidnappers are going to attempt to kill her, so she is forced to come up with her own plan to escape.
The story then goes to what happens leading up to the kidnapping. Priscilla is at a party at the most popular girl in her grade, Cali Crawford's, house. She claims the only reason she is there is because her brother, Josh, is dating Cali's sister. Priscilla is then complaining about her "not cool" one-piece swimsuit, when her long-time crush, Spencer Callahan goes up to talk to her. Priscilla gets so nervous she says she eats "bad salsa" and rushes to the bathroom. Flushed, she wipes her face with a towel, but it mysteriously turns on fire. She runs to the kitchen, where her oldest brother, Josh, finds her, and takes her home.
Priscilla then phones her best friend, also a genius, Tai, and tells her about the party, and in tears. Tai can't find any reasonable explanation for what happened. When it almost happens again, Priscilla gets into a weird position, with all limbs outstretched, where her dad walks in. He thinks that Priscilla is performing a weird dance, and tries to do it himself. Priscilla laughs, and Tai, who is under her bed (the phone is, actually), is talking very loudly. Greg, her father, then says to come downstairs in a half-hour, because they are going to video-chat with their mom, a supposed pharmacist. Priscilla asks where she is, and her dad says, "Dubai, Brazil". Tai then tells her Dubai is nowhere near Brazil.
In the next chapter, Priscilla goes downstairs to video-chat with her mom. When her mom asks a couple "motherly" questions, such as "How is school"?, Priscilla responds every time with "Why would you care?". Her father eventually has enough of it, and sends her up to her room.