Princess Academy

New York Times bestseller and Newbery-Honor-winning novel from a gifted author to rank alongside Cornelia Funke and Eva Ibbotson

This New York Times bestseller and Newbery-Honor-winning fantasy novel is a compelling, warm and witty story of would-be princesses and one small but determined girl's destiny in the face of powerful social conventions. Fourteen-year-old Miri lives in a poor mountain village which survives by quarrying stone. Then comes a surprise announcement that the prince of the country is to choose his bride from among the village girls. So all the eligible girls are taken to an academy to prepare for potential life as a princess. But Miri soon finds herself at odds with the strict tutor and begins to feel less sure about being chosen as the princess, especially as her feelings for her childhood friend Peder start to grow. Instead she quickly becomes fascinated by what she learns about the world around her and begins to form her own plans about how to improve her lot and that of her village. Miri is a wonderfully inspiring heroine whose adventures will keep readers hooked from start to finish.

About the Author

Since the publication of her first book The Goose Girl in 2003, Shannon Hale has become a beloved author to young readers as well as booksellers. Her third novel, Princess Academy, was awarded a Newbery Honor and was a New York Times bestseller. Shannon has also written for adults. including Austenland (soon to be released as a feature film). She lives near Salt Lake City in Utah, with her husband, the author Dean Hale, and their four children.