Princess Academy (Princess Academy Series #1)

by Shannon Hale

Overview

A Newbery Honor Winner
A New York Times Bestseller

In this first book in New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale's Princess Academy series, Miri finds herself a sudden participant in a contest to find the next princess of the realm.

Miri lives on a mountain where, for generations, her ancestors have lived a simple life. Then word comes that the king's priests have divined her village the home of the future princess. In a year's time, the prince will choose his bride from among the village girls.

The king's ministers set up an academy on the mountain, and every teenage girl must attend and learn how to become a princess. Soon Miri finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires. Winning the contest could give her everything she ever wanted--but it would mean leaving her home and family behind.

Don't miss any of these other books from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale:

The Princess Academy trilogy
Princess Academy
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters

The Books of Bayern
The Goose Girl
Enna Burning
River Secrets
Forest Born

Book of a Thousand Days

Dangerous

Graphic Novels
with Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale
Rapunzel's Revenge
Calamity Jack

For Adults
Austenland
Midnight in Austenland
The Actor and the Housewife

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599904108
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	12/01/2008
Series:	Princess Academy Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Lexile:	890L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Shannon Hale is the Newbery Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author of the series Princess Academy, Books of Bayern, Ever After High, and Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, as well as stand-alones Book of a Thousand Days, Dangerous, and the graphic novels Rapunzel's Revenge and Calamity Jack, among other books. She also wrote three novels for adults, including Austenland, now a major motion picture starring Keri Russell. She and her husband, the author Dean Hale, have four children and live near Salt Lake City, Utah.

www.shannonhale.com
@HaleShannon
Shannon Hale is the Newbery Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Academy series, The Books of Bayern, Book of a Thousand Days, Dangerous, and the graphic novels Rapunzel's Revengeand Calamity Jack, as well as the Ever After High and Princess in Black series, and the upcoming The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for Marvel. She also wrote three novels for adults, including Austenland, now a major motion picture starring Keri Russell. She and her husband, the author Dean Hale, have four children and live near Salt Lake City, Utah.

www.shannonhale.com
@HaleShannon

Editorial Reviews

There are many pleasures to this satisfying tale: a precise lyricism to the language ("The world was as dark as eyes closed" or "Miri's laugh is a tune you love to whistle") and a rhythm to the story that takes its tropes from many places, but its heart from ours. Miri is very small; her father has never let her work in the linder stone quarries where her village makes its living and she fears that it's because she lacks something. However, she's rounded up, with the other handful of girls ages 12 to 17, to be taught and trained when it's foreseen that the prince's bride will come from their own Mount Eskel. Olana, their teacher, is pinched and cruel, but Miri and the others take to their studies, for it opens the world beyond the linder quarries to them. Miri seeks other learning as well, including the mindspeech that ties her to her people, and seems to work through the linder stone itself. There's a lot about girls in groups, both kind and cutting; a sweet boy; the warmth of friends, fathers and sisters; and the possibility of being chosen by a prince one barely knows. The climax involving evil brigands is a bit forced, but everything else is an unalloyed joy. (Fantasy. 9-14)

Kirkus Reviews

Shannon Hale's books reignite my love of reading—that joy of having the time of my life with a great story.” —Stephenie Meyer, author of TWILIGHT

“This is not a fluffy, predictable fairy tale....Instead Hale weaves an intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home.” —SLJ, starred review for PRINCESS ACADEMY

“The book is a fresh approach to the traditional princess story with unexpected plot twists and great emotional resonance.” —2006 Newbery Committee on PRINCESS ACADEMY

“Palace of Stone . . . proves once again that with quick wit and brave words, one person really can change the world.” —SLJ on Palace of Stone

“Powerful and deeply engaging.” —Kirkus Reviews on Palace of Stone

From the Publisher