The Princess Academy

I have had so much fun reading and re-reading the works of Shannon Hale. And my review of Princess Academy will be my final installment in "Author Spotlight: Shannon Hale." I hope she has a long career in the field of children's literature because she is very talented!

Hale, Shannon. 2005. PRINCESS ACADEMY. New York: Bloomsbury. ISBN 1582349932

PRINCESS ACADEMY written by Shannon Hale, author of THE GOOSE GIRL and ENNA BURNING, is a delightful novel set in the fictional locale of Danland. In a setting reminiscent of "long ago and far away," Miri and her companions are selected to attend a "princess academy" to prepare themselves to meet the prince. (The priests have forseen that the future bride of the prince will come from this small town on top of a remote mountain.) The girls range from twelve to eighteen. For the first time in their lives, they are learning to read and write. Of course, there are other less essential items taught at the school as well: conversation, poise, curtseying, dancing, diplomacy, etc. As the school year draws to an end, however, some of the girls are realizing that they do not want the prince to choose them. They begin to doubt that the royalty lives "happily ever after." After all, how much do they actually know about this prince? Then the girls realize something: this education they're receiving is empowering them. It's not about who "wins" the prince; it's about gaining knowledge of themselves and the world. This education is something that they will have the rest of their lives no matter where they live or who they marry.

PRINCESS ACADEMY is narrated by Miri, a fourteen year old with a sensitive insight to her own emotions and of the emotions of those around her. She has always felt like an outcast in her village, but through her experiences at the academy, she learns that she has many strengths. Her academy experiences make her smarter, wiser, and ultimately a strong leader. PRINCESS ACADEMY is a delightful and enjoyable read with a satisfying ending.