Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
My daughter and I picked this book last year as a read aloud. Her reasoning was “princess” was part of the title, so it must be something she would like. I read it myself first. I loved it, but thought it might be a bit mature for her. I explained that there were some scary parts, but she decided it would be okay. The deal was if she didnt like it we could always stop. I was impressed!
Princess Academy is the story of Miri, a girl, small for her age, who is being raised by her dad; her mother died giving birth to her. They live on Mt. Eskel, where all the townspeople work in the quarry, except Miri – she thinks because of her size. The king announces that the prince will choose a princess from Mt. Eskel. All the girls who are of age must attend Princess Academy. At the Academy, Miri encounters competition, bitterness, and is conflicited with her feeelings of becoming a princess. When the Academy is placed in danger, tiny Miri surprises everyone with her strength and confidence.
This is a wonderufl story of love, family, strength, and believing in yourself. It is a good message for everyone. My daughter enjoyed it as a read aloud, but I think for independent readers, it is best for 5th-6th grade. http://www.squeetus.com/stage/books_academy.html
Happy Reading!
