Author/Illustrator: Shannon Hale
Plot Summary: A motherless, young girl grows up in a harsh mountain environment focused on the harvesting of "linder stone" that is sold to nearby traders. Raised in a loving family, her father and sister both go out to work while Miri stays home and keeps house. Longingly, she wishes to be out in the quarries doing her part. She is selected to join a group of village girls to descend the mountain and attend a special school, one that will prepare her for a possible life of royality should the Prince choose her as his bride. We follow Miri as she learns to read, deals with a mean teacher, navigates the variety of females in her "class," fights bandits, and eventually finds her place in the world. She is very admirable as a brave and witty heroine who shows us what education and perservance can accomplish.
Comments:
This was my first foray in to what I would consider "chick lit" and I was very encouraged. The title is bit deceptive as the although the book does feature a "princess" academy, it is by no means a sappy fairy tale. The academy is more like an academic school in that the girls do not learn to read and write in their mountain village. They do learn a bit about manners and dancing but that is not the primary focus. Miri is a great role model and a strong female character. The book is exciting and adventuresome as well.
Extensions:
1. Forming a female literature circle would enable middle school students to disucss a variety of issues. This website http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/lit_circle_pdfs/princessacademy_t.pdf offers a number of compelling questions which could be used to enourage discussion.
2. http://www.squeetus.com/stage/princess_scenes.html - This behind-the-scenes look at the book from the author's website provides a glimpse in to the writing process. Studying the experiences of an accomplished writer can help students with their own writing.
Themes/keywords: princess, self confidence, telepathy, mountains, schools, manners
Age/Reading Level: Interest level: 5 - 8; ATOS - 6.0; Follett - 6.2; Lexile - 1070
Standards:
ELA6R1/ELA7R1/ELA8R1: The student demonstrates comprehension and shows evidence of a warranted and responsible explanation of a variety of literary and informational texts.
ELA6RC1/ELA7RC1/ELA8RC1: The student reads a minimum of 25 grade-level appropriate books or books evquivalents per year from a variety of subject disciplines.
ELA6R2/ELA7R2/ELA8R2: The student understands and acquires new vocabulary and uses it correctly in reading and writing.
ELA6W1/ELA7W1/ELA8W1 - The student produces writing that establishes an appropriate organizational structure, sets a context and engages the reader, maintains a coherent focus throughout, and provides a satisfying closure.
Publisher's Info: Bloomsbury Publishing, New York 2005
ISBN: 10 - 1-58234-993-2 13 - 978-1-58234-993-0
Awards/Review Sources:
Wilson's Junior High School 08/21/06
Newbery Medal/Honor 01/23/06
School Library Journal starred 10/01/05
Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.) 01/01/06
Kirkus Review starred 07/15/05
Booklist 06/01/05
Horn Book 04/01/06
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 09/01/05
Genre/Dewey: Juvenile fiction
Websites:
http://www.discoveryjourney.com/PublicSummary488.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EigyWJd9LUE - This is a trailor for an "R" rated, and very inappropriate, movie of the same name.
Notes for Booktalk:
Vocabulary: stylus, unrepentant, bushel, delegate, exuberant, quarry
Comments