Princess Academy

Life on Mount Eskel is hard, but for 14-year-old Miri the mountain is home. Then a messenger from the king stuns the village by announcing that priests have divined that the prince's bride-to-be must come from Mount Eskel. All too quickly Miri and the other girls of her village are bundled off to receive special training in how to be a princess -- though, of course, only one of them can be chosen. Under Tutor Olana, the girls' training is vigorous, frequently harsh. And the competition among them is sometimes bitter. But just as the quarry workers of Mount Eskel labor to dig valuable linder from the mountain, Miri learns to dig deep inside herself, where she discovers amazing resources she never dreamed of. School Library Journal's starred review cheered Princess Academy as an "intricate, multilayered story about families, relationships, education, and the place we call home." Now the Full Cast Family brings it to life on audio, complete with charming performances of the songs embedded in Shannon Hale's award-winning text. Shannon Hale has been a storyteller from birth, according to her mother. A former actress, she earned a Masters degree in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. Shannon lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and her son. You can visit her online at www.squeetus.com Cast: Najla Anthony, David Baker, Cynthia Bishop, Karel Blakely, Daniel Bostick, Janine Bostick, John Brackett, Graydon Brown, Korey Buecheler, Sofia Coon, Bruce Coville, Laura Credidio (narrator), Jo D'Aloisio, Henry Fisher, Frank Fiumano, Tim Fox, Brian Hensley, Todd Hobin, Emily Holgate, Kate Huddleston, Seth Jackson, David Kelly, Grace Kelly, Tara Kelly, John LaCasse, Andrea Leonard, Kaethe Leonard, Bill Meidenbauer, Alice Morigi, Jamil Munoz, Brittany Oman, Brian Pringle, Katie Reed, Dan Stevens, Ryan Walsh, and Jackie Wladis