Princess Academy by Shannon Hale Miri lives in a poor mountain village, where the people make their living by quarrying marble. When a prophesy foretells that the kingdom's next princess will be from her village, all of the eligible girls must attend a school in order to learn the skills of royalty. Miri is disgusted by how the kingdom looks down on the poor and is determined to use her new knowledge show both her own people and the nobles that the mountain stonecutters are worthy of respect.

Discussion

Why do you think that the people of Mount Eskel were so distrusting of people from the lowlands?

Miri's father does not share his feeling in words, but with actions. What actions in the book show that he loved Miri?

At the beginning of the story, Miri questions her value to her community. How does she come to realize that she has much to offer Mount Eskel?

Miri struggles with whether or not she wants to be chosen as the princess. Why does she feel this way? Discuss the reasons she wants to be chosen and the reasons she wants to stay on Mount Eskel.

The girls attending the academy study hard in order to have a chance to become a princess. What motivated the girls to work so hard? Was it just to become a princess?

What motivated Miri to work hard at the academy?

Have you ever worked really hard for a particular prize? Was it worth it? Was it what you expected?

Did the book end the way you expected it to? What clues did the author offer to prepare you to expect the ending?

What did Miri come to discover about her relationship with her father and with her community? What did Miri realize was her destiny in life?

Esa says of Katar, "Katar's a thornbush protecting a hare that's too skinny to eat" (p. 157). What does she mean? What type of person is Katar in the story, and what do we learn about her past that makes her actions more understandable?

Activity

'''Picture Frames for Favorite Memories'''
You will need:
* A favorite photo (4x6 or 5x7 inches)
* 4x6 or 5x7 inch Mat frames (you can buy them at any crafts/framing store)
* Stickers
* Scissors
* Construction or scrapbooking paper
* Magnets
* Super glue (br) * Double-sided tape
* Glitter pens or other fun decorative writing pens
* Unusual decorative objects! Be creative! You can decorate your picture frames with paperclips, magazine cut-outs, buttons, sea- shells and more!

Decorate the mat frame with sayings, objects and shapes that complement the photo. For example, if the photo is of you and your family at the beach, you may want to glue shells to your frame, or use stickers of tropical fish. When the frame is complete and dry, tape your photo to the frame using double-sided tape, so that it is framed by the mat. Then, use the super glue to attach a magnet to the top back of the frame, so that you can hang your family memory in your kitchen or on you locker.

Recipe

'''Make your own Rocky Road Ice Cream'''
Ingredients:
* Chocolate Ice Cream
* Chocolate Chips
* Marshmallows
* Walnuts or Almonds
Scoop the ice cream into a bowl, and mix in the toppings with a spoon, and enjoy!