Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

One of my all time favorite books is Princess Academy by Shannon Hale.  Miri and her family have lived on the slopes of Mount Eskel for generations.  They are miners just like everyone else in her village on the mountain.  Miri is small for her age and since losing her mother she has been the one to stay home and take care of the goats and the family home while her sister and father work in the mines.  Miri wants to help in the mines but her father won't allow it.  The prince from the kingdom at the bottom of the mountain has to choose his princess from Miri's village.  Suddenly Miri and other girls are sent to the Princess Academy.  Here is where the girls finally obtain an education.  They are competing to get the attention of the prince but also are gaining something much more valuable, an education.  Through the education Miri receives and because of "quarry speak" (something the villagers use to communicate) Miri is able to not only find the right girl for the prince but she enables her village to finally get out of poverty.  Her entire community is better because of her and the others that attended the Princess Academy.

After reading this book discuss with your children what Miri studied and what she really embraced as a student at the Princess Academy.  See if any of these same things are what your child is learning at home or at school.  Do you and your children have any type of family "quarry speak"?  Maybe you do and you don't even realize it!

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna