Thorn

Gr 9 Up–As is common in fairy tales, Princess Alyrra has been betrothed to the prince of a neighboring kingdom as a means of cementing relations between the two ruling houses. Even though she loathes her life as a princess and finds living up to her royal duties a chore, she reluctantly agrees to the betrothal and sets off to meet her future husband with only one lady-in-waiting to keep her company along the journey. Although Alyrra is aware that Valka is a sorceress, and an ambitious one at that, she is unprepared for the spell that is cast on her early in their journey when Valka exchanges her own body with that of Alyrra’s. As soon as they reach the castle, Alyrra is sent to work as a goose girl, and Valka assumes her role as Prince Kestrin’s betrothed. Loosely based on the fairy tale “The Goose Girl,” Khanani’s story is set in a dark and dangerous world of betrayal and danger where a sheltered girl learns to find friendship among strangers and a place for herself where none had previously existed.