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. Excerpted from Princess Academy by Shannon Hale All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.