I cannot express how deeply formative this book and its sequels were to me as a young reader. Shannon Hale undoubtedly sparked my love of fantasy, fairy tales, and perhaps reading itself with this story full of magic, fiercely determined female characters, and just the right amount of heartache and happy endings.
— Melanie
Some books you read as a child stay with you for the rest of your life. This is one of those books. The Goose Girl is a beautiful, big-hearted fairytale expertly told. I have reread this every year since I was nine years old and it remains just as magical now as it was then.
— BailynIn this first book in New York Times bestselling, Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale's beloved YA fantasy series Books of Bayern, Princess Ani must become a goose girl before she can become queen.
Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kildenree, spends the first years of her life listening to her aunt's stories and learning the language of the birds, especially the swans. As she grows up, Ani develops the skills of animal speech, but she never feels quite comfortable speaking with people.
So when Ani's mother sends her away to be married in a foreign land, she finds herself at the mercy of her silver-tongued lady in waiting, who leads a mutiny that leaves her alone, destitute, and fleeing for her life. To survive, Ani takes on work as a royal goose girl, hiding in plain sight while she develops her forbidden talents and works to discover her own true, powerful voice.
Don't miss any of these other books from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Hale:
The Books of Bayern
The Goose Girl
Enna Burning
River Secrets
Forest Born
The Princess Academy trilogy
Princess Academy
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters
Book of a Thousand Days
Dangerous
Graphic Novels
with Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale
Rapunzel's Revenge
Calamity Jack
For Adults
Austenland
Midnight in Austenland
The Actor and the Housewife
Shannon Hale is the Newbery Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author of the Princess Academy series, The Books of Bayern, Book of a Thousand Days, Dangerous, and the graphic novels Rapunzel's Revengeand Calamity Jack, as well as the Ever After High and Princess in Black series, and the upcoming The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl for Marvel. She also wrote three novels for adults, including Austenland, now a major motion picture starring Keri Russell. She and her husband, the author Dean Hale, have four children and live near Salt Lake City, Utah.
www.shannonhale.com
@HaleShannon
“A magical retelling of the Grimms' fairy tale . . . Hale's retelling is a wonderfully rich one, full of eloquent description and lovely imagery.” —starred review, School Library Journal
“Enchanting.” —The New York Times Book Review
“Luscious language . . . leads to a gorgeous, dramatic climax.” —Kirkus Reviews