Books by Shannon Hale

The Goose Girl

(A Bayern Book)

Princess Ani is uprooted from her kingdom and sent to a much different, much larger, neighboring kingdom to marry. But before she can arrive in her new home, she is betrayed by those who were supposed to protect her and many people she cared about are killed. Ani, however, is able to escape the traitors, and when she finally reaches the city she plans to tell the king what happened. But the traitors have already planted themselves in what should have been Ani's home, her name has already been stolen.
While trying to decide what to do, she hides in the city right under the noses of those who would have her killed to keep their secrets. She becomes the goose girl, and in this new place finds true friendship and learns a lot about the lives of the people in her kingdom. And as Ani learns about friendship and her own talents, she also learns about her own worth and the things that she can accomplish when danger threatens those she loves.

This is an excellent story of adventure, friendship, and honor, complete with animal companions and a touch of magic.

(A Bayern Book)

When Enna's brother discovers a few to create fire from the heat that surrounds living things and control fire to his advantage, Enna finds herself in the position to take on this gift to protect Bayern.

But the fire gift is dangerous and has a tendency to consume those who wield it. As Enna struggles to gain control of this talent, she winds up in situations far beyond her control and risks losing her closest friends and her kingdom.

Fourteen year old Miri, whose father and sister work with the majority of the townsfolk mining blocks of Linder from the mountain, fears that she's too small to be useful. Not permitted to enter the mine, she is in charge if household chores and tending the goats.
When the traders come for the Linder one day, they are accompanied by the chief delegate of Danland. He announces that the priests have divined the future bride of the prince shall be a girl from Mount Eskel. It is Danland custom for an academy to be held to prepare the prospective young women to meet the prince. Then a ball will be held, and the prince will choose his bride.
Life at the academy brings many changes to Miri's world. As she deals with the competition of her classmates and cruelty of their instructor, she uses much of her own time to learn more about commerce and quarry-speaking. Her curiosity leads her to knowledge, which learns her to ways she can help herself and those around her. It isn't long before her knowledge is put to the ultimate test, when danger comes to the academy and Miri must find away to save the girls of Mount Eskel.

Dashi, in her profound loyalty, agrees to be the maid of Lady Saren, knowing that as such she must accompany Saren to her imprisonment within a tower. This is the punishment Saren has earned for refusing to marry a cold and brutal suitor.

While locked in the tower, the girls are visited by Lady Saren's other suitor, the affectionate Tegus. Since Saren doesn't wish to speak with Tegus herself, she asks Dashti to do it for her. And so begins Dashti's tale of diguise and moral conflict.

The tale of these two girls brings them across kingdoms under the threat of war, to a place where they can finally come to grow into their own strengths.