Princess Academy: Palace of Stone facts for kids
The 2014 cover art for Palace of Stone
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| Author | Shannon Hale |
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| Cover artist | Jason Chan |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Princess Academy |
| Genre | Fantasy |
| Published | Bloomsbury USA, 2012 |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 9781619632578 |
| Preceded by | Princess Academy |
| Followed by | Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters |
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone is an exciting fantasy book written by Shannon Hale. It came out in 2012. This book is the second one in the Princess Academy series. It follows the first book, Princess Academy, and comes before Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters. The story continues to follow a girl named Miri Larendaughter. She travels to Asland, the main city, to go to a special school and attend a royal wedding. This book was a New York Times best seller, meaning lots of people bought it! You can find it in English, German, Russian, and Chinese.
Contents
Plot Summary
Miri's New Journey
Miri leaves her home on Mount Eskel once more. This time, she travels to Asland, the capital city of Danland. There, she meets up with her best friend, Britta. Britta is soon to become a princess. Miri's friend Peder also comes along. He will learn to carve stone in Asland.
When they arrive, they see someone try to harm the king. This person represents a group called "the shoeless." These people are very poor and hungry. Katar, who now speaks for Mount Eskel, asks Miri to find out more about this group.
School and New Friends
Miri starts school at the Queen's Castle. She meets a boy named Timon there. Miri starts to feel distant from Peder. He is busy with his stone carving, and she is busy with her studies. Timon introduces Miri to his friends. They all support the "shoeless" group.
Miri and Timon spend more time together. They get more involved with the group's cause. Timon tells Miri he likes her. This makes Miri wonder about her future with Peder. She also feels torn. She cares about the poor people, but Britta, her friend, is now a target.
Growing Problems
Miri learns that the king will demand a payment from Mount Eskel. Her people cannot afford to pay it. She also finds out that Timon shared an essay she wrote about Britta. Miri feels very conflicted. She wants to help the poor people. But she also wants Britta to be happy as the princess.
Britta's wedding day arrives. Miri dances with both Timon and Peder at the party. The next morning, people protesting block the way to the wedding. Shots are fired. Miri finds Timon and his friends. She discovers they hired someone to harm Britta.
A Brave Rescue
Miri and Peder rush back to the palace. They warn Britta and the royal family. But a large crowd at the palace gates stops them from escaping. Britta's life is in danger. Yet, she bravely saves a small boy from scared horses. This act changes the minds of the protesters.
The royal family hides inside the palace. But some "shoeless" people find Britta. Miri and her friends from Mount Eskel use their special ability. They can "quarry-speak," which is like talking with their minds through stone. They use this power to save Britta.
Then, the person hired to harm Britta finds them. Peder gets hurt while protecting Miri and Britta. Miri uses quarry-speech in a powerful new way. She causes the ceiling to fall on the attacker. She goes to Peder, telling him she loves him. She uses quarry-speech to share their memories. Peder survives!
A New Beginning
Britta and Prince Steffan get married. Miri and the girls from Mount Eskel get help from Queen Sabet. They suggest a new plan to the leaders of Danland. This plan would give rights to the "shoeless" people. Everyone agrees to the plan. The problems end.
Miri and Peder decide to get engaged when they return home. Miri decides to go back to Mount Eskel. But she also plans to return to Asland in the future.
Awards for the Book
Princess Academy: Palace of Stone received several honors:
- 2012 - It was on The New York Times Best Seller List.
- It was named a VOYA Perfect Ten.
- It was a Publishers Weekly Top 25 Children's Frontlist Fiction.
- It was listed as a Publishers Weekly "Children's galleys to grab."
- It was a finalist for a 2012 Whitney Award in the middle grade category.
