Description
Zita is not an ordinary servant girlshe's the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When she was born, Zita's father banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the kitchens, where she can only communicate with her royal sisters in secret.
Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, the princesses all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friendsBreckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldierZita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. But something more sinister is afootand unless Zita and her friends can break the curse, the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths.
A classic fairy tale with a bold twist, The Thirteenth Princess tells the unforgettable story of a magical castle, true love, spellbound princessesand the young girl determined to save them all.
About the Author
Diane Zahler lives with her husband, son, and dog in New York's Harlem Valley, in an old farmhouse held together by magic spells and duct tape. Diane is the author of The Thirteenth Princess, which was chosen as an ALAN's Pick, praised for its "delicious descriptions" (Kirkus Reviews), and deemed a "graceful and cohesive romantic drama" (Publishers Weekly).
Praise for The Thirteenth Princess…
“An enchanting retelling.”
-Alex Flinn, author of BEASTLY and A KISS IN TIME
“Zahler takes a light story and gives it gratifying depth, rounding out the characters and their motivations without betraying the source material and wrapping it all together in a graceful and cohesive romantic drama.”
-Publishers Weekly
“THE THIRTEENTH PRINCESS is a lucky find, a wheeling gavotte of a novel that refreshes an old fairy tale with new enchantment.”
-Gregory Maguire, author of WICKED and A LION AMONG MEN
“Delicious descriptions”
-Kirkus Reviews
“Splendid entertainment with a guaranteed happy ever after.”
-Diane Stanley, author of BELLA AT MIDNIGHT
Lively reworking of familiar elements.”
-Booklist
Just the right combination of magic, adventure, and romance.”
-Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books




