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Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel
The New York Times bestselling and Newbery-Honor winning classic, Princess Academy, by Shannon Hale, is reimagined as a graphic novel with stunning art from illustrator Victoria Ying.
Miri lives high atop Mount Eskel where, for generations, her ancestors have lived a simple life, working in the quarry. But everything changes when word arrives that the prince of the kingdom will choose his princess from among the village girls.
A makeshift academy is set up on the mountain and every eligible girl must attend and learn how to become a proper princess. Soon Miri finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires. Being chosen could give her everything she ever wanted, but does Miri really want to leave her home and family behind for a royal life?
Miri lives high atop Mount Eskel where, for generations, her ancestors have lived a simple life, working in the quarry. But everything changes when word arrives that the prince of the kingdom will choose his princess from among the village girls.
A makeshift academy is set up on the mountain and every eligible girl must attend and learn how to become a proper princess. Soon Miri finds herself confronted with a harsh academy mistress, bitter competition among the girls, and her own conflicting desires. Being chosen could give her everything she ever wanted, but does Miri really want to leave her home and family behind for a royal life?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2026
About the author
Shannon Hale
153 books14.3k followersShannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack with husband Dean Hale. They live near Salt Lake City, Utah with their four small children, and their pet, a small, plastic pig.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
May 29, 2026
Why do graphic novels get a bad rap…surely we’re never too old for pictures??
May 17, 2026
A lovely adaptation of one of my all time favorites. Reading this felt like a warm hug
May 21, 2026
*cries in nostalgic happiness* OMG, these books were always my favourite and now there is a graphic novel and it was just pure perfection. Miri was just as I remember her and I loved seeing her come to life in this graphic novel. This just made me so happy and thank you so much for whoever had the wonderful idea to make the Princess Academy a graphic novel, now a whole new generation can read it and love it. HIGHLY recommended.
June 5, 2026
You can’t just change Peder’s hair and eye color or Miri’s silver gown and expect me not to notice — I read the original Princess Academy at least annually from the ages of 8 to 16. But this story is truly too good in any form to give anything less than 5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read the original Princess Academy with my daughter and was excited to receive an ARC for the graphic novel. Even though graphic novels are not my preference to read, as an elementary teacher, I know kids love them.
I felt like this book stayed true to the original while also allowing the illustrations to paint a new picture. I love the choice at the end, and the fact that everything doesn't have to be happily ever after. The author captured Miri's story and personality well as well in this book as in the original.
I would recommend for Grade 4+.
I felt like this book stayed true to the original while also allowing the illustrations to paint a new picture. I love the choice at the end, and the fact that everything doesn't have to be happily ever after. The author captured Miri's story and personality well as well in this book as in the original.
I would recommend for Grade 4+.
May 27, 2026
I haven't read Princess Academy in years, but it was my favorite book when I was 9 and I read it enough times that year and those following to feel qualified to say: this was a very bad adaptation of the story. At the end, Shannon Hale talks about stripping the original story to start over for this iteration and boy... does it show.
A lot of the issues are due to an unsuccessful effort to update this for the modern gaze. This involves making the girls more unkind to Miri(?), repeating Gerti's age every five seconds (with no intention of actually doing anything about it), adding gender norms to Mount Eskel, and a slew of other unhelpful things.
I wanted to talk briefly about Frid. A decision was made for the graphic novel to make Frid hate skirts/dresses, though her mother forces her to wear them. This isn't handled in any kind of meaningful way. In the original novel, Frid was definitely boyish in comparison to the other girls (due to her brothers) but she loved getting to wear a dress to the ball. When the decision was made to draw her so much larger than the other girls and toss her in a pantsuit, it felt like a lazy way of incorporating any kind of feminism/liberation into the story. This is intended for a young audience and instead of reading like she gets to wear whatever she wants, it feels like the book is telling you wouldn't she look ridiculous in a dress? which just... rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall... I wasn't expecting to have this many feelings about this graphic novel. Princess Academy is one of those books that shaped me. I loved this story and these characters so much and this just did not feel like a good representation of the book I love.
Now I have to reread the original, so that's a point for this, I guess.
A lot of the issues are due to an unsuccessful effort to update this for the modern gaze. This involves making the girls more unkind to Miri(?), repeating Gerti's age every five seconds (with no intention of actually doing anything about it), adding gender norms to Mount Eskel, and a slew of other unhelpful things.
I wanted to talk briefly about Frid. A decision was made for the graphic novel to make Frid hate skirts/dresses, though her mother forces her to wear them. This isn't handled in any kind of meaningful way. In the original novel, Frid was definitely boyish in comparison to the other girls (due to her brothers) but she loved getting to wear a dress to the ball. When the decision was made to draw her so much larger than the other girls and toss her in a pantsuit, it felt like a lazy way of incorporating any kind of feminism/liberation into the story. This is intended for a young audience and instead of reading like she gets to wear whatever she wants, it feels like the book is telling you wouldn't she look ridiculous in a dress? which just... rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall... I wasn't expecting to have this many feelings about this graphic novel. Princess Academy is one of those books that shaped me. I loved this story and these characters so much and this just did not feel like a good representation of the book I love.
Now I have to reread the original, so that's a point for this, I guess.
May 24, 2026
It's been a while since I read the original novel, but Shannon Hale can do no wrong so the graphic novel was amazing, too. I especially loved Gerti reminding everyone that she was twelve years old MY SHAYLAAA
July 23, 2026
A group of girls in a remote mountain region attend a finishing school to be worthy of becoming the future queen. While there they mature, develop relationships, gain pride in their community, and choose varied futures that may not include marryng the prince.
May 9, 2026
3.5 stars
This was cute! I loved getting to see this world through pictures! I told my brother to get this at the library for him to read and ended up taking it from him to read lol
I would recommend this to anyone and everyone! And the actual series!
This was cute! I loved getting to see this world through pictures! I told my brother to get this at the library for him to read and ended up taking it from him to read lol
I would recommend this to anyone and everyone! And the actual series!
June 4, 2026
I think my expectations were too high. It's good, just not as great as the source material.
May 28, 2026
While the story stayed pretty accurate to the book, I was very disappointed with how certain things were portrayed. Miri is supposed to be short for her age, but Esa is even shorter than she is. The silver academy princess dress was green, and not as important to the story. Finally, the complaint I have for every graphic novel, I don't like the art! People who enjoy graphic novels will probably love it, though.
April 20, 2026
I love this series so much. I listened to them as audio books and literally was listening to it at every second. So being to able to reread the first book a different way was truly a treat. I read this Graphic Novel in one sitting and I really appreciated the art and the things from the book they focused on
July 1, 2026
cute and short!
Maybe I flew through it too fast but this was a great rendition of what the full story is! We love a story highlighting young women coming together to fight for the rights of their community and becoming educated in the process
Maybe I flew through it too fast but this was a great rendition of what the full story is! We love a story highlighting young women coming together to fight for the rights of their community and becoming educated in the process
October 12, 2025
Super cute! While it's been awhile since I last read Princess Academy, I think this was a pretty faithful adaptation, and I liked the way the characters were interpreted and illustrated.
June 20, 2026
loved this book as a kid. the adaptation holds up pretty well!
August 27, 2026
One of my favourite books in the entire world was just adapted into a graphic novel, how could I ask for more?
July 14, 2026
While Hale cheekily addresses in the author’s note how we all say the original is better than the adaptation, I still can’t help but think that the original is considerably better.
Nothing has changed drastically about the broad strokes of the story—that’s all there and recognizable. But the emotional through-lines have been flattened and the themes have been weakened in the process of adaptation. Princess Academy is so much about triumph, discovery, girlhood, camaraderie, community, and worth. The adaptation cuts so many of the smaller moments that build the characters together with the world and, importantly, doesn’t replace them with anything. Hale also tries to preemptively address these kinds of complaints by saying that “nothing is truly lost” because the novel still exists. And like, yeah, the novel still exists, but it’s not that I miss the lost scenes for what they are, I miss them for what they do.
Quarry-speech is now conducted through linder only, not through linder and shared memories. Miri can’t quarry-speak at the start because it is for the quarry, for warnings and messages about the stone, and Miri isn’t part of that culture. She doesn’t have the memories associated with the strength of a blow or the crack of a stone, but as the story progresses, she learns that other memories connect her to her community. By removing the link to shared memories, we lose so much of Miri’s discovery process—both the discovery of how quarry-speech works as well as discovering that she does actually belong to the culture she has been kept from. There are fewer problems to solve creatively because she never has to consider others to figure out which shared memory will convey what she needs to say. There’s no triumph in her discoveries because they don't make her look clever, they just make her village look ignorant—it feels like anyone could have hypothesized that linder is the quarry-speech medium. Novel-Miri was set up in the text to be the only person who could figure out quarry-speech, and it’s all incidental for comic-Miri.
My personal favorite quarry-speech moment was steamrolled: When Miri plots to get everyone to run home, she no longer quarry-speaks their game of Rabbit and Wolf and just tells them to run. Anyone can tell anyone to run! But the point was that the girls on Mount Eskel have a shared history, so this scene loses its sense of community. And by taking this scene outside of the classroom—focusing instead on Miri and Katar alone outside of the school—it loses its sense of camaraderie, its defiance, and its assertion that the girls have important folk knowledge that Tutor Olana could never even hope to learn. This scene in the novel is crucial in showing that the girls, despite being in an academic competition, are all actually coming from the same place. The novel takes care to include that “even Bena and Katar had knowing smiles” as Miri quarry-speaks to them! So losing this framing means losing this sense of united girlhood.
And speaking of Katar. The novel has a scene where Olana gives a final test before the Prince comes; girls who fail will not get to go to the ball. Miri helps them by quarry-speaking test answers, and her quarry-speech bolsters everyone’s spirits so thoroughly that they all start helping each other. It’s cooperative, defiant, triumphant, full of care for each other, and described in-text as “joyous.” Until Katar forgets the answer to a question, and no one offers help. Miri helps. The graphic novel has no test, but both versions of the story then have the girls vote for Academy Princess. And it’s so much less impactful in the graphic novel because we don’t get to see Miri extend that olive branch to Katar. Novel-Miri wins Academy Princess because she demonstrated justice and camaraderie that led the girls to vote for her. Comic-Miri wins Academy Princess, and it feels like the text rewards her for being the protagonist as opposed to the characters rewarding her for having the integrity of a princess. Post-vote, both versions have Miri and Katar share a tense moment of confidentiality where Katar thinks Miri is going to gloat for having won. Miri doesn’t, of course. In the novel, Miri empathizes with Katar’s feelings of alienation and helplessness. Miri apologizes, out loud, because she knows what it’s like to feel like “the only lonesome thing in the world.” But the graphic novel keeps Miri silent. She doesn’t appear to have this moment of empathy, and she certainly doesn’t apologize. It’s a huge miss for the comic to forgo this moment, especially in relation to the end where Miri volunteers Katar as the Mount Eskel delegate. It comes out of nowhere in the graphic novel because neither of them appear to have any change of heart. They don’t actually connect with each other. If a story relies on a narrator to show the characters’ interiority and you cut the narrator, you need to find new ways to show their interiority! And this adaptation simply doesn’t do that!
Maybe most egregiously, in the novel, Miri begins teaching Marda to read during visits home and successfully convinces her village to barter for fairer prices on trade days. The audience sees her using knowledge from the Academy to improve her community and examine her self-worth within it. It’s active. We see the pay-off of her hard work. In the graphic novel, Miri fails to convince her village to stand up to the traders. Miri only gets to help her community off-page, after the story is over. There’s no pay-off to her desires and dedication. It feels detrimentally unresolved. It’s made worse by Peder: novel-Miri stays on Mount Eskel at the end because she already knows that her new skills are a benefit to her community as well as for Peder. Comic-Miri, not having those successes under her belt yet, stays on Mount Eskel for the current inevitability of Peder and the future hypothetical of benefitting her community. It feels like a reduction of Miri’s motivations and skills and an amplification of Peder’s romantic feelings, even though Peder is kind of a nothing character.
I don’t think differences in adaptation are inherently bad, and it’s not like I expect a 1:1 recreation. But I do expect an adaptation to try to do the same thematic work as its source material and not merely hit the big plot points, and this adaptation just does not do
that.
This is maybe still worth the read if you’ve never read the Princess Academy novel. It’s often sweet in its own right, and you can’t miss anything if you never knew it was there to begin with. Ying and Dall’Aglio’s art is probably worth it on its own, even though it clashes with the images I’ve had in my head for 20 years. (I grew up with the Tim Zeltner cover art showing an austere, linder-white mining village so high on the mountain that the girls are walking through the clouds, in contrast with the graphic novel’s lush, verdant, tucked-in-a-little-valley Swiss-Alps-adjacent mountain lodge town.) If you already have an attachment to the novel, however, this doesn’t hold a candle to it. Hale is right, after all: just go revisit the Mount Eskel you know instead.
Nothing has changed drastically about the broad strokes of the story—that’s all there and recognizable. But the emotional through-lines have been flattened and the themes have been weakened in the process of adaptation. Princess Academy is so much about triumph, discovery, girlhood, camaraderie, community, and worth. The adaptation cuts so many of the smaller moments that build the characters together with the world and, importantly, doesn’t replace them with anything. Hale also tries to preemptively address these kinds of complaints by saying that “nothing is truly lost” because the novel still exists. And like, yeah, the novel still exists, but it’s not that I miss the lost scenes for what they are, I miss them for what they do.
Quarry-speech is now conducted through linder only, not through linder and shared memories. Miri can’t quarry-speak at the start because it is for the quarry, for warnings and messages about the stone, and Miri isn’t part of that culture. She doesn’t have the memories associated with the strength of a blow or the crack of a stone, but as the story progresses, she learns that other memories connect her to her community. By removing the link to shared memories, we lose so much of Miri’s discovery process—both the discovery of how quarry-speech works as well as discovering that she does actually belong to the culture she has been kept from. There are fewer problems to solve creatively because she never has to consider others to figure out which shared memory will convey what she needs to say. There’s no triumph in her discoveries because they don't make her look clever, they just make her village look ignorant—it feels like anyone could have hypothesized that linder is the quarry-speech medium. Novel-Miri was set up in the text to be the only person who could figure out quarry-speech, and it’s all incidental for comic-Miri.
My personal favorite quarry-speech moment was steamrolled: When Miri plots to get everyone to run home, she no longer quarry-speaks their game of Rabbit and Wolf and just tells them to run. Anyone can tell anyone to run! But the point was that the girls on Mount Eskel have a shared history, so this scene loses its sense of community. And by taking this scene outside of the classroom—focusing instead on Miri and Katar alone outside of the school—it loses its sense of camaraderie, its defiance, and its assertion that the girls have important folk knowledge that Tutor Olana could never even hope to learn. This scene in the novel is crucial in showing that the girls, despite being in an academic competition, are all actually coming from the same place. The novel takes care to include that “even Bena and Katar had knowing smiles” as Miri quarry-speaks to them! So losing this framing means losing this sense of united girlhood.
And speaking of Katar. The novel has a scene where Olana gives a final test before the Prince comes; girls who fail will not get to go to the ball. Miri helps them by quarry-speaking test answers, and her quarry-speech bolsters everyone’s spirits so thoroughly that they all start helping each other. It’s cooperative, defiant, triumphant, full of care for each other, and described in-text as “joyous.” Until Katar forgets the answer to a question, and no one offers help. Miri helps. The graphic novel has no test, but both versions of the story then have the girls vote for Academy Princess. And it’s so much less impactful in the graphic novel because we don’t get to see Miri extend that olive branch to Katar. Novel-Miri wins Academy Princess because she demonstrated justice and camaraderie that led the girls to vote for her. Comic-Miri wins Academy Princess, and it feels like the text rewards her for being the protagonist as opposed to the characters rewarding her for having the integrity of a princess. Post-vote, both versions have Miri and Katar share a tense moment of confidentiality where Katar thinks Miri is going to gloat for having won. Miri doesn’t, of course. In the novel, Miri empathizes with Katar’s feelings of alienation and helplessness. Miri apologizes, out loud, because she knows what it’s like to feel like “the only lonesome thing in the world.” But the graphic novel keeps Miri silent. She doesn’t appear to have this moment of empathy, and she certainly doesn’t apologize. It’s a huge miss for the comic to forgo this moment, especially in relation to the end where Miri volunteers Katar as the Mount Eskel delegate. It comes out of nowhere in the graphic novel because neither of them appear to have any change of heart. They don’t actually connect with each other. If a story relies on a narrator to show the characters’ interiority and you cut the narrator, you need to find new ways to show their interiority! And this adaptation simply doesn’t do that!
Maybe most egregiously, in the novel, Miri begins teaching Marda to read during visits home and successfully convinces her village to barter for fairer prices on trade days. The audience sees her using knowledge from the Academy to improve her community and examine her self-worth within it. It’s active. We see the pay-off of her hard work. In the graphic novel, Miri fails to convince her village to stand up to the traders. Miri only gets to help her community off-page, after the story is over. There’s no pay-off to her desires and dedication. It feels detrimentally unresolved. It’s made worse by Peder: novel-Miri stays on Mount Eskel at the end because she already knows that her new skills are a benefit to her community as well as for Peder. Comic-Miri, not having those successes under her belt yet, stays on Mount Eskel for the current inevitability of Peder and the future hypothetical of benefitting her community. It feels like a reduction of Miri’s motivations and skills and an amplification of Peder’s romantic feelings, even though Peder is kind of a nothing character.
I don’t think differences in adaptation are inherently bad, and it’s not like I expect a 1:1 recreation. But I do expect an adaptation to try to do the same thematic work as its source material and not merely hit the big plot points, and this adaptation just does not do
that.
This is maybe still worth the read if you’ve never read the Princess Academy novel. It’s often sweet in its own right, and you can’t miss anything if you never knew it was there to begin with. Ying and Dall’Aglio’s art is probably worth it on its own, even though it clashes with the images I’ve had in my head for 20 years. (I grew up with the Tim Zeltner cover art showing an austere, linder-white mining village so high on the mountain that the girls are walking through the clouds, in contrast with the graphic novel’s lush, verdant, tucked-in-a-little-valley Swiss-Alps-adjacent mountain lodge town.) If you already have an attachment to the novel, however, this doesn’t hold a candle to it. Hale is right, after all: just go revisit the Mount Eskel you know instead.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a super cute read! I haven't read the original books but I know they are very well loved! I really enjoyed it! The story was very sweet and the characters were very well done! I also loved the art and thought that it fit the tone of the story very well!
I think if you're a fan of the original books, you'll love this!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I think if you're a fan of the original books, you'll love this!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
October 10, 2025
I would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. I will admit, I have never read the book series but still enjoyed this graphic novel version of the first book in the series. The art was bright and colorful and the story was fast paced. I look forward to reading the next installment.
August 25, 2026
A graphic novel adaptation of Shannon Hale's 'Princess Academy', created twenty one years after the OG novel's publication, is certainly not something I expected, nor really needed. But I couldn't resist, I just had to check it out, since I love the novel.
I'm glad it got made.
'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' is as much a lovely, dramatic, humorous, cosy, clever and human fairy tale as its source material; insofar as I can remember, anyway, my last read was years ago. But I can tell it is a loving and faithful adaptation.
There are only a few noticeable updated details added, such as one side character and Princess Academy attendee, Frid, now refusing to wear a dress to a ball - she likes to wear pants - and there's Gerti, whose running gag is she keeps saying she's only twelve-years-old, thus highlighting the absurdity and creepiness of her being asked to attend an academy built specifically to teach girls how to catch and marry a prince (though are the other girls still fourteen-years-old...?). These changes don't hurt or hinder the story at all.
The artwork by Victoria Ying suits the tale and characters wonderfully. This is such a colourful, wondrous, understated yet directly challenging children's graphic novel. And it is so breezy - there is no narration present whatsoever, letting the artwork and events speak for themselves. The mountainfolk chanting and song lyrics floating around on page occasionally, such as the beginning of each chapter, could count as narration, and they set the mood and atmosphere of the characters' situations.
The family and female friendship and companionship themes are absolutely touching. There is disability rep, and class and caste commentary and critique.
Miri the mountain girl, the protagonist of 'Princess Academy', and one of the potential princesses at the academy, is as brilliant as she's always been. A charming, funny, brave, observant, wilful, determined, loyal and selfless lass with a heart of gold - a heart full of mountain and quarry songs, that is worth far more than any jewel on any tiara. Young, naïve and inexperienced Miri grows and develops out of her flaws over the course of her story. Strong in heart, mind and spirit, she is magical, without having to actually be overtly magical, in this fantasy tale.
My main criticisms of 'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' are similar to my criticisms of the OG book. Although it has been ages since I read 'Princess Academy' - are its flaws in fact as prominent as they are in the graphic novel adaptation?
For example, I already knew that Miri's love interest, Peder, is an annoying, possessive Nice GuyTM, but was he always as entitled, selfish, self-centred and shockingly horrible, with seriously messed up priorities, as he's portrayed here? He never apologises to Miri for the accusatory things he says to her during an argument that he started unprovoked; things that are totally unfounded, imagined, not real, and are no doubt born out of his own insecurities and entitlement issues, which he projects unfairly onto Miri. Granted, Miri doesn't apologise either, which is good because the purehearted heroine did nothing wrong, but it is odd for neither of them to ever mention the fight that caused a rift between them after the fact (it is Peder's fault, not that the story acknowledges this). They're just okay and lovey-dovey at the end of the fairy tale, despite all logic.
This part of 'Princess Academy' does not receive a much-needed update, sadly.
Stop rewarding Nice GuysTM, media, please.
At least it's a small-fry part of the graphic novel, however.
Also, does Britta's abusive guardian get punished or rewarded (!?) at the end? I won't elaborate due to spoilers, but that seems like too crucial a detail to overlook and forget about. What the heck?
This links to there being, once again, no critique on the very existence of monarchies, and princesses as titles. No modern, necessary update there.
Miri's older sister Marda is barely a character. She is sidelined, and receives scarce page time, which is disappointing.
Finally, while I do praise the graphic novel for including POC characters where I think none exist in the original source material (most baffling considering it is set at mountain ranges and villages, where constant stone digging in quarries is a way of life), why did it give Katar, Miri's "rival" and the most antagonistic and aggressive girl at the Princess Academy, the darkest skin out of everyone? At least she's redeemed near the end; take from that what you will. I'll take whatever positivity I can find.
'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' has loads going for it, and much upholding it in its favour, that I can forgive its flaws. In whatever medium it is told, it is a nice story, penned by the marvellous and remarkable Shannon Hale.
'Princess Academy' - a story full of heart, and female bonds, and familial love.
It blesses us with Miri, one of the best heroines in children's literature. She's a flower, a flint, a spark, a star, and a song. Classic and underrated.
My review of the 2005 novel can be found here.
Final Score: 3.5/5
I'm glad it got made.
'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' is as much a lovely, dramatic, humorous, cosy, clever and human fairy tale as its source material; insofar as I can remember, anyway, my last read was years ago. But I can tell it is a loving and faithful adaptation.
There are only a few noticeable updated details added, such as one side character and Princess Academy attendee, Frid, now refusing to wear a dress to a ball - she likes to wear pants - and there's Gerti, whose running gag is she keeps saying she's only twelve-years-old, thus highlighting the absurdity and creepiness of her being asked to attend an academy built specifically to teach girls how to catch and marry a prince (though are the other girls still fourteen-years-old...?). These changes don't hurt or hinder the story at all.
The artwork by Victoria Ying suits the tale and characters wonderfully. This is such a colourful, wondrous, understated yet directly challenging children's graphic novel. And it is so breezy - there is no narration present whatsoever, letting the artwork and events speak for themselves. The mountainfolk chanting and song lyrics floating around on page occasionally, such as the beginning of each chapter, could count as narration, and they set the mood and atmosphere of the characters' situations.
The family and female friendship and companionship themes are absolutely touching. There is disability rep, and class and caste commentary and critique.
Miri the mountain girl, the protagonist of 'Princess Academy', and one of the potential princesses at the academy, is as brilliant as she's always been. A charming, funny, brave, observant, wilful, determined, loyal and selfless lass with a heart of gold - a heart full of mountain and quarry songs, that is worth far more than any jewel on any tiara. Young, naïve and inexperienced Miri grows and develops out of her flaws over the course of her story. Strong in heart, mind and spirit, she is magical, without having to actually be overtly magical, in this fantasy tale.
My main criticisms of 'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' are similar to my criticisms of the OG book. Although it has been ages since I read 'Princess Academy' - are its flaws in fact as prominent as they are in the graphic novel adaptation?
For example, I already knew that Miri's love interest, Peder, is an annoying, possessive Nice GuyTM, but was he always as entitled, selfish, self-centred and shockingly horrible, with seriously messed up priorities, as he's portrayed here? He never apologises to Miri for the accusatory things he says to her during an argument that he started unprovoked; things that are totally unfounded, imagined, not real, and are no doubt born out of his own insecurities and entitlement issues, which he projects unfairly onto Miri. Granted, Miri doesn't apologise either, which is good because the purehearted heroine did nothing wrong, but it is odd for neither of them to ever mention the fight that caused a rift between them after the fact (it is Peder's fault, not that the story acknowledges this). They're just okay and lovey-dovey at the end of the fairy tale, despite all logic.
This part of 'Princess Academy' does not receive a much-needed update, sadly.
Stop rewarding Nice GuysTM, media, please.
At least it's a small-fry part of the graphic novel, however.
Also, does Britta's abusive guardian get punished or rewarded (!?) at the end? I won't elaborate due to spoilers, but that seems like too crucial a detail to overlook and forget about. What the heck?
This links to there being, once again, no critique on the very existence of monarchies, and princesses as titles. No modern, necessary update there.
Miri's older sister Marda is barely a character. She is sidelined, and receives scarce page time, which is disappointing.
Finally, while I do praise the graphic novel for including POC characters where I think none exist in the original source material (most baffling considering it is set at mountain ranges and villages, where constant stone digging in quarries is a way of life), why did it give Katar, Miri's "rival" and the most antagonistic and aggressive girl at the Princess Academy, the darkest skin out of everyone? At least she's redeemed near the end; take from that what you will. I'll take whatever positivity I can find.
'Princess Academy: The Graphic Novel' has loads going for it, and much upholding it in its favour, that I can forgive its flaws. In whatever medium it is told, it is a nice story, penned by the marvellous and remarkable Shannon Hale.
'Princess Academy' - a story full of heart, and female bonds, and familial love.
It blesses us with Miri, one of the best heroines in children's literature. She's a flower, a flint, a spark, a star, and a song. Classic and underrated.
My review of the 2005 novel can be found here.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ebook in exchange for an honest review.
2/5 stars
In any adaptation, whether it is from book to film or book to graphic novel, there are always things that need to change to make the story work in the new medium. This is normal, but can be difficult if the person viewing the adaptation is extremely fond of the original source material. I had this issue with the graphic novel adaptation of Princess Academy.
Shannon Hale was one of my absolute favorite authors growing up, and Princess Academy was one of my favorite books of hers. I actually went back and reread the novel after reading the graphic novel for the first time, and then reread the graphic novel because there were things that just didn’t feel right to me.
In the novel, the entire cast of characters felt real and complex, even the ones I didn’t like, such as Tutor Olana. There were a number of points where Miri, or Britta, or even Katar, get in their own heads about how other people see them, which shapes how they behave. It becomes obvious as you get to know the characters more. In the graphic novel, a lot of this subtlety is completely swept away. In the book, Miri fears that because her pa will not allow her to work in the quarry, that the rest of the village thinks that she is weak or lazy. Nothing in the text ever expressly confirms this, but she spends a lot of the book agonizing over what other people think of her. In the graphic novel, the other girls outright call her “lazy Miri” and say that they won’t let someone who doesn’t even work in the quarry win academy princess! It’s just completely against the characterization in the book. In the book, they are still clique-y and annoying, but their justification is that both Miri and Gerti are among the youngest of the girls there, and they think older girls should do better, therefore the young ones must be cheating.
Also Gerti continuously mentions that she’s 12 and wow, can you believe they’re thinking of making her marry the prince (four times by 62% through)?? Completely removed my immersion because it felt so much like it was speaking to modern readers who would think that she’s too young. Olana makes a comment about being unsure about whether she is up to the task of teaching the girls to be princesses and says that “The world is not kind to unmarried women seeking independence.” That line never happens in the book, and she follows it up with saying that she had to make the girls hate her so they succeeded out of spite. In the graphic novel, this happens about midway through the book. In the novel, it happens way at the end, after the princess had already been chosen. That’s when it makes sense for it to happen!! At this point, why would Olana be confiding in one of the girls who are still the source of her concern?
They also whittled the number of girls at the academy down from 20 to 8?? Assuming it’s because 20 is a lot to draw but also… it matters.
I could write an essay about the issues I had with characterization and plot due to the adaptation. I believe that the people who worked on this did their best, but to me, it feels like they fundamentally misunderstood the message of Princess Academy. The art was beautiful and I appreciated that, but it fell very flat as a fan of the original book.
2/5 stars
In any adaptation, whether it is from book to film or book to graphic novel, there are always things that need to change to make the story work in the new medium. This is normal, but can be difficult if the person viewing the adaptation is extremely fond of the original source material. I had this issue with the graphic novel adaptation of Princess Academy.
Shannon Hale was one of my absolute favorite authors growing up, and Princess Academy was one of my favorite books of hers. I actually went back and reread the novel after reading the graphic novel for the first time, and then reread the graphic novel because there were things that just didn’t feel right to me.
In the novel, the entire cast of characters felt real and complex, even the ones I didn’t like, such as Tutor Olana. There were a number of points where Miri, or Britta, or even Katar, get in their own heads about how other people see them, which shapes how they behave. It becomes obvious as you get to know the characters more. In the graphic novel, a lot of this subtlety is completely swept away. In the book, Miri fears that because her pa will not allow her to work in the quarry, that the rest of the village thinks that she is weak or lazy. Nothing in the text ever expressly confirms this, but she spends a lot of the book agonizing over what other people think of her. In the graphic novel, the other girls outright call her “lazy Miri” and say that they won’t let someone who doesn’t even work in the quarry win academy princess! It’s just completely against the characterization in the book. In the book, they are still clique-y and annoying, but their justification is that both Miri and Gerti are among the youngest of the girls there, and they think older girls should do better, therefore the young ones must be cheating.
Also Gerti continuously mentions that she’s 12 and wow, can you believe they’re thinking of making her marry the prince (four times by 62% through)?? Completely removed my immersion because it felt so much like it was speaking to modern readers who would think that she’s too young. Olana makes a comment about being unsure about whether she is up to the task of teaching the girls to be princesses and says that “The world is not kind to unmarried women seeking independence.” That line never happens in the book, and she follows it up with saying that she had to make the girls hate her so they succeeded out of spite. In the graphic novel, this happens about midway through the book. In the novel, it happens way at the end, after the princess had already been chosen. That’s when it makes sense for it to happen!! At this point, why would Olana be confiding in one of the girls who are still the source of her concern?
They also whittled the number of girls at the academy down from 20 to 8?? Assuming it’s because 20 is a lot to draw but also… it matters.
I could write an essay about the issues I had with characterization and plot due to the adaptation. I believe that the people who worked on this did their best, but to me, it feels like they fundamentally misunderstood the message of Princess Academy. The art was beautiful and I appreciated that, but it fell very flat as a fan of the original book.
November 23, 2025
Shannon Hale's Princess Academy is what Kiera Cass's The Selection should have been.
A society in which the ruling family of the country must follow divinings that name a specific town in the kingdom as the place that the prince's bride must come from, the announcement itself brings a great deal of uncertainty for the girls of the village. Many are uncertain whether they even want to marry the prince at all, others are determined to use this as an opportunity to learn as much as they can, and some find the entire experiment to be one of absolute ridiculousness—after all, why would a prince want one of them?
I absolutely loved this story, so much that I will most certainly be reading the book that inspired this graphic novel. I'll also be recommending the book to a large number of my students as I see this being a phenomenal read, especially for the young girls that I've taught over the years. It's especially poignant given that the young girls all have to be taught to read for the first time in their lives.
Now, the story follows Miri primarily, one of the village girls who has felt rather isolated from her community as a result of her overprotective father. Despite all of that, she begins her time in the princess academy determined to use it as an opportunity to make life better for those of her community, a part of her overall search for purpose and value within the world she's inhabited that has left her feeling as though she has nothing good to offer. Not only is she not really all that interested in marrying the prince, she's also got a rather large crush on a boy from her village.
While in this academy, Miri faces competition with the other girls, but she also is able to experience the first extremely close friendship that she's ever had. This was truly a beautiful moment and one of the high points of the story.
Additionally, I have to note this—especially as it was referenced in a one-star DNF review here—the prince has just turned 18, which is what has sparked the search for his future wife. Most of the girls in the story vary in age, the oldest being 17 and the youngest unfortunately being 12. And yes, while that is obviously rather gross, the references to the youngest's age are done so in order to clearly point out and allude to the fact that it would be absolutely ridiculous for the prince to choose her.
So, all in all, I think the story was handled exceptionally well and the artwork was gorgeous throughout. I truly think this is a book worth reading to and providing for many young girls. It's certainly one that will exist as a favorite for many and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A society in which the ruling family of the country must follow divinings that name a specific town in the kingdom as the place that the prince's bride must come from, the announcement itself brings a great deal of uncertainty for the girls of the village. Many are uncertain whether they even want to marry the prince at all, others are determined to use this as an opportunity to learn as much as they can, and some find the entire experiment to be one of absolute ridiculousness—after all, why would a prince want one of them?
I absolutely loved this story, so much that I will most certainly be reading the book that inspired this graphic novel. I'll also be recommending the book to a large number of my students as I see this being a phenomenal read, especially for the young girls that I've taught over the years. It's especially poignant given that the young girls all have to be taught to read for the first time in their lives.
Now, the story follows Miri primarily, one of the village girls who has felt rather isolated from her community as a result of her overprotective father. Despite all of that, she begins her time in the princess academy determined to use it as an opportunity to make life better for those of her community, a part of her overall search for purpose and value within the world she's inhabited that has left her feeling as though she has nothing good to offer. Not only is she not really all that interested in marrying the prince, she's also got a rather large crush on a boy from her village.
While in this academy, Miri faces competition with the other girls, but she also is able to experience the first extremely close friendship that she's ever had. This was truly a beautiful moment and one of the high points of the story.
Additionally, I have to note this—especially as it was referenced in a one-star DNF review here—the prince has just turned 18, which is what has sparked the search for his future wife. Most of the girls in the story vary in age, the oldest being 17 and the youngest unfortunately being 12. And yes, while that is obviously rather gross, the references to the youngest's age are done so in order to clearly point out and allude to the fact that it would be absolutely ridiculous for the prince to choose her.
So, all in all, I think the story was handled exceptionally well and the artwork was gorgeous throughout. I truly think this is a book worth reading to and providing for many young girls. It's certainly one that will exist as a favorite for many and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read it.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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November 15, 2025See my full review here: https://yabookscentral.com/princess-a...
PRINCESS ACADEMY: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL is a delightful graphic novel adaptation. Miri lives a simple life that is thrown for a spin, when the prince reveals that he will choose a princess from the village girls. A training school is started where they must learn how to be princesses, and Miri is challenged by the rules and a tough teacher. At the same time, Miri is not sure if she would even want to be a princess, and she feels conflicted by the prospect.
What I loved: This is a great adaptation of the original, staying true to the story while bringing it to life in detailed illustrations and expressive characters. The book does a great job of telling the story through limited dialogue and heavily relying on images, which is fantastic for a graphic novel adaptation. Considering the length of the original, this was likely no easy task, but it is done smoothly and skillfully here.
The story itself is a lot of fun with many relatable elements around trying to be your best, consider what you want for your future, and navigate challenging social situations, things that older middle grade/younger YA readers are also grappling with. While they might not be in a school for princesses, their schools likely have many of the same elements and challenges.
The illustrations are well done throughout with lots of expressive characters and multi-paneled pages that help to convey the story through the images. There are a lot of details that give readers much to visually explore and enjoy as the story comes to life.
Final verdict: PRINCESS ACADEMY: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL is a charming graphic novel adaptation that will be relatable for older MG/younger YA readers as they enjoy the magic and charm of Miri's story - with fantastic illustrations!
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
PRINCESS ACADEMY: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL is a delightful graphic novel adaptation. Miri lives a simple life that is thrown for a spin, when the prince reveals that he will choose a princess from the village girls. A training school is started where they must learn how to be princesses, and Miri is challenged by the rules and a tough teacher. At the same time, Miri is not sure if she would even want to be a princess, and she feels conflicted by the prospect.
What I loved: This is a great adaptation of the original, staying true to the story while bringing it to life in detailed illustrations and expressive characters. The book does a great job of telling the story through limited dialogue and heavily relying on images, which is fantastic for a graphic novel adaptation. Considering the length of the original, this was likely no easy task, but it is done smoothly and skillfully here.
The story itself is a lot of fun with many relatable elements around trying to be your best, consider what you want for your future, and navigate challenging social situations, things that older middle grade/younger YA readers are also grappling with. While they might not be in a school for princesses, their schools likely have many of the same elements and challenges.
The illustrations are well done throughout with lots of expressive characters and multi-paneled pages that help to convey the story through the images. There are a lot of details that give readers much to visually explore and enjoy as the story comes to life.
Final verdict: PRINCESS ACADEMY: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL is a charming graphic novel adaptation that will be relatable for older MG/younger YA readers as they enjoy the magic and charm of Miri's story - with fantastic illustrations!
Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
September 29, 2025
ARC provided by the publisher
Miri lives in Eskel with her father, who has raised her since her mother died while she was being born. Her small mountain village depends on the mining of a stone, linder, and trading with other communities. When the message comes that the prophets have revealed that the heir to the throne, Steffan, will have a wife who comes from Eskel, all of the girls of a certain age are sent to a Princess Academy to learn skills. While Miri is glad to be going to school rather than tending goats, she misses her community, especially Peder, whom she would like to marry. There are a lot of different girls attending the school, with the understandable problems, as well as friendships. Even though the ostensible purpose of the academy is to train a future princess, the girls are able to work together, overcome obstacles, and think beyond the traditional fairy tale stereotype of a princess. There is a magical element in this with Miri being able to communicate via the linder stone. The original novel (2005) has two sequels, Palace of Stone (2012) and The Forgotten Sisters (2015).
There seems to be a trend of trying to increase interest in older titles by issuing graphic novel versions. Pierce's Alana: The First Adventure has seen this treatment as well. Princess Academy seemed closer to the original than some adaptations I have read, but it has been quite some time since I read the original. Hale's strong world building definitely comes through, and seeing one concept of the setting was fun. Readers who enjoy other girl power fantasies like Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy and Hendrix's Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans will enjoy this visit to Eskel.
Miri lives in Eskel with her father, who has raised her since her mother died while she was being born. Her small mountain village depends on the mining of a stone, linder, and trading with other communities. When the message comes that the prophets have revealed that the heir to the throne, Steffan, will have a wife who comes from Eskel, all of the girls of a certain age are sent to a Princess Academy to learn skills. While Miri is glad to be going to school rather than tending goats, she misses her community, especially Peder, whom she would like to marry. There are a lot of different girls attending the school, with the understandable problems, as well as friendships. Even though the ostensible purpose of the academy is to train a future princess, the girls are able to work together, overcome obstacles, and think beyond the traditional fairy tale stereotype of a princess. There is a magical element in this with Miri being able to communicate via the linder stone. The original novel (2005) has two sequels, Palace of Stone (2012) and The Forgotten Sisters (2015).
There seems to be a trend of trying to increase interest in older titles by issuing graphic novel versions. Pierce's Alana: The First Adventure has seen this treatment as well. Princess Academy seemed closer to the original than some adaptations I have read, but it has been quite some time since I read the original. Hale's strong world building definitely comes through, and seeing one concept of the setting was fun. Readers who enjoy other girl power fantasies like Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy and Hendrix's Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans will enjoy this visit to Eskel.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Miri has always felt a little less important than others in her town of Mount Eskel because her father refuses to allow her to work in the mines with everyone else. When the town is chosen as the location of the next Princess Academy, however, Miri finally sees a way to make a difference in her community. As Miri and her companions learn what it takes to be a princess in the hopes of wooing the prince, they discover a camaraderie that becomes even stronger as they lean into their individual strengths. And as Miri finds her voice, she and her community recognize just how important she is, after all. This graphic novel retelling of the Newbery award-winning book of the same title brings the story to life for a new generation of readers. Saturated colors and a rich, mountainous community fill the pages, transporting readers to a place that thrives despite the adversity in its midst. A diverse cast of characters surrounds Miri, and though the majority of the people have fair skin, there is some variety in both skin tone and body type to enhance the dynamic nature of the Mount Eskel community. Though primarily recounted through dialogue, the narrative incorporates frequent insertions of poetry that can be interpreted as singing, making the Mount Eskel culture even more palpable. With rich traditions and a bond larger than any one individual, the people of Mount Eskel are inspiring as they realize their own worth and stand up against the people who would wish to exploit them. Empowering and uplifting, this graphic novel encourages girls in particular to embrace their own unique strengths no matter what the outside world says about them. This is an excellent addition to graphic novel collections for middle grade readers.
May 11, 2026
This was such a fun walk down memory lane for me. I loved the original novel as a teen, and getting to revisit the story through this beautiful graphic novel adaptation gave it a whole new spark. The artwork brought so much new life to the story, and I found myself falling in love with these characters all over again.
I actually feel like the graphic novel added even more depth to some of the side and background characters in ways the original book didn’t fully flesh out for me. It also gave me plenty of laughs along the way.
Miri lives in a small rural mountain village where life is simple and isolated, but everything changes when it’s announced that the prince will choose his bride from among the village girls. Suddenly, every girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen is sent to the Princess Academy.
As the girls are exposed to politics, education, and diplomacy for the first time, they begin realizing just how sheltered and naive their lives have been. Along the way, friendships grow, rivalries form, and new bonds are created. They also discover how much their village has suffered after being taken advantage of by dishonest merchants who profit while the villagers struggle to survive. Reluctant at first to participate in the academy the girls come to the realization that being chosen to marry the prince will finally bring change to their families and community.
Even with all of its lighthearted humor and cozy moments, this story still carries so much heart. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, cozy read full of laughs and charm that readers of all ages can enjoy.
I recieved an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I actually feel like the graphic novel added even more depth to some of the side and background characters in ways the original book didn’t fully flesh out for me. It also gave me plenty of laughs along the way.
Miri lives in a small rural mountain village where life is simple and isolated, but everything changes when it’s announced that the prince will choose his bride from among the village girls. Suddenly, every girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen is sent to the Princess Academy.
As the girls are exposed to politics, education, and diplomacy for the first time, they begin realizing just how sheltered and naive their lives have been. Along the way, friendships grow, rivalries form, and new bonds are created. They also discover how much their village has suffered after being taken advantage of by dishonest merchants who profit while the villagers struggle to survive. Reluctant at first to participate in the academy the girls come to the realization that being chosen to marry the prince will finally bring change to their families and community.
Even with all of its lighthearted humor and cozy moments, this story still carries so much heart. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, cozy read full of laughs and charm that readers of all ages can enjoy.
I recieved an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 15, 2025
Princess Academy by Shannon Hale was a Newbery Honor book back in 2005 but it’s 300+ pages hasn’t done a lot to help it fly off my shelf lately. 🤷♀️ Add to that, it’s one I hadn’t read so my recommendation was limited to the shiny sticker on the cover and my general love for everything Shannon Hale related. I’ve been meaning to remedy that but you know how that goes when your TBR is a mile long BEFORE you go to ALA 😂
I digress.
So I picked this one up off a shelf in the convention hall and decided it’s now or never! I’m so very glad I did!
Who knew you could make a Disney-esque storybook princess tale that oozes feminism, has a sprinkle of romance, and teaches kids about the fine arts of listening, diplomacy, and trade negotiation? Apparently Shannon Hale knew because that’s exactly what’s served up in this fun and spirited graphic novel.
Since I haven’t read the original (something soon to be remedied) I can’t speak to the faithfulness of the adaptation but the illustrations in this version are practically begging to become an animated feature.
Victoria Ying ‘s illustrations bring Miri and the residents of Mount Eskel to life in a fun and vibrant way but it’s how she personifies the mountain speech and songs that really caught my attention. Her creativity and attention to detail while still understanding her young audience was brilliant. I can’t wait to see the finished version and add it to my library. Pretty sure this is what my OG copy of Princess Academy needs to help it zoom to the top of the checkout list…maybe just behind this one though. 😉
Preorder Princess Academy the graphic novel, out April 7, 2026 from KidsBloomsbury
I digress.
So I picked this one up off a shelf in the convention hall and decided it’s now or never! I’m so very glad I did!
Who knew you could make a Disney-esque storybook princess tale that oozes feminism, has a sprinkle of romance, and teaches kids about the fine arts of listening, diplomacy, and trade negotiation? Apparently Shannon Hale knew because that’s exactly what’s served up in this fun and spirited graphic novel.
Since I haven’t read the original (something soon to be remedied) I can’t speak to the faithfulness of the adaptation but the illustrations in this version are practically begging to become an animated feature.
Victoria Ying ‘s illustrations bring Miri and the residents of Mount Eskel to life in a fun and vibrant way but it’s how she personifies the mountain speech and songs that really caught my attention. Her creativity and attention to detail while still understanding her young audience was brilliant. I can’t wait to see the finished version and add it to my library. Pretty sure this is what my OG copy of Princess Academy needs to help it zoom to the top of the checkout list…maybe just behind this one though. 😉
Preorder Princess Academy the graphic novel, out April 7, 2026 from KidsBloomsbury
April 27, 2026
✨What if becoming a princess meant leaving everything you love behind?
Reading Princess Academy by Shannon Hale felt like stepping into a quiet, windswept mountain village and discovering a story that’s so much more than tiaras and ballgowns.
I followed Miri, a girl who’s always felt a little out of place in her own home, as her life is completely turned upside down when she’s forced to attend a princess academy. And let me tell you this isn’t your typical fairytale training montage. It’s competitive, uncomfortable, and filled with moments that made me both ache and cheer for her.
What I loved most was how this story balances soft, introspective growth with real stakes. Miri isn’t just learning how to be a princess, she's learning her own worth, her voice, and where she truly belongs. The friendships, even the complicated ones felt so real, and the slow-building confidence arc? So satisfying.
And then there’s the romance. It’s gentle, sweet, and perfectly woven into Miri’s journey without overshadowing her personal growth which honestly made it even more meaningful.
But what really surprised me was the tension. Between the strict academy, the pressure to be chosen, and the looming danger outside the mountain, I was way more on edge than I expected. That final act? I was fully invested.
This book feels like a cozy fairytale on the surface but underneath, it’s about identity, courage, and choosing your own path, even when the world is trying to choose for you.
If you love coming-of-age stories with heart, a touch of romance, and a quietly powerful heroine, this one is absolutely worth the read.
✨️Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and Shannon Hale for sharing Princess Academy with me!
Reading Princess Academy by Shannon Hale felt like stepping into a quiet, windswept mountain village and discovering a story that’s so much more than tiaras and ballgowns.
I followed Miri, a girl who’s always felt a little out of place in her own home, as her life is completely turned upside down when she’s forced to attend a princess academy. And let me tell you this isn’t your typical fairytale training montage. It’s competitive, uncomfortable, and filled with moments that made me both ache and cheer for her.
What I loved most was how this story balances soft, introspective growth with real stakes. Miri isn’t just learning how to be a princess, she's learning her own worth, her voice, and where she truly belongs. The friendships, even the complicated ones felt so real, and the slow-building confidence arc? So satisfying.
And then there’s the romance. It’s gentle, sweet, and perfectly woven into Miri’s journey without overshadowing her personal growth which honestly made it even more meaningful.
But what really surprised me was the tension. Between the strict academy, the pressure to be chosen, and the looming danger outside the mountain, I was way more on edge than I expected. That final act? I was fully invested.
This book feels like a cozy fairytale on the surface but underneath, it’s about identity, courage, and choosing your own path, even when the world is trying to choose for you.
If you love coming-of-age stories with heart, a touch of romance, and a quietly powerful heroine, this one is absolutely worth the read.
✨️Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing and Shannon Hale for sharing Princess Academy with me!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
[Read as a pre-release / electronic copy from NetGalley] I love Shannon Hale! She’s an amazing author with a fantastic range. However, whereas this chapter book was a Newberry Honor title, the graphic novel comes across as more of the CliffsNotes version. You lose A LOT of the story, which is a shame because Hale has successfully co-authored graphic novels before (and I loved it!). Now, I know that the trend is to take all the amazing middle-grade chapter books and re-release them as a graphic novel, but this one did not transfer well. On the positive note, Ying did a great job with the illustrations. There’s a lot there and, while the copy I read was not a finished product, it looks fantastic, right up there with Raina Telgemeier, Gale Calligan, Kayla Miller, Victoria Jamieson, and other popular graphic novel illustrators. I would give this graphic novel to a younger sibling who wanted to read the same thing as their older sibling, or to a ESL student who needed more context before trying the chapter book, but I would offer the chapter book version first to everyone else, you just get so much more out of it. 3/5 stars - Star added for amazing source material. Decent but probably won't read it again. Nice to have an alternative recommendation for its particular genre.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an early digital copy from Netgalley. Some errors in the copy, such as font and empty speech bubble formatting would hopefully be fixed by publication and I have not detracted from my review rating based upon that assumption.
Another graphic novel adaptation of a beloved children's classic comes with Shannon Hale's "Princess Academy," illustrated by Victoria Ying. Hale's familiarity with writing graphic novels shows as the adaptation of the book retains all the important emotional beats in an abridged fashion. Ying's expressions and bright colors bring the town of Eskel to life and make sure each of the princess academy students look distinct and memorable. Compared to the original "Princess Academy" there seems to be more humor injected in it, especially in moments of emotional "face journeys" like Prince Stefan's brief moments of breaking his stoic poised expression at the Eskel girls.
While this book has not overtaken the beautiful prose of the original story, this is a worthwhile adaptation to give to those who already love "Princess Academy" or those who might be more likely to read something in graphic novel form first.
Another graphic novel adaptation of a beloved children's classic comes with Shannon Hale's "Princess Academy," illustrated by Victoria Ying. Hale's familiarity with writing graphic novels shows as the adaptation of the book retains all the important emotional beats in an abridged fashion. Ying's expressions and bright colors bring the town of Eskel to life and make sure each of the princess academy students look distinct and memorable. Compared to the original "Princess Academy" there seems to be more humor injected in it, especially in moments of emotional "face journeys" like Prince Stefan's brief moments of breaking his stoic poised expression at the Eskel girls.
While this book has not overtaken the beautiful prose of the original story, this is a worthwhile adaptation to give to those who already love "Princess Academy" or those who might be more likely to read something in graphic novel form first.
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