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.

 

This book has been graded for interest at 8-12 years.

There are 272 pages in this book. This book was published 2010 by HarperCollins .

Diane Zahler is the author of Baker's Magic, as well as several middle-grade fairy tale reimaginings: Sleeping Beauty's Daughters, Princess of the Wild Swans, A True Princess, and The Thirteenth Princess. She lives in Wassaic, New York. dianezahler. com