Princess of the Wild Swans

Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Wild Swans,” this enchanting fantasy by Diane Zahler, author of The Thirteenth Princess and A True Princess, is a tale of family, bravery . . . and a terrible spell.

Princess Meriel’s brothers have been cursed. An evil enchantment cast by their conniving new stepmother has transformed the handsome princes into swans. They now swim forlornly on a beautiful heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.

Meriel will do whatever it takes to rescue her beloved brothers. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south or perish.

With help from her newfound friends Riona and Liam—a beautiful half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task. If she completes it, her brothers may be saved. But if she fails . . . all will be lost.

• Evil Stepmother: When the conniving Queen Orianna transforms Meriel’s five older brothers into swans, the young princess must find the courage to defy the wicked enchantment.
• Sibling Bonds: A powerful tale of a sister’s devotion as Meriel races against time to save her brothers before their magical lake freezes over for the winter.
• Witches and Magic: Aided by Riona, a friendly half-witch, Meriel discovers the only way to reverse the spell—a painful and difficult quest that will test her limits.
• Vow of Silence: To succeed, Meriel must sew five shirts from stinging nettles without speaking a single word, as every sound she makes will be like a knife in her brothers’ hearts.

Princess Meriel's beloved brothers have been cursed by their conniving stepmother. Transformed into swans, they now swim sadly on the heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.

With help from her new friends Riona and Liam—a pretty half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to break the enchantment. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, the swan princes will be forced to fly south or perish—and all will be lost.

“A mostly faithful retelling of Andersen’s “The Wild Swans.” As with her other fairy-tale interpretations, Zahler shines in her ability to set an exquisite scene, and her descriptions of both the luxury of royal life and the more cozy aspects of a commoner’s cottage will bewitch fans of Andersen’s original.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“As with her other fairy-tale interpretations, Zahler shines in her ability to set an exquisite scene.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“Engaging and entertaining. A pleasant magical outing.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of Jessica Day George and Gail Carson Levine will enjoy Zahler’s light, lyrical prose, as well as her stalwart and true heroine and strong secondary characters, all of which make this fairly straightforward retelling of Grimm’s “The Six Swans” fun to read.” - Booklist

Praise for A True Princess: “Readers who enjoyed Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted, Zahler’s The Thirteenth Princess or E.D. Baker’s “Tales of the Frog Princess” series will also relish this tale.” - School Library Journal

Praise for The Thirteenth Princess: “Delicious descriptions.” - Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Thirteenth Princess: Lively reworking of familiar elements.” - Booklist

A suspenseful climax leads to a happy conclusion. Fans of Gail Carson Levine’s “Princess Tales” series who are ready for something longer and more novelistic will love this tale - School Library Journal