The Thirteenth Princess

The Thirteenth Princess by Diane Zahler is a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses (and yes, this is probably the fifth retelling of this tale that I've read, I can't get enough).  In this retelling the star is Zita, the thirteenth princess who was raised as a servant after her mother died during her childbirth.  Zita has to solve the mystery of her sister's illness and has a little romance on the side as she grows up.

I loved this retelling.  It was sweet and romantic (in a way that was very appropriate for young readers) and full of magic.  Zita made for a fantastic heroine who orchestrates the rescue with the help of a few friends.  I also liked that the author took out the creepy part of the story (the rescuer being able to marry any princess) and just gave us a soldier whom had a mutual affection for the oldest sister.  This is an easy and quick read.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that can be enjoyed by readers of all ages..  There is a bit of a romance between Zita and Brekin which is sweet and innocent.  The lexile is 850 putting it on a sixth grade reading level making it a great book for middle school readers and advanced older elementary students.