What ‘Princess Academy’ means to Shannon Hale 20 years later

When author Shannon Hale’s third novel, “ Princess Academy ,” was first published 20 years ago, she says she was “so insecure” about it.

She remembers attending a signing for the middle-grade novel at The King’s English Bookshop in Salt Lake City not long after it was published, where she actively tried to dissuade would-be readers from buying the book.

“I said, ‘“The Goose Girl” is in paperback!’” Hale recently told the Deseret News, referring to her first published novel, which had been released only a couple years earlier. “‘That’s less money! Maybe get (“Princess Academy”) from the library.’”

Though she personally liked the book, she was still early enough in her career that she didn’t have much confidence it would do well.

“I thought, ‘This book is quiet and weird, like me,’”