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About The Book

Cecelia looks like a peasant girl and lives in a village so small that it's not even on the map. But she knows that secretly, she is the true princess, hidden away as a baby to be kept safe from the enemies of the kingdon. A commoner named Desmia was placed on the throne as a decoy. Cecelia has always known that when it was safe, she would be taken out of hiding and returned to her rightful place on the throne.

Then danger finds her in her village, and Cecelia has to act. With the help of her best friend Harper, she decides to take matters into her own hands, relieve Desmia of the the crown, and take up her own rule. But when they venture from their small village to the capital city and into the famed Palace of Mirrors, Harper and Cecelia discover that all is not as it seems, and that they have placed themselves in more danger than ever before.

About The Author

The Backstage Studio

Margaret Peterson Haddix is the author of many critically and popularly acclaimed YA and middle grade novels, including the Children of Exile series, The Missing series, the Under Their Skin series, and the Shadow Children series. A graduate of Miami University (of Ohio), she worked for several years as a reporter for The Indianapolis News. She also taught at the Danville (Illinois) Area Community College. She lives with her family in Columbus, Ohio. Visit her at HaddixBooks.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (February 9, 2010)
  • Length: 320 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781442402508
  • Grades: 5 - 9
  • Ages: 10 - 14
  • Lexile ® NC820 The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®

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Awards and Honors

  • Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee (AZ)

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More books from this author: Margaret Peterson Haddix

More books in this series: The Palace Chronicles