Princess Academy contest results
Hooray! I can announce the winners of the princess academy contest.
Terah S. of Paia, Hawaii
Markie C. of New Hope, Alabama
Shannon M. of Bristow, Virginia
Congratulations, you gorgeous girls! What lovely, thoughtful, funny, perfect entries. I'm so honored to have such smart ladies as fans. It may take a few weeks to get your books to you. The grand prize winner gets a print out of rapunzel's revenge, of all the cool prizes, in addition to signed books and a phone call and a gift certificate. I wish I could say the phone call will be from George Clooney, but it'll just be me. I'm not sure when I'm supposed to do that...I guess we'll probably set up a time with your parents.
Can I say how incredibly difficult it was to choose? Bloomsbury received thousands of entries. They narrowed it down to forty for me, then I had the tough job of picking just three. I was able to get it down to fifteen without too much stress, but I'll admit that at that point, the winners were somewhat arbitrary, because all fifteen were so fabulous. I really had empathy for contest judges (it was the week after the Newbery announcements that I was doing this) and I don't think I ever want to be a judge again. So, if you entered and didn't win, just assume that you were one of the final fifteen, and it was a random typo that kept you from the gold. (Olivia T., I checked, and you were one of the final fifteen like I thought--but I'm not telling anyone else because I want you to just assume that you are.)
Here are a few of the tips to brighten your day:
After outwitting those bandits and saving your friends, plan your next adventure!
Never eat an apple to help out an old lady--because if you do you will be poisoned and no prince wants a poisoned princess (from a darling 10-year-old reader)
Be comfortable in your own skin.
Smile and laugh (the trick is for it to come as naturally as breathing)
Make sure you dance with every boy at a ball--because you never know which one is going to be your prince.
Seek the good in others.
Now go forth, young princesses, and save the world!