Alexandra, the only daughter of a king, cleverly outwits her new, evil stepmother, Zella, in this imaginative fantasy based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Wild Swans.” When Zella turns Alexandra’s brothers into swans, she must learn how to use the special gifts she has inherited from her mother to save her family and the kingdom from the powerful and destruc tive Queen Zella. Marriott weaves magic, bravery, and romance together to create a richly detailed and totally engaging story. 2009 USBBY Outstanding International Books List. ca

Originally published by Walker Books Great Britain, in 2007.

A new voice in fantasy weaves a rich, entrancing tale of a girl with powerful healing gifts —- and the courage to use them to save her ailing kingdom.

Shadows fall across the beautiful, lush kingdom after the queen is attacked by an unnatural beast, and the healing skills of her daughter, Alexandra, cannot save her. Too soon the widowed king is spellbound by a frightening stranger, a woman whose eyes reflect no light. In a terrifying moment, all Alexandra knows disappears, including her beloved brothers, leaving her banished to a barren land. But Alexandra has more gifts than she realizes as she confronts magic, murder, and the strongest of evil forces, and is unflinchingly brave as she struggles to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Fantasy lovers will be held in thrall by this tale full of visual detail, peppered with a formidable destructive force and sweetened with familial and romantic love.