Meet the author

Shannon Hale.

Writer · United States · b. 1974

Shannon Hale: American author of Real Friends, the Princess in Black early readers and Princess Academy — warm, emotionally precise children's-book writing across formats for ages 5–14.

Shannon Hale is an American author born in 1974, with a broad children's-book catalogue spanning middle-grade graphic novels (Real Friends, Best Friends, Friends Forever, with LeUyen Pham on art, semi-autobiographical), the Princess in Black early-reader series (with Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham) and the YA fantasy novels Princess Academy (Newbery Honor) and The Goose Girl. Hale's voice is warm, observant and emotionally precise across these very different formats, and her output spans ages 5–14. A core contemporary American children's-book author across multiple formats.