“A vivid masterpiece.”  — Nadine Brandes, author of Romanov and Fawkes “A beautifully written, fantastical page-turner.”  —  Kirkus Reviews "Deeply engaging and piercing. An illustration that courage and strength can be found in unexpected places and in unexpected people."  — Nafiza Azad, author of  The Candle and the Flame Perfect for fans of The Cruel Prince and Sorcery of Thorns , this exhilarating, page-turning fantasy will pull readers into a lush and stunning world where nothing—and no one—can be trusted. I did not choose this fate. But I will not walk away from it. Children have been disappearing from across Menaiya for longer than Amraeya ni Ansarim can remember. When her friend’s sister is snatched, Rae knows she can’t look away any longer—even if that means seeking answers from the royal court, where her country upbringing and clubfoot will only invite ridicule. Yet the court holds its share of surprises. There she discovers an ally in the foreign princess, who recruits her as an attendant. Armed with the princess’s support, Rae seeks answers in the dark city streets, finding unexpected help in a rough-around-the-edges street thief with secrets of his own.  But treachery runs deep, and the more Rae uncovers, the more she endangers the kingdom itself. Praise for Intisar Khanani’s Thorn : “Set in a dark and dangerous world. Well-written and dramatically told, teens will find much to love in a novel in which the princess grows to become a force to be reckoned with.” — School Library Journal ( starred review ) “Khanani beautifully crafts Alyrra’s quiet but clear journey of self-definition." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books ( starred review ) Gr 9 Up—Though she never really wanted to leave Sheltershorn, her small quiet town far from the hustle and bustle of the city, Rae is the only one who has a hope of finding her best friend's sister Seri, the latest victim of kidnappers. When she arrives in the city, Rae is dismayed to see the discrepancies between the way the very wealthy and powerful live and the squalor of the lower classes' homes and streets. Even worse, those who are in power seem to have no regard for the children who continue to go missing. When Rae is invited to become an attendant to the princess, she almost immediately becomes embroiled in the plots and machinations of palace life, putting her in more danger than she ever expected to face. An unresolved ending will give readers hope that there are more sequels to come in this fascinating series. The only weakness in this novel is how quickly a girl from a family of horse breeders in a small village is accepted into the inner circle of the royal family. Most characters have brown skin. VERDICT Political intrigue, child slavery, societal inequities, and physical infirmities are all explored in this quick-paced read by the author of Thorn.—Jane Henriksen Baird, formerly at Anchorage P.L., AK Praise for Intisar Khanani’s THORN:   “Set in a dark and dangerous world…well-written and dramatically told, teens will find much to love in a novel in which the princess grows to become a force to be reckoned with.” - School Library Journal (starred review) “Khanani beautifully crafts Alyrra’s quiet but clear journey of self-definition… [ Thorn ] is sure to appeal to fans of Carson’s  The Girl of Fire and Thorns  and Ahdieh’s  The Wrath and the Dawn. ” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) “Immersive and captivating…[will] draw in fans of fantasy and slow-burn romance.” - Kirkus Reviews “ Thorn  is a lovely atmospheric fairytale fantasy about a girl and her found family. I loved it!” - Gail Carriger, New York Times-bestselling author of the Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School series "A quietly profound and beautiful fairytale retelling that I'll be recommending for years." - S. A. Chakraborty, author of City of Brass “Lush and vividly imagined, THORN takes a folktale we  think  we know and turns it into something new: a story of and for our time, with lessons that will remain with readers long after they have finished the last, glorious pages.”  - G. Willow Wilson, author of The Bird King “Khanani returns to Menaiya to expand the first volume’s worldbuilding while maintaining a depth of political and magical intrigue, developing heart-wrenchingly emotional characters, and adding hints of romance… A beautifully written, fantastical page-turner.”  - Kirkus Reviews “While sleuthing and danger aplenty keep things moving, Rae’s clashes with engaging thief Bren illuminate questions about the nature of justice and the responsibility of power… Returning readers will be delighted, but this is a friendly entry point for new readers, too.“ - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Khanani’s  Thorn  explores themes of resilience, responsibility, and identity in a darkly captivating retelling that is more than the sum of its parts. This is the kind of book that digs under your skin and make