"The Silver Crown", Robert C. O'Brien

"She had known all along that she was a queen, and now the crown proved it..." (excerpt from page 1, "The Silver Crown" by Robert C. O'Brien)
When ten-year-old Ellen awakens to find a silver crown for her birthday, left mysteriously on the pillow beside her, she finds herself thrust into a strange world. When she leaves to go for a walk, taking only the crown with her, she returns to to find her family missing and her house burning to the ground. Not knowing where else to go, and if her family is even alive, she sets off in search of her Aunt.

The crown seems to have a mind of its own, and Ellen is thrust into a dark and strange world. I don't want to give too much away, because the book is terrific at giving just enough information to keep you reading and guessing. It does have some mature themes (Ellen accepts a ride from a stranger, witnesses a murder, a fire destroys her home) but I first read this at the age of 12 myself (though I was also reading Stephen King novels at this age too). If you are a concerned parent, I'd rate this book a PG/PG-13.

As a side-bar, if you are a silver-lover, now you can invest in Silver. Silver has actually become more valuable (many jewelry companies have been raising their prices lately) and can be a great long-term investment.
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fantasy