Book about a girl knight and her family

I remember reading a book about a girl who wanted to be a knight. Her mom and dad were magicians and they had these magic spell books that had faces and could talk. She had an older brother who was training to be a magician. I think she had a pet cat or something. At one point her family gets turned in to white rats. She ends up meting an old retired knight who shows her how to be a knight. Her family castle gets attacked and her and the knight have to go through some secrete underground passage way to get back to the castle. They have these lion statues that come to life to protect that castle. I also remember that for her 12th birthday she gets a magical suite of armor. It's children's fiction and I read it about 4 or 5 years ago. Any help would be greatly appreciated. (:

Also the cover had the girl in a suit of armor on top of a white horse with a crazy looking feather is sticking out of her helmet.

Igraine the brave by cornelia funke

posted too soon.

Its my daughter's favourite and the lions coming to life, magic spell books that can talk etc all fit, although I think her parents were turned into pigs if I remember right.

Cover picture matches too

Thank you so much! I'm so great full to have found it at last! I do believe you are right about them being pigs. I think a was think of another book with white rats. Well thank you again!!!

No problem. Have lost count of how often I have read that book now!