Title: Princess Princess Ever AfterAuthor: Kay O'Neill
First Published: September 7, 2016
Publisher: Oni Press
Pages: 58
Genre: Fantasy, LGBTQ, Middle Grade
Format: Hardcover
Source: Library
Rating:
Synopsis:
When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all. Join Sadie and Amira, two very different princesses with very different strengths, on their journey to figure out what “happily ever after” really means--and how they can find it with each other.
Review
I always love seeing a piece of fiction that subverts the classic princess trope, especially for young readers. Princess Princess Ever After is a queer middle-grade graphic novel about princesses that defy the role they were given by birth. Sadie is a crybaby “fat” princess locked in a tower, and Amira is a daring princess dressed as a dashing prince. Together with their unicorn and baby dragon, they overcome obstacles, growing stronger together.
The story is simple, and straightforward with its message about accepting one’s self and standing up to difficult challenges. The cute illustrations and simple story and dialogue make it a great choice for young readers. While the story can be a bit thin, it’s appropriate for the age group. I didn’t like the name-calling, which isn’t addressed when the princesses do it to a prince.
It can’t be understated how good O’Neill’s art is, their style is so distinct and eye-catching. Either way, my daughters and I enjoyed this little graphic novel. It’s fluffy and sweet and a wholesome happy read with a little bit of cheeky humor. This story is one of the ones that I wish I would have had as a girl, and I’m glad that I can share it with my little ones.
Quote
“Fear not, noble prince, for we have come to rescue you!”
Content Warnings
View Spoiler »About the Author
About Kay O’Neill
Kay O’Neill is an illustrator and graphic novelist from New Zealand. They are the author of Princess Princess Ever After, The Tea Dragon Society, Aquicorn Cove, and more. They mostly make gentle fantasy stories for younger readers, and are very interested in tea, creatures, things that grow, and the magic of everyday life.
On an Instagram post 17th December 2020 the author shared that they use they/them pronouns and prefers to be called Kay.
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