The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang, 290 pp, RL 5

-
This Review Originally Appeared on March 9, 2018
I fell in love with Jen Wang's work years ago when I read her adult graphic novel Koko Be Good. I was new to graphic novels and still hadn't realized that graphic novels for adults didn't have to have super heroes in them and was completely enchanted by the story of a happy drifter living in San Francisco. Again, with In Real Life written by Cory Doctorow, I was enchanted by Anda, a plump teen who lives through the massively-multiplayer role playing game she spends all her free time on. Now, with The Prince and the Dressmaker, Wang has given the world a fairy tale for any age. Prince Sebastian and Frances are two characters to be enchanted by in this "exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art and family."

Set in fin de siècle Paris, Frances is a seamstress waiting to become the brilliant dressmaker she is. Prince Sebastian is turning sixteen and his parents are determined to find him a bride. Following the client's orders, Frances creates a dress that is both an abomination and an avant garde success, drawing the attention of a very wealthy new client who wants a personal dressmaker and a wardrobe full of shocking, amazing gowns.

Frances meets her benefactor, and, despite the disguise, the two bond over their mutual love of dramatic design. When Frances accidentally learns that her benefactor is a boy who likes to wear dresses, it bother her in the least. Frances agrees to keep Prince Sebastian's secret, knowing that this dream job could lead to future success. Donning the name Lady Crystallia, Sebastian (and Frances) take the Paris nightlife by storm.
As their friendship deepens, opportunities arise for Frances and challenges for Prince Sebastian. When Lady Crystallia's true identity is revealed to the court, things seem hopeless for Prince Sebastian and Frances. But, being a fairy tale, Wang delivers a deeply satisfying happy ending that had me a little weepy. As Hope Larson (A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel and Compass South) said in her fantastic blurb for this book, " The Prince and the Dressmaker is like a best friend: sometimes it takes you shopping, and sometimes it makes you cry, but it always loves you just the way you are." 


Also by Jen Wang

 

Source: Review Copy

Popular posts from this blog

Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari illustrated by Felicita Sala

-
Image
Be a Tree! by Maria Gianferrari illustrated by Felicita Sala Review Copy from Abrams Kids I picture-walked Be a Tree! three times before I actually read the words. Felicita Sala's illustrations for Maria Gianferrari's poetic text are mesmerizingly immersive and richly colorful within a palette of earth tones. Throughout the text, Gianferrari, who shares her inspiration for this book in the author's note ( Peter Wohleben's The Hidden Life of Trees ), gently maintains the human connection to trees and the connections (and communications) trees share with each other.  Be a Tree!  begins exuberantly, inviting the reader to "Be a tree! Stand tall. Stretch your branches to the sun. Let your roots curl, coil in the soil to ground you." From your spine/trunk to your skin/bark and your heart/pith, the words carry you inward and then zoom outward and up to the canopy and ultimately, the forest. "You are one of many trees," and our roots "twine with fung
Read more

Under Earth, Under Water by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizieliński, 112 pp, RL: ALL AGES

-
Image
Under Earth , Under Water by Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel  Mizieliński is their fourth book I have reviewed here and their fourth book with the marvelous Big Picture Press , a publisher of oversized, highly illustrated, gorgeous books who believe that books should be "visually intelligent, surprising, and accessible to readers of all ages, abilities and nationalities." BPP definitely achieves this with every book they publish and, if you are a book lover, you will want to seek out all their titles. Under Earth , Under Water will appeal to anyone who likes to look inside things and understand how things work. With Under Earth, Under Water , the Mizielińskis, who have an illustration style that is filled with tiny details and a unique palette, take readers on a detailed journey, from the top of the page to the bottom, over and under land and then sea. The endpapers serve as the introduction and table of contents, with images scattered across the spread, page nu
Read more

Fox + Chick: The Sleepover and Other Stories by Sergio Ruzzier

-
Image
Fox + Chick : The Sleepover and Other Stories  by Sergio Ruzzier Review Copy from Chronicle Books Friends. Opposites. Inhabitants of a pastel-hued, water color world that is vaguely surreal, Fox and Chick are back for a third installment of their inviting, if curious, easy-to-read stories. In "The Sleepover," "The Hammer," and "The Surprise," Chick's odd logic is once again upending Fox's life. Happily, Fox responds with patience and even wisdom at times. To these unforgettable characters and luminous illustrations, Ruzzier brings a sublime simplicity that makes this series perfect for emerging readers, adding books with character and intelligence to the often dull world of beginning reader books. If you aren't familiar with this delightful duo, definitely check out my reviews of the first two books (links below) where I put the greatness of Ruzzier's work into historical ( Frog & Toad ) context. Then check out ALL of Ruzzier's p
Read more