The Prince & the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

If you’re in need of something too wonderful for words, to fill you with warmth and joy — and who isn’t?! — then look no further than the delightfully charming and heart-warming new YA graphic novel, The Prince & the Dressmaker by Jen Wang – which hits store shelves TODAY!

Paris, at the dawn of the modern age:

Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride―or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia―the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances―one of only two people who know the truth: sometimes this boy wears dresses. But Frances dreams of greatness, and being someone’s secret weapon means being a secret. Forever. How long can Frances defer her dreams to protect a friend? Jen Wang weaves an exuberantly romantic tale of identity, young love, art, and family. A fairy tale for any age, The Prince and the Dressmaker will steal your heart.

I can’t even begin to tell you how much I ADORED this story. As a graphic novel, it’s a pretty quick read – which just makes it easier to go back and re-read repeatedly to continue savoring the magic of each page.

Through words and images, Wang has woven together a new fairy tale filled with friendship, unexpected love and learning to be your truest self. This book made me feel all the warm fuzzy feelings, and even now just thinking about it again, I am filled with overwhelming joy.

The Prince & the Dressmaker is the kind of book you should read to feel happy. To feel hope and joy. It’s so delightful, and purely magical. I cannot recommend it enough.

As part of the official blog tour (see the full schedule HERE!), I’ve been asked to share my favorite panel. And while this is a tad spoiler-y (because it’s from the last few pages), I can’t help but share my fierce love of this panel featuring the prince’s father, the king, using his actions to show how much he loves and supports his son, regardless of what society might think. It’s the kind of love every child deserves from a parent, and it’s just captured so beautifully here.

The Prince & the Dressmaker is in stores now.

Jen Wang is a cartoonist and illustrator currently living in Los Angeles. Her works have appeared in the Adventure Time comics and LA Magazine. She recently illustrated Tom Angleberger’s Fake Mustache. Her graphic novels Koko Be Good and In Real Life (with author Cory Doctorow) were published by First Second. jenwang.net