The Prince and the Dressmaker

by Jen Wang

When an unconventional dress design (“Make me look like the devil’s wench,”... read more

When an unconventional dress design (“Make me look like the devil’s wench,” says the client) costs Frances her job, it attracts the attention of a wealthy new patron in search of a personal seamstress. Whisked away to the palace, Frances discovers she’s been summoned by Prince Sebastian, heir to the throne. After a brief, half-hearted attempt to conceal his identity, Sebastian confesses that it is he who would like to wear her dresses. Although sometimes comfortable as Sebastian, the prince has an alter ego: the confident and charming Lady Crystallia. Under pressure from his loving but clueless parents to find a bride, Sebastian finds respite in several clandestine outings with Frances, dancing and meeting new people—one of who happens to be Frances’s idol, the famous designer Madame Aurelia, who offers Frances a spot in an upcoming fashion show. Frances jumps at the opportunity, but Sebastian is terrified it will lead to the discovery of his secret. This clearly and brightly illustrated graphic novel has a wonderfully affirming message of acceptance of gender-expansive identities. (Age 11 and older)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2019

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