The Princess Who Saved Herself tells a heartwarming story of music, friendship and the power of believing in yourself.
The music of Jonathan Coulton has touched millions of fans, and in The Princess Who Saved Herself hardcover, kids will have a chance to connect with his fun-filled ideas. Joined by writer Greg Pak and artist Takeshi Miyazawa, Coulton’s music comes to life like never before in an exciting adventure that is sure to capture the hearts of young readers. With beautiful art, a true sense of whimsy and an adorable lead character, KaBOOM!’s latest collection is great for the whole family.
Based on the song of the same name, The Princess Who Saved Herself follows a young princess named Gloria Cheng Epstein Takahara de la Garza Champion. Gloria lives in a castle by the waterfall with a pink and purple wall, spending her days eating cake with her pet snake. She also likes to play guitar, which angers the very wicked queen who lives down the stream. One day, the queen decides that she has had enough of the Princess and begins trying to stop Gloria, using her magic to banish the sun, as well as to send a giant bee and dragon to interfere in Gloria’s play. But when Gloria and the wicked queen finally meet face to face, the power of music proves to be the most important magic in the kingdom!
Writer Greg Pak brings The Princess Who Saved Herself to life, reimaging the music and lyrics of Jonathan Coulton into an exciting story. Pak is the author behind countless comics, including the recent DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration, and he understands how to tell fun, satisfying adventures for all ages. The original song for The Princess Who Saved Herself is filled with quirky jokes and silly lyrics, which Pak integrates into his story. Beyond that, he also adds in characters like the giant bee that further the plot and help build up an entire world for Gloria to inhabit. Gloria herself is absolutely delightful and works well as an audience surrogate. She is filled with energy, enthusiasm and an open-mindedness that should endear her to parents and kids alike.
With any book intended for young readers, the art is crucial towards engaging with kids. Takeshi Miyazawa’s art is a sight to behold. His work is animated and lively. Every page is filled with love and care, with expressive characters and silly backgrounds that add in additional humor. There is one particular page where Gloria plays her guitar while her friends have a tea party in the background that is completely ridiculous and heartwarming. Miyazawa is also able to make things feel dangerous without ever making the story too scary, which is important for a children’s work such as this.
Colorist Jessica Kholinne is the perfect complement to Miyazawa’s art. Her work enhances his imaginative characters and uses a lot of bold contrast to make everything pop off of the page. One of the great details of this series is how she blends the backgrounds of the book into the margins of the page, which helps play into the storybook vibes and allows the action to stand out. The letters from Simon Bowland are also great for this, as they layer the story with multiple voices in a way that kids can clearly understand. His sound effects add depth to everything and prove to be critical for many of the book’s musical sequences.
Overall, The Princess Who Saved Herself is a great book for kids and parents. The story builds off of the original song by Jonathan Coulton and creates a world of wonder and whimsy that defies expectations. For fans who missed out on the original Kickstarter run of this book, this hardcover is a must have. Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa continue to be an incredible pairing and one can only hope that the sequel book, The Princess Who Saved Her Friends will also released soon.
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