The Prince and the Dressmaker

General YA Graphic Novel

VG/A. Wang, Jen. The Prince and the Dressmaker.  First Second, 2018. 312p. 978-1-62672-363-4. 16.99.

After having designed such a scandalous dress for Lady Sophia Rohan, Frances finds herself unexpectedly let go. Luckily, she soon finds herself as a personal seamstress for a private client -- the mysterious Lady Crystallia.  By night, the confident, bold, beautiful and alluring Lady Crystallia takes Paris by storm.  By day, Lady Crystallia is none other than the Crown Prince Sebastian of Belgium, a dutiful son for whom his parents are steadfastly searching for a bride.  Whenever Sebastian wears Frances’ beautiful creations, he feels absolutely transformed, that he can do just about anything.  Just as Lady Crystallia and Frances’ designs grow in popularity - all the girls want to dress like her - so, too, does the need for secrecy. Sebastian is worried about what his parents would think if they find out the truth.  He implores Frances to keep his secret, but Sebastian’s secret may tear their friendship apart.  Frances knows that in order to keep Sebastian’s secret she would have to keep her own talents a secret and miss out on following her dreams.  Sebastian is torn between following his parent’s wishes or being honest and remaining true to himself.  Jen Wang’s delightful and refreshing graphic novel is a wonderfully illustrated, unconventional fairy tale that will captivate many fans. C. Campos, LAPL, Benjamin Franklin