The Princess Who Saved Herself

The Princess Who Saved Herself by Greg Pak is a graphic novel for children. It is based on the classic Jonathan Coulton song “The Princess Who Saved Herself”

This is the story of little princess Gloria who lives in a castle and plays guitar all the time. Her non-stop guitar playing irritates a wicked witch queen who lives nearby. The witch tries to scare away the little princess by sending bees and dragons to stop her from playing the guitar. But her evil plans fail every time, and Gloria wins over her enemies with honesty, love and kindness. Ultimately, she saves the witch from an accident and the two become friends.

The illustrations by Takeshi Miyazawa are just gorgeous. Gloria in her ripped jean, hoodie and crown is unlike the typical princess of fairy tales.

Also, the story is a twist to the classic children’s fairy tale. There isn’t a prince coming to save the damsel in distress, but the princess saves herself and even the witch who wished her harm. I loved the message of empowerment and self-reliance, which is being conveyed.

The narrative is as rhyming stanzas. Though it is off in certain places, it doesn’t negatively affect the reading experience.

Children in the age group of 9-12 years old would enjoy reading this.

Modern relatable characters, simple vocabulary, easy to read, cool pictures, and a wonderful message–overall, an excellent graphic novel which children are sure to enjoy.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wordsopedia rating 4/5

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About the Author

Greg Pak is a Korean American comic book writer and filmmaker best known for his award-winning feature film Robot Stories and his comics Mech Cadet Yu and Planet Hulk.

Get in touch with the Author on his website.