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Maiden & Princess facts for kids
First edition cover
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| Author | Daniel Haack and Isabel Galupo |
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| Illustrator | Becca Human |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | fairy tale picture book |
| Publisher | Little Bee Books |
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Publication date
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April 2, 2019 |
| Pages | 40 |
| ISBN | 978-1-4998-0776-9 |
Maiden & Princess is a children's picture book from 2019. It was written by Daniel Haack and Isabel Galupo. Becca Human created the illustrations. The story is told using rhyming words.
This book is a fairy tale about a maiden. She goes to a royal ball to find a wife for the prince. But at the ball, she meets the princess instead. The maiden and princess fall in love.
Maiden & Princess is a companion book to Haack's earlier story, Prince & Knight (2018). Both books are set in the same make-believe world. They were created through a partnership between Bonnier Publishing USA and GLAAD. The authors wanted to write a simple love story for kids. They used familiar fairy tale ideas. The book was released on Lesbian Visibility Day. It received good reviews for changing traditional fairy tale plots. People also praised Becca Human's artwork.
The Story of Maiden & Princess
A king and queen decide to hold a big royal ball. They want to find a bride for their son, the prince. A maiden, who knows the prince from fighting battles with him, is not excited to go. But her mother encourages her, so she attends the ball.
At the ball, many guests, including the king and queen, suggest the maiden dance with the prince. She feels nervous and goes to a balcony to get some fresh air.
The prince's sister, the princess, finds the maiden on the balcony. They sit together and talk. As they chat, the maiden takes the princess's hand. She realizes she has strong feelings for the princess, not the prince.
The king and queen discover the two on the balcony. They notice how well the maiden and princess get along. The maiden then asks the princess to dance. They share a special dance and feel a deep connection, realizing their love for each other. Later, the maiden and princess spend a lot of time together. Eventually, they get married.
How the Book Was Made
In 2018, Little Bee Books worked with GLAAD. GLAAD is a group that supports fairness for all people. Together, they released Prince & Knight. This was a fairy tale about a prince and a knight who fall in love.
Daniel Haack, who wrote Prince & Knight, teamed up with Isabel Galupo. They both went to Ithaca College. They wrote Maiden & Princess together. It was meant to be a companion book. It takes place in the same fantasy world.
The authors wanted to create a simple love story. They hoped it would feel real to kids. Daniel Haack said they wanted to show "all the anxieties and excitement of first love." Isabel Galupo felt happy that Haack asked her to help. She said she had "lived experience" that was important for the book. They found working together "easy and organic."
Isabel Galupo grew up with two mothers. She always felt accepted by others. She wanted the story to show this feeling. The characters in Maiden & Princess do not face any meanness or unfair treatment. The maiden does deal with expectations from others. They expect her to like the prince.
The authors also thought about whether to end the story with a marriage. Isabel Galupo felt that some readers might not like this ending. But in the end, they decided marriage was the right way to finish their story.
Becca Human drew all the pictures for Maiden & Princess. The only request from the authors was that the maiden and princess should be from different backgrounds. They decided the princess and her family would be people of color. Becca Human drew many different characters. They had various backgrounds and body shapes.
The authors decided the maiden's special sign was Taurus. The princess's special sign was Leo. So, Becca Human included pictures of the Taurus and Leo star groups in the book. You can find them on the inside covers.
Maiden & Princess was published on April 2, 2019. The book launch was on April 26. This day was chosen to match Lesbian Visibility Day. The book has 40 pages and is written in rhymes. It was suggested for readers aged four to eight years. Money from book sales helps support acceptance for all people.
Images for kids
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First edition cover