Spunky, fun, fantastic, perfect for fans of The Princess in Black who are outgrowing the series and ready for their next rule-breaking royal.

Greg Pak and Takeshi Miyazawa write and illustrate this picture book based on Jonathan Coulton's song. It's a fun story about a princess who loves to play guitar and the queen who is annoyed by it. I love how the princess finds nonviolent ways to stop the creatures sent to stop her from playing.

I thought this book was just okay, I liked the message but it didn't flow well for me. The message was great though!

This was a pretty fun book to read. We meet a little princess who loves to play her guitar all day long. There is an evil witch nearby who can’t stand hearing it and plans to do something about it. Yet each plan fails one way or another and this causes the witch to take drastic action. As this tale comes to a close though things work out alright and life for this princess will never be the same.

This book turns the traditional princess stereotype on it's head with outgoing Gloria Cheng Epstein Takahara de la Garza Champion. What a name, what a girl, what a princess. All young girls should read this wonderful graphic novel!

I'm not a big fan of princess stories in general though I do like a book where a girl is in control of her own destiny. And especially in a case like this where she is fully confident in herself. She doesn't let a negative personality get her down. I like, too, that the resolution is understanding, listening to other people and learning from other wisdom.

I got this on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really cute, short, simple and sweet graphic novel! I really enjoyed the story, the art, and just the general vibe! Would really recommend this to anyone with younger children, or adults who just want something super cute! It gives me strong Trolls vibes, if anyone has seen those movies!

If the cover doesn't get you, the story will. The Princess Who Saved Herself by Greg Pak is a sweet, little book that packs a punch.

Here are my notes about this super adorable book:
1. The bumblebee and dragon pictures at the start of the book are adorable. Love it!
2. Gloria is a gem. I like her. She has cool outfits and has a pet snake. She's my new friend.
3. The snake has a hat.
4. Incredible and colourful illustrations that make the book pop.
5. Music. Guitar. Rock'n'Roll.
6. The very wicked queen has a killer outfit. I like it.
7. Engaging story, amazing visuals, fun time.

Overall, this book is great! Give it a look see and enjoy the positivity of a strong female lead in a rock'n'roll world!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and BOOM! Studios for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Simple graphic novel based on the song by Jonathan Coulton. Girls will love the strong Princess character.

This was a delight to rad. I loved the rhyming scheme, and the art is beautiful! I loved the messages of mostly non-violence, but still defending yourself. And also the resolution was so wonderful!

'The Princess Who Saved Herself' by Greg Pak with illustrations by Takeshi Miyazawa is a picture book inspired by a song by Jonathan Coulton.

In this story, the princess is an awesome kid who plays guitar and has a pet snake. The evil queen is annoyed by the noise and sends a dragon to stop the princess, but not much can stop this princess. The ending takes a nice turn.

I loved this rhyming heartfelt book. If my children were younger, we'd have a great time reading and laughing out loud. The illustrations are just fantastic!

I received a review copy of this ebook from BOOM! Studios and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

I knew this would be a fun look at a song in illustrated form. Best of all it's none of the typical kidnapping, just an exaggerated look of how a child spends their day. You really gotta love how artists like Jonathan Coulton write songs like this how Greg Pak keeps it flowing and how Takeshi Miyazawa illustrates it. These three people are really just having a good time and sharing it with others.

Kids will enjoy this short tale of a musical princess and her band. The art depicts the princess with a modern sensibility in dress and attitude, unlike most old fashioned fairytales. The villain has a perfectly understandable reason for being grouchy, making the ending very satisfying. This colorful adaptation of a song into a graphic novel will have big kid appeal.

It was a pretty good comic, really simple, definitely fun for young kids with a beautiful design!
I thought the music vibe was pretty cool too, the line of the story was basic, but then again it is meant to be a kids book so I think that is a positive aspect!

To say film director and comic book author Greg Pak’s The Princess Who Saved Herself recasts the image of an ancient concept of maidenhood is like casting Disney’s Princess Jasmine as a love-struck teenager. There is truth in those statements, but the narrowness of the summaries miss the effort’s full significance. In this bid to reshape fantasy characters the author’s erratic rhyme pattern and his Marvel Comic’s collaborator Takeshi Miyazawa’s illustrations combine to offer adults a comic that can be handled like most read-aloud texts. The plot will entertain most youngsters below the third grade either as a tale about princesses and wild creatures or heavy metal music. Pak and Miyazawa turn out a main character who, as promised, is chocked full of bravery, determination and compassion.
Research into the publisher, KaBOOM!, a division of Boom Entertainment, showed this fantasy title is one of many efforts to shift the paradigm of fairy tales. The story shares title and is reportedly based on a song by Jonathan Coulter, which I never heard. As readers will see from the credits, the striking presentation is the result of a huge staff. The KaBOOM! collection also includes the Adventure Time and Mega Princess graphic novel series. Still, whether as a comic book for an early reader or a picture book for a child who does not, from the title to the last page, The Princess Who Saved Herself , shouts its differences.
The main character sets the pace. Any princess who spends days with a pet snake, at tea parties with cake, then plays loud rock ‘n’ roll off key, shows off a personality that will gain readers attention for its unpredictability. This child is no Cinderella. In line with the 21st century reality, she is a six- or seven-year-old rebel in a world of no boundaries.
“There wasn’t anybody there to tell her what to do,” Pak writes. “So she did what she wanted to.” She played a red guitar loud and out of tune. I was not certain whether readers were meant to find that annoying or a sign of defiance. It was hard to figure whether the character was spoiled or self-absorbed. Even when an older, more experienced, guitarist described as, “the wicked queen,” tries to get her to stop. Some readers might be put off by an initial negative impression, but the character develops as she applies her superpower – love.
This is not a spoiler. There are a number of twists and turns in the story, which I conceded younger minds than mine might enjoy. The queen sends a giant bee and a dragon to stop her little nemesis. Both are defeated by the princess’s open heart. After a couple more plot twists, her loving behavior ropes in the queen, too.
The aspects of the story that did not work for me failed because the author appeared to press too far against traditions with no seeming cause. Readers will grasp from page one this not grandma and grandpa’s concept of young royalty.
Number one is the princess’s name – Gloria Cheng Epstein Takahara de la Garza Champion. I can see the average adult reading that over and over to an attentive, but confused child. Readers will likely go at it at least six times before they say, “Let’s just call her Gloria.” I considered the author might have wanted to convey some sense of multiculturalism with such a bird’s nest of a name. The effect is overkill. Most children will not recall the full name by the book’s final page.
Number two – the story takes a lot of leaps. Readers might find themselves saying, “What?” There are several places where the plot does not have smooth transitions in its development. For example, one moment the dragon cries, then sneezes and sets loose an inferno that burns down the kingdom. Readers might find themselves jarred by the omissions or unexplained shifts in action. Listeners might not notice.
Overall, The Princess Who Saved Herself is worth a read as a comic or picture book. The text will stir the imagination for adults who enjoy fresh characters. The princess and the wicked queen endear themselves and show depth. The plot will hold a child’s attention, and ends with a very personal touch that might make the story a bedtime favorite.

Great story for younger readers. I love the rhythmic beat to the story. Artwork is very vivid. This story shows us how kindness can go along way.

The vibrant, modern illustrations were the perfect compliment to this girl power story about kindness, forgiveness, friendship, and the power to save one's self.

A little princess (who could be any of us) loves to play the guitar. But her guitar playing angers the queen who tries multiple ways to stop her. When they finally meet, the truth comes out, and they discover common ground. Beautifully written and illustrated, this graphic novel belongs in all libraries.

This book is pure joy and so much fun to read! I loved the message present throughout and the simple, yet powerful story.

As fun as the Jonathan Coulton song that inspired it, with lots of very fun and colorful art by Takeshi Miyazawa that is full of cute characters and fun actions.
I can see this being a very fun bedtime read for young readers who enjoy music.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and KaBOOM! for the early read!