By Jen Wang
A prince who loves wearing gowns and the seamstress who designs them build a secret, and a real friendship, in old Paris.
Prince Sebastian is supposed to be finding a bride, but at night he becomes Lady Crystallia, the boldest, most talked-about woman in Paris society. His secret weapon is Frances, a brilliant young seamstress who sews Crystallia's spectacular gowns. The two become best friends and maybe something more. But Frances is aching to be known for her own work, and Sebastian is terrified of what happens if the king finds out who Lady Crystallia really is. Their secret can't hold forever, and when it breaks, both of them have to decide what they'll risk to be themselves.
It's a fairy tale that goes down easy, a fast, gorgeous graphic novel your reluctant reader can finish in an afternoon, carrying a story with real feeling underneath. Sebastian's fear of being found out, Frances's hunger to be seen for her talent, the way they keep choosing each other: it all lands without a heavy hand. And the ending is the rare one where a parent shows up and chooses love. When the king himself finally walks the runway in one of Frances's dresses, it's the kind of moment you close the book smiling over.