This was so adorable!! I absolutely loved the art, and the characters were so sweet! I would definitely recommend this cute summery graphic novel with Disneyland vibes! I think a lot of people will enjoy this book if they love Disney theme parks.

Marissa Meyer has done it again! Such a fun story! The art and the text went together beautifully. Loved the disney/not disney feel. The message was beautifully portrayed without diminishing the magic of the place and the characters. I love that someone was willing to put this out there that there are no plus size princesses and honestly there should be. There is no reason that a princess couldn't be "normal sized". While I love that we are getting real proportions with Moana we are not there yet.

I'm always on the lookout for new graphic novels, so I was excited to see this new book from Marissa Meyer and Joelle Murray. This one hooked me right away with its theme park setting, and I loved getting to go behind the scenes as Tabi chases her dream of working as a princess, even though things don't always turn out as she expects. The art is cute and colourful, and it really brings Sommerland to life. This is a perfect summer read with a great message and plenty of Disney vibes.

This was such a a cute graphic novel. I loved the message and also the sweet friendsip/ romance at the heart of this one. I also loved the message about following your dreams even when it seems impossilble I also loved the focus on self discover and i had such a fun time. I really fun read for all, but espically middle and high school kids, it has a lot of conversations and it was a rather heart warming read!!

This story is super cute! Tabitha dreams of being a princess performer at a theme park, inspired by the stories she’s loved since childhood. Unfortunately, she’s not what they’re typically looking for in those roles. But when something unexpected happens, and she steps in with the help of a friend, things take a magical turn. Even though she ends up in trouble, something amazing comes out of it. The art is beautifully done and captures the magic of the park and the wonder of the story.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

This was a cute graphic novel centered around a girl whose dream is to be a character at the Sommerland parks. (Which is basically Disney with another name) I enjoyed the graphic novel overall, I just wish we would have gotten more background in Sommerland. This place was so captivating for the Tabitha but completely foreign and never explained to the audience. I know that wasn’t the overall point of the story, but it would have added to the enjoyment of reading it.

This book was a fun wholesome read with beautiful graphics.

Art style was adorable and I like the message a lot, it will really resonate with young dreamers. The faux disney and their rules is interesting as well

Well this was a bit of an odd reading experience, having done a Disney College Program, which is what I'm assuming the setting of the story is based on.

There were some things that were unrealistic (mostly the ending and the fact that these were high schoolers, but it's not like this is nonfiction nor the point of the story).

I loved the fat representation and the discussion of the way that princess (Disney princesses) are always thin. It's an important discussion especially when the princesses are meant to be role models for kids, but if you're a fat kid, you don't ever see yourself represented.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

This graphic novel managed to be sweet despite its centering around fatphobia. It's clearly a parody of Disney and the Disney College Program, and I think it highlights a lot of both the magic that does exist in working for such a theme park as well as the unseen challenges the employees often deal with behind the scenes. It still stays lighthearted, but it does drive home that those are real people behind the character actors. The light romance was also cute, and our main character was very dedicated and showed that she was willing to take legitimate constructive criticism and improve in the work she was passionate about.

Awww this was so cute and the animation style was adorable. I love the messaging behind this story and it just left me feel so warm and feel-good. Loved it!

This graphic novel was sweet sentimental and just perfect. Tabby has always wanted to be one of the famous princesses of Summerland. Think of it like Ariel to Disneyland. However, she doesn’t fit the normal princess mold. First off, she’s not princess size. But she has a dream and she wants an HEA and she’s going to hunt for it. Her summer at Summerland is a Disney dream in the making. It has a perfect HEA that makes this a charmingly sweet read. So sweet it might rot your teeth, but you’re going to enjoy the taste as it goes down.

A YA graphic novel by @marissameyerauthor & @pannacotta_cupcake perfect for Disney kids & adults!
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After Tabi’s parents divorced when she was younger, her father took her to Sommerland, where she renewed her belief in true love. Now she’s a teenager and is hoping to get a job there as one of the princesses. She soon realizes that in order to get hired for a character job you have to be thin. Tabi ends up being assigned to the nacho food stand instead, but she doesn’t give up. She has support from new coworkers, her crush and the pride and love she has for herself.
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This was a truly special book one that I know tweens and teens will flock to. Fans of Pumpkinheads, Hot Dog Girl or Promchanted will adore this wholesome title as well. I’ll be adding to my middle school library asap!

CW: body shaming, fatphobia, bullying, violence, sexual harassment

Ever since she was a little girl, Tabi has LOVED visiting Sommerland, a magical theme park that strives to be the most wonderful place on earth. She's always dreamed of working there when she grows up, and more than anything, she wants to play one of the elegant princesses who roam the park, greeting visitors and posing for photos. But, Tabi doesn't quite resemble management's idea of what a princess should look like . . . so it's off to the nacho stand to to hawk queso-drenched comestibles for her.

Tabi proves to have an indomitable spirit, and adversity only encourages her to work even harder to make her wish come true.

This is a delightful young adult graphic novel that features a story that is every bit as charming and enchanting as its heroine.

Cute and sweet! I liked the way they weren’t explicitly mean about the fatphobia but it was obvious in everything that went unsaid. This was beautiful drawn. I loved that this world had so many diverse royals! I also liked that the park owner was alive, well, and still creating new stories. Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys Disney, romance, fairy tales, or plain old YA romances. Tabi was a delightful protagonist and I loved her never-give-up spirit! She refused to let anything keep her down long.

Having known someone who worked at D*sney, I felt very in with this landscape. I knew a lot of the backstage lore already and although the references were often subtle, I really liked the ways it poked fun at the big D. It was smart and clever without dragging it too harshly (Definitely deserves worse criticism but that’s not for this book). I especially appreciated how Tabi called out her coworkers for their cynical downtrodden way of complaining about the park.

This graphic novel was such a cute love letter to theme parks like disneyworld and how to be true to yourself. It had important themes like body image and fat shaming that alot of teens go through in their daily lives. The romance between the characters was also really cute. The ending had me all teary eyed and made me miss disneyland.

Anyone familiar with Disney will be able to tell that We Could Be Magic is set in a Disney-esque theme park. I definitely saw a bunch of references to stuff that I've heard Disney employees mention on fun facts about the parks and interviews and what not so that was kind of cute and fun to see. For example, throwing in the tutorial that every employee, even characters in costume, are meant to help keep the park clean by picking up trash but that there's a certain way to do it.

I also really liked that this wasn't just your basic "find summer love in a theme park job" type of story but that there was also the added element of Tabitha's determination to get a character role even though she was heavier than said character was in their movie. The whole concept of keeping things the exact same was put to the test when Tabitha not only proved that she could do the role but had to in a last minute moment.

I also liked how even though it was a short graphic novel that it took the time to really show the evolution of the characters and how they grew over the summer. I really liked Tabitha's interactions with her roommate and the two guys she was interested in.

Overall I very much enjoyed the book and though it was very sweet and fun.

We Could Be Magic follows Tabi Laurie, a die-hard theme park fan who lands her dream summer job at Sommerland, only to discover that their idea of a “perfect princess” doesn’t include someone who looks like her. Reassigned to a nacho stand instead of a royal role, Tabi must find her voice, lean on new friends (and a sweet new crush), and create her own kind of magic to rewrite the fairy tale on her terms.

This story gave me all the warm-and-fuzzy feelings I was hoping for. In such an approachable and heartfelt way, Meyer explores the toxic side of princess culture and the unrealistic beauty standards that are often pushed by peers and institutions. At its core, it’s about doing the work to feel secure in who you are and embracing what you’re capable of.

I absolutely adored Tabi and James. Watching their relationship grow was such a joy. It was everything I hoped for—sweet, supportive, and sincere. James, in particular, stood out with how confident he is in himself and how deeply he supports Tabi.

And I can’t forget the artwork by Joelle Murray. The illustrations were gorgeous, detailed, and perfectly matched the story’s tone. I especially loved how much representation and diversity were included throughout, even in the background characters. It made the whole world feel rich and real.

This book was absolutely precious, and I loved almost every minute of it. It was like a huge Disney hug. However, the very end rubbed me a teeny bit the wrong way, and I would hope that plus size teens reading this know that they can dress like whoever they want, regardless of body size. They don't need a special fat character made just for them.

Tabitha is so sweet. I love how she just gets going when she figures out what she wants and how to get it. And I was also a little frustrated that she struggled to ask for help or to acknowledge out loud that the place was upholding very limiting beauty standards that specifically excluded her. Because she didn't look how they imagined a princess would. Tabitha keeps preparing for the next audition though. Along the way, friendships are formed along with a little romance, of course.

The graphic novel is completely captivating and the bts view into what it might be like to work at a place like Disney or any theme park that has characters and role play teams that come each season.

If you really love Disney and/or Disney Land then this is absolutely the book for you. It was cute and sweet, and the ending absolutely got me. That said, if Disney isn't a big thing for you, or like me you liked the movies as a kid but feel a little more neutral about the company now, "We Could Be Magic" is an okay story with some fun characters. As a coming of age YA graphic novel, it does its job and would be a great read for a teen looking for a fun summer story with a romance element.