This is truly an incredible book. It will be particularly helpful to any child (or adult) who struggles with perfectionism, or learning to love themselves. It's nice to see a story with a multi-dimensional trans protagonist that has a happy ending. It's great that there are also English and Spanish version of this story, so that it can be accessible to even more people to enjoy. I think it was also very considerate of the author to include a guide for parents/caregivers on their website with discussion questions to help open up important conversations with our kids. From an aesthetic perspective, the illustrations are beautifully painted, and the watercolor style with tangible brushstrokes and vibrant colors really demonstrates the incredible amount of hand painted small details that all contribute to a great book. This beautifully written and illustrated story is one that I look forward to sharing with the children in my life for years to come.

Firstly, the illustrations are great and really convey the story without needing the words. Secondly, i love how everyone is do accepting of Amina coming out as her true self and how they help her realize the you can be loved for being yourself. Thirdly, it was also nice seeing the complexity between Amina and Keiran’s friendship while also supporting each other in odd ways.

Princess Amina is a great main character. She is consistently her true self, and her character's evolution fits the story. I thought the overall message is really important, and I think having a main character like Amina to read about is vital for kids who would see themselves in her, and whose identities are being fought.

This is such a lovely story with a really important message.

I really loved Amina’s journey and how it centers around letting go of perfection. Watching her realize that she doesn’t have to be perfect to be loved — that just being her true self is enough — felt very meaningful, especially for younger readers.

It’s one of those stories that works on multiple levels too. Kids will enjoy the fantasy adventure and magic, but there’s also a really gentle, underlying message about identity, acceptance, and self-worth.

Just a really sweet reminder that being yourself is more than enough.

We really loved this book and its message about being yourself and accepting others for who they are. The trans representation is handled in such a matter-of-fact, positive way that feels completely natural for young readers. It’s a little hard to see transphobia reflected in a story for small kids, but I also recognize that children experience these things in real life and deserve stories that help them name and navigate them. A beautiful, important read. Thanks to NetGalley and Bright Dragon Books for the read!

Aww so cute and positively affirming! Princess Amina balances royal duties with etiquette, fencing, and storytime. She feels she needs to be perfect and kind to everyone. One, her friend Keiran expresses dismay that Amina transitioned, trying to use magic to reset the status quo. It backfires, sending Amina out into the woods with her people transformed. She needs to head back, accept things aren't perfect including herself, and help everyone find their true forms. I'm just in love with all of this.

4.75 Stars rounded up.
I LOVED this book! It has a valuable lesson on perfectionism and acceptance that EVERYONE needs to read about, adults and children alike. I am an adult, and even I will be taking these lessons with me. I adored the plot of how Kieran the wizard missed who he knew, but even he came to learn that it is okay to not be perfect, and everyone is better off being who they truly are, compared to living as who they are not to try to please others.
There is no such thing as perfect!

I took off .25 stars only because I personally did not care for the anime style of the characters in the illustrations, but rounded up to 5 stars as this is a personal preference and it did not detract from the message or overall joy I got from reading this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

A story of a princess who wants to be perfect and a wizard who wants things to be as they were in the past. Our protagonist learns she doesn't have to do everything perfectly to be herself, and the wizard learns that things can change and still be good.

A very sweet book, perfect for anyone who needs a reminder they don't need to be perfect, or for anyone who needs a little help understanding that your friend is the same person, no matter what being true to themselves looks like.

The Perfect Prince(ss) is a very sweet book about a young girl who struggles with being perfect in order for those in her kingdom to love her. I read this with my 8 year old daughter, and we were both enamored by the artwork and enjoyed the story. Princess Amina is a trans girl, and this is handled in such a delicate way that my daughter didn't even notice when it was mentioned (though we have had discussions about many LGBT+ things in the past, and I would be welcome to this conversation in the future). I think this story would be loved by children who may be struggling with similar thoughts as Amina - being different, having to be perfect, or having to hide their true selves from others in order to keep them happy. Amina will show them that though they may face some who aren't happy with choices or changes they have made, you do not need to be perfect to keep them happy, and ultimately you have to be true to yourself.

As mentioned, the illustrations and watercolor painting in this book are beautiful. It doesn't look like any other children's book we have read, and with two kids, there have been many, many books read! The story itself is a big longer than some children's books, which to me is a good thing. We read it over two nights, only because my daughter was sleepy the first night, otherwise we could've finished it. It's a good way for some bonding time, and she would also be able to read it herself (third grade reading level). I think ages 6 to 12 would be a good audience for this book. I look forward to reading this with my daughter again and again!

This book is really special. It reminds me a lot of the Serendipity books, like "Leo the Lop" that I used to read as a child, which means that this book really knows how to reach it's intended audience: children who feel a bit out of place and are trying to find out how to belong in the world around them. "The Perfect Princess does something almost unheard of in children's literature: it combines two messages into the same story. Both acceptance of who you are, regardless of some people's expectations, and an exercise in moving away from perfectionism. As a recovering perfectionist, this story resonates with me, even as an adult. I would recommend this book to anyone who has ever felt like they needed to be perfect for any reason, and to anyone who has ever just wanted to be seen for their true selves.

Was a pleasure reading this book. Such a meaningful lesson about self discovery that relates to children & adults. A great book to start a discussion about what ut means to be yourself, as opposed to what we think perfection is.