New Coloring Book About an Imperfect Princess with Two Dads

A coloring book about a girl with two dads who imagines herself as a “princess ballerina” reminds us that princesses come in many forms and have many strengths, separately and together.

The True Colors of a Princess

Following up on last year’s picture book What Does a Princess Really Look Like (my review here), author Mark Loewen and illustrator Ed Pokoj bring us The True Colors of a Princess Coloring Book, another look at the life of protagonist Chloe. Chloe tells us again about how she imagines herself as a princess, emphasizing that “A princess gets to choose for herself what she looks like.” Princesses, we learn, are smart, strong, responsible, and help others. They may be doctors, scientists, artists, ninjas, or explorers, in addition to their royal duties.

Most of the images are of Chloe, but a few are of her and her dads, who support and encourage her and remind her that “Everyone makes mistakes — even princesses!” Readers are also invited not only to color in the images, but also to bring their own selves to the pages, drawing in their own family, clothes, or hair style, for example, or adding words or pictures showing themselves sharing an opinion, standing up for someone else, working with a team, or taking responsibility for a chore.

Loewen, a gay dad and father of a girl himself, as well as a therapist in private practice, has brought a thoughtfulness to the work from both his personal and professional experiences. I particularly like the page stating “Princesses rely on each other for help! Draw a team of princesses working together!” It’s a good counter to all of the movies and other stories that have only one significant female character (I’m looking at you, Star Wars: A New Hope) or otherwise fail the Bechdel-Wallace test. The only thing more frightening to the patriarchy than a strong woman is a team of strong women. This little coloring book encourages both.

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