When King Rufus’ daughter, Princess Elena, is kidnapped by a mysterious old woman, two young men, Earnest and Gallant, set off on a quest to rescue her. They find the old woman, who says she will release the princess if they bring her “the greatest treasure in the land.” Gallant is brave and strong; Earnest is bookish and clever, and they must use their combined talents to complete their mission, falling in love in the process.
The two men’s adventures and their developing relationship are the best part of the book—classic fairytale challenges and travels. I’m less thrilled with the character of Princess Elena. At the beginning, the king tells the princess (who wears pink, of course) that she must marry. After she is kidnapped, he proclaims that whoever rescues her shall marry her. It turns out (spoiler alert!) that she had wished she wouldn’t have to marry a prince—and the old woman (who is really an enchantress), granted the wish by pretending to kidnap her. We’re still left with the sense that her father treats her as a commodity and she can’t herself take action, but must simply wish that someone help her. In an otherwise genre-bending children’s book, this feels oddly old fashioned.
I also don’t understand why Earnest’s mother is so insistent that he should go and help a princess he doesn’t know. “Why don’t you stop reading and go help the princess?” she asks him. He says he can’t save the princess, but his mom insists, “Yes, you can. Now go!” I would have preferred that he embark on the quest because of a desire of his own (to see the world he’s read about, for example), rather than because of his mom’s nagging.
Still, there is much to like about the story of the young men (later dubbed princes by the king) and the classic fairytale challenges they must solve together in order to succeed. J. L. Phillips’ illustrations have a Disney-like look to them, and should appeal to many kids. Representation of same-sex relationships in a way that makes them part of the fabric of our core cultural stories and myths helps LGB children feel good about themselves, children of LGB parents feel good about their families, and children outside of those categories develop a positive understanding of the many types of relationship in the world.
