A prince of marriageable age looks far and wide for a partner who sings the same tune. "Handsome and sincere," the prince accompanies his parents to meet ladies from nearby kingdoms. While the royals are away, a fire-breathing dragon ravages their home kingdom. The prince races home to protect his realm only to find a knight in shining armor battling alongside him. The two work together to defeat the dragon, but in the process, the prince loses his grip and nearly falls to his doom. The visored knight sweeps in to catch the prince, takes off his helmet to reveal his identity, and the two instantly realize their connection. Villagers and royals alike cheer for the two men's relationship and, soon, wedding. Lewis' lush colors and dramatic sequencing clearly show her background in animation and lend a timeless, Disney-like quality to the story. The art notably does not shy away from depicting the intimacy between the men, keeping it on par with images of heterosexual relationships that already dominate children's media. Though the royal family is white, the happy villagers and the prince's new betrothed add some necessary racial diversity to the mix.Victorious—it may even usurp King & King (2001) as the premier queer-friendly fairy tale for this age set. (Picture book. 4-8)

Once upon a time, a handsome young prince lived in a very grand kingdom. His parents wish to find him a companion before he is old enough to take the throne. The prince meets a number of princesses from many diverse backgrounds, but the prince does not find the right partner for him. While out searching, the prince hears of a dragon ravaging his own kingdom, and immediately rides out to fight. With the help of a young knight, the dragon is soon subdued. Subsequently the knight and the prince fall for each other in a series of delightful and adorable illustrations. Similar in tone and setup to Linda de Haan and Stern Nijland's King & King (2002), this demonstrates that it is possible to create a gay-affirming book for young readers without resorting to didacticism. Debut author Haack and illustrator Lewis have constructed a colorful and entertaining tale exploring sexuality, acceptance, and young love. An appealing story for parents and children alike.

A prince must choose a bride, but all the women he meets lack...something. He realizes what's missing when a knight in shining armor saves him from a dragon. The simplistic story works as a valentine to same-sex love, but several verses stumble over themselves to complete a rhyme; the glossy illustrations conjure classic Disney movie stills.

A prince of marriageable age looks far and wide for a partner who sings the same tune. "Handsome and sincere," the prince accompanies his parents to meet ladies from nearby kingdoms. While the royals are away, a fire-breathing dragon ravages their home kingdom. The prince races home to protect his realm only to find a knight in shining armor battling alongside him. The two work together to defeat the dragon, but in the process, the prince loses his grip and nearly falls to his doom. The visored knight sweeps in to catch the prince, takes off his helmet to reveal his identity, and the two instantly realize their connection. Villagers and royals alike cheer for the two men's relationship and, soon, wedding. Lewis' lush colors and dramatic sequencing clearly show her background in animation and lend a timeless, Disney-like quality to the story. The art notably does not shy away from depicting the intimacy between the men, keeping it on par with images of heterosexual relationships that already dominate children's media. Though the royal family is white, the happy villagers and the prince's new betrothed add some necessary racial diversity to the mix.Victorious—it may even usurp King & King (2001) as the premier queer-friendly fairy tale for this age set. (Picture book. 4-8)