Honestly, if you wanted to find an author who could tell a story of Diana of Themyscira’s youthful adventures, you could hardly do better than Shannon Hale. Hale’s Princess in Black series, the charming adventures of a young princess who leads a secret life as a superhero, was one of the first chapter books we shared with our daughter. We absolutely loved them. DC chose well.
Hale’s take on Diana shows us the lonely life of an only child in a society of adults. Everyone has a role to play on the Paradise Islands, but Diana has none. She’s free to be a child, which would probably be a lot more fun if there were other kids to run around with. Diana finds a solution in the familiar story of her own origin: why not make a friend and hope the gods will animate it?
Her plan works, and soon Diana has a companion. Only her new friend is may not be a positive influence, and Diana must decide how to handle her new friend’s behavior.
I was so excited about this book that I immediately handed it off to my 10 year old to get her thoughts on the volume. She devoured it in a single sitting. Her review
Diana: Princess of the Amazons is a fun book that people of all ages will enjoy! This book is very beautiful, and scenic book with an amazing twist at the end. *****
I concur wholeheartedly. Victoria Ying’s illustrations are bold and beautiful, the story is relatable, and it’s a wonderful story for young readers. (It doesn’t feel much like a comic book superhero story. It feels more like a telling of a classic Greek myth, which is right up the alley of my Percy Jackson-obsessed tween.)
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review.