Before I started the picture book Modern-Day Princesses (Egalitè) by Luis Amavisca and Dolores Brown I thought that the woman in the top left corner of the cover was the actress Diona Reasonover (if you are unfamiliar with her, she plays Casey on the original NCIS television series). I felt this was a good sign and it meant I needed to read the book as I like Reasonover’s character, she is cute and I like a good omen.
After reading the actual book, my first thought was that this is just plain delightful! It is a must-read collection of girls and women talking about “girl power” and what makes and who is a princess. And that does not mean they must have castles, dragons or witches, because a princess can be an everyday person. A person who might be sitting on the train with you, in your building, in your home, school or even you. You never know where you will find one. It is not overly preachy or pushy about “how cool” women are and that they are all “she-ra best ever, better than anything or one else” but does highlight their powerful elements. The ages range from young girls to a mature woman. It is cisgender centered, but does deal with same-sex and opposite-sex relationships, as well as a variety of ways families are made. Each person represents different careers and times in their lives.
The cover gives you the look of the illustrations by Sonja Wilmmer. They are rich, fun, colorful, clever, both unique and familiar. These images are also a little mischievous and serious all at the same time. I don’t know if the people mentioned are real people or people that are created for the book, but each one has a page with their name, likes, jobs, things about them and then included is a story about them. 
Due: February 2027
Read via an online reader
