This is so sweet. I loved it. If I had kids of my own, I'd have that in their bookcase. As it is, I'm confined to gifting it to every child in my social circle!

5★
“(When you wear a costume, the whole point is that you become someone totally different. Otherwise, it makes no sense to dress up in the first place.)”

I couldn’t agree more! You go, Kevin!

[My Goodreads review has an illustration with a quotation as a caption:]
“Today is the school fancy dress show. Everyone thinks Kevin will go as a knight, or a cowboy or a superhero.”

Everyone would be wrong! Kevin has his own ideas and is going to make this happen. He has a mother and a sister, and he has his eye on their wardrobes and lipstick.

Incidentally, I love the way the hand on the side of the picture is holding the Superman outfit with only two fingers, as if it is soiled and/or smelly (which, knowing how little kids ‘look after’ their clothes, it probably is. 😂)

[My Goodreads review has an illustration with a quotation as a caption:]
“ But Kevin is a princess. People might laugh, but he doesn’t care. Kevin is a princess, and that is that.”

On the way to school, he discusses his choice with a friend who seems happy to be a cat.

[My Goodreads review has an illustration with a quotation as a caption:]
“ Anyway, who said that only girls can dress up like princesses? The girls in his class can dress up as knights and cowboys. If they can do what they want, so can Kevin.”

He had hoped to complete his look, accompanied by a knight, but none of the knights would pair up with him. They think boys shouldn’t wear pink, and it might be catching!

“And knights are supposed to be brave! These ones are a bunch of chickens.”

Never mind. Poor Chloe is being teased (and by Kevin, too) about her ‘dragon’ costume, saying it looks more like a sock. Her dad made it, and yes, I can see the dragon elements, but it does resemble a big sock.

Kevin apologises and says she does actually look really nice, even if a bit like a sock.

[My Goodreads review has an illustration with a quotation as a caption:]
“ ‘Thanks Kevin, you look very nice in that dress.’
Kevin blushes and hopes Chloe doesn’t notice under all the make-up.”

As they gather to go in for the show, Kevin is wobbling on his high heels, wondering how princesses put up with the torture. (Ah, what price beauty, Kevin!) On stage, he stumbles and nearly knocks everyone over. He lasts until the class photo and stalks off. He’s had enough.

“ ‘I don’t want to be a real princess, it’s way too complicated. Next year, I’m keeping it simple,’ Kevin says.”

[My Goodreads review has an illustration with a quotation as a caption:]
“ ‘I’m going to be a mermaid!’”

I love the story, partly because it reminded me of my daughter telling me that in their preschool, the first kids into the fancy dress gowns and jewels were the boys. They loved the glitz and the pretending. I think I always fancied myself as a cowboy.

There’s no indication in this book that there is any message other than use your imagination, enjoy life, and enjoy watching and helping others enjoy themselves, too. Don’t waste your time being judgmental. I must say I did like the crack about the boys dressed up as knights not being very brave. If that makes me judgy, well so be it!

This bright little story was published a few years ago, but it has appeared again on NetGalley, which is where I found it. Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the copy for review.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley,

This book was absolutely adorable. I love that there are now even more children's norms covering the topic of "gender norms" and idea we do NOT need that for our children.

This is a GREAT book to read with your kiddos!

The third-person writing style feels removed from what Kevin might be thinking or feeling. Using parentheses to make asides also feels inauthentic for a children's picture book. Show, don't tell.

I think this story is just fabulous. Roland Garrigue’s artwork is simplistic and gets the message across to readers. The colors are bright and engaging. It is not just about the “dress”, but the freedom to get your idea across artistically as can also be seen by Chloe whose dragon costume isn’t exactly representing the ferocity she wants it to. Michael Escoffier does an excellent job of telling a feeling that is more than just about a dress.

Add Princess Kevin to your library and home bookshelf.

The title and cover of this book are everything!! If it can be a tiny step in the right direction to counter “toxic masculinity” then we need more books like this to promote tolerance and acceptance. After all, why should it be fine for a girl to dress like a cowboy, but embarrassing for a boy to put on a princess costume?

It’s a very fun quirky read with a deep message promoting kindness and diversity, and we need more original creations like that to foster a more accepting society.

I love that we now have a variety of books that address gender expression. While this was not my favorite, I appreciate that it exists so that children like Kevin may see themselves reflected in its pages.

A very sweet story about being yourself. This is a great story for youngsters as it teaches us to be who we are and not who we’re told to be.

A delightful picture book with the message that it's important to be yourself, and if others don't like that it's their problem.

Kevin wakes up on costume day and decides to dress up as a princess for the day. His main concern is that he needs to find a knight.

I loved that this story didn't make a big thing of children dressing up outside their gender stereotypes, and made it normal for children to be who they want to be. I would definitely consider using this book with a KS1 class when learning about being yourself and challenging stereotypes in a PSHE lesson.

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I can see what this one is going for. Kevin wants to dress as a princess. He wants to be fancy and glamorous. It's less about gender expression than about creativity and not being confined to societal norms. Cute.

Princess Kevin was an adorable picture book about a boy named Kevin who wants to dress and a princess in his schools costume show. This book is written with a wonderfully encouraging tone and is a great way to showcase the freedom children should have when choosing what they want to wear.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC for an honest review.

Princess Kevin is a super cute, funny tale about a boy doesn't care for "gender" limits in his dress-up play. It's costume day at school, and Kevin dresses up as a princess with some clothes and makeup borrowed from his sister and mom. However, he discovers that being a princess isn't easy when the knights don't want to play with you, your dress is too long, and you have to walk in high heels. But Kevin won't let a few setbacks deter him from dressing up the way he wants to!

I love how simple and not pretentious this story is-- so what if Kevin wants to wear a dress and pretend to be a princess? It's a costume! Stories about LGBTQ+ kids are crucial, but books like this that simply and effectively challenge gender roles are just as important. Boys can wear dresses and it doesn't have to signify anything about their gender or sexuality. I can see how some readers might perceive the line, "When you wear a costume, the whole point is that you become someone totally different. Otherwise, it makes no sense to dress up in the first place," to be dismissive of LGBTQ+ experiences. I don't interpret it that way, though; while costumes/dress-up can be important avenues of gender expression and exploration, they can also just be fun! Kevin is not dressing up as a girl, he's dressing up as a princess, and there's no salient reason why he shouldn't be able to do so without it having some deeper meaning about his identity.

This review turned into a bit of an essay, but what I mean to say is that I think this story is a fun read and also an important one!

I'm of two minds about this book.

On one hand - it's super cute, the illustrations are perfect, bright and fun for kids. It has a cute message and one that will stick with kids.

However, I also feel like it missed the mark in a few places. For one, it says that Kevin can be who he wants to be, that if it's fine for girls to dress as boy characters, then boys should be able to dress as girl characters. Fine. Except that it then goes on to almost marginalise that statement with the reasoning of "When you wear a costume, the whole point is that you become someone totally different. Otherwise, it makes no sense to dress up in the first place" - which really tones down the message that some boys just *are* princesses on the inside.

I was disappointed that no one stepped up to be Kevin's knight. Not even Chloe. The perfect message to accompany the whole "anyone can be anything" concept would have been for Chloe to change her outfit or swap with another kid, in support of her best friend, and be the knight to hold his hand. Instead, we have Kevin reacting almost with disgust when he nearly falls and Chloe takes his hand. Not the best message to give off.

While it's a good story, it is dismissive of LGBT kids, by saying dressing up is only for fun, to become someone you're not. It comes across as a potentially dismissive, harmful message that could give the wrong idea to kids who really need to hear that it's okay to be who they are ALL the time, but especially to use a moment like a fancy-dress party or event as a time to shine and step out of their comfort zone, to really explore their self-expression.

For me, it's a super cute book for kids to get them *started* on the concept of self-expression and acceptance of LGBT children, but some of the messages undermine how much good it could have done *for* LGBT kids who needed to see themselves in a book. Here, Kevin feels like he's being a princess to be different on purpose, and a rebellion, to stand out. It doesn't feel like Kevin is being a princess because that's *WHO* he really is. And, for me, that's a very important distinction.

*received a copy for free from netgalley for honest review* I LOVE this book! super cute drawings, love the idea and story and really love that they say "mermaid". would love to own for sure!

I loved this book. Kevin's classmates aren't very impressed with his princess costume and Kevin doesn't understand why. If the girls cam dress up as dragons and knights, why can't he dress up as a princess? The story follows Kevin's day at school some of the problems Kevin faces. Definitely a book for the school library.

Highly amusing book!
The illustrations are perfect and the story is adorable.
I like that the author didn't try to make Kevin some sort of spectacle.
Instead we are taken through the day of a boy dressed like a princess and all that brings to him personally.
We need more books like this!
Much love to NetGalley & Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens for my DRC.

Allow children to be themselves, to play and wear the costume of their choice. The book confronts ridiculous gender norms all while Kevin comes to his own realization. Kevin is a princess just girls can be knights.

This was a very cute picture book about defying gender norms. I loved that Kevin wanting to wear a dress wasn't linked to him being gay or trans, because it just doesn't matter here: boys can just wear dresses. I do think this could have done a little more in terms of actual acceptance. It was good to see that Kevin just didn't care what his peers thought, and implicitly, of course, his parents were accepting enough. But it would have been nice if there had been more of a twist in terms of the acceptance of his peers, because they seemed to tolerate him and not much more.

🇬🇧/ 🇫🇷

🇬🇧
Princess Kevin is a sweet children's book about a little kid who has fabulous plans for costume day. Kevin is a princess, utterly and absolutely, complete with a pink dress, high heels, makeup, and of course a crown. It's not so easy to be a princess, but Kevin is determined to make it work!

When I saw this book at a French bookfair, I knew that it was exactly the kind of book I wanted to get for my nephew – he's a high heels, pigtails, and fairy wings kind of a kid, and at 6, I can already see some of the luster fading away as he becomes aware of the expectations around him.

What I love about Princess Kevin is how sweet and understated it is as Kevin navigates costume day. The story is not about Kevin's gender or romantic orientation, it's about friendships, costumes, and high heeled mishaps.

For kids who may be queer or trans, there's a lot to connect to; But the book it also disavows gender norms; Kevin is pronouned as he/him, and there's no indication that this is an ill fit.

Kevin –he– is a princess. It's really simple and straightforward.

I had the pleasure of attending a signing in Paris for the original French edition of the book. The illustrated signed with a really sweet detailed drawing along with a note to my nephew.

I'm really excited to see this coming to English language readers as well, and I love the translation. It's a great book in any language!

🇫🇷

Un douce livre illustré, sur un enfant avec des plans fabuleux pour le jour des costumes a son école. Kevin est une princesse. C'est très simple: il a une robe rose, des talons hauts, et carrément une couronne.

L'histoire ne se traite pas l'identité de genre ou de sexualité, néanmoins c'explore les limitations des expectations commun de notre société.

J'ai eu la chance de rencontrer l'illustrateur de Princesse Kevin, et je l'aimait beaucoup – cet livre semble trop special et important a des enfants qui sont a face des limitations sociaux.

Je suis très heureux que ce livre a était traduit a l'anglais!

This was a fun children’s book, in which Kevin attends his school’s costume day as a princess. The illustrations are bright, colourful, and full of activity. The story, though simple, is fun and realistic. It also contains an important message - that it’s just as fine for boys to dress up as “female” characters as for girls to dress up as “male” characters. I enjoyed it.

I was given a free copy of this book. My opinions are my own.