Doughty offers readers an expansive look at how royal characters are depicted in children’s literature. Her categorization of these characters and their narratives as transformative, affirmative, or both sheds light on the fascinating complexity inherent in the genre.
— Bridget Whelan, Assistant Professor of English at Sowela Technical Community College
Amie A. Doughty’s book is a thorough and absorbing treatment of royalty in children’s and young adult fiction, exploring the ways in which 21st century authors have adapted the princess and prince motif to include progressive (and sometimes regressive) royalty, royals who reject the crown, LGBTQ princesses and princes, and royalty of color. Anyone interested in discovering what contemporary children’s and YA authors are doing to enhance, subvert, and queer tropes like happily ever after will delight in this book. Especially interesting is the thoughtful and critically informed approach Doughty takes toward revision, adaptation, and fan fiction. Doughty’s book brings new life into tried-and-true (and sometimes tired) images of princes waking sleeping beauties and teenaged girls transformed into royal brides.
— Caren Town, Georgia Southern University
Young people have long been fascinated by tales of royalty, and as Amie A. Doughty argues in her new book, the trend shows no sign of abating in the twenty-first century. However, the princesses and princes once popularized in folklore and Disney's classic films are changing. Doughty has uncovered a wide range of transformative texts that question traditional representations and provide new ways of seeing. Her book challenges stereotypes, affirming those characters who reject the crown or subvert traditional power structures. With her insightful analysis of royals who are progressive, queer, or of color, Doughty showcases controversies inherent not only in contemporary children’s literature and popular media but in the culture itself. This book is a welcome read for anyone interested in positive, innovative messages and images that can shape youths’ lives.
— Kathy Merlock-Jackson, Virginia Wesleyan University
Royalty in Twenty-First Century Children’s and Young Adult Literature: Reshaping the Folktale and Disney Tradition is an engaging book that looks in depth at what it means to be royal and expands the definition of princess. Amie A. Doughty provides a wide range of tales within children’s and YA literature to explore how the character of the princess (and prince) has transformed to gain more agency and diversity with the last few decades. A must read for princess enthusiasts.
— Megan McDonough, LaSierra University