10/04/2021
The team behind Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure reunites for this graphic novel retelling of the Latinx folktale, whose eponymous heroine uses her formidable powers to secretly help a “very handsome but very stupid prince” win against her ogre father. On the surface, the fairy tale narrative contains familiar elements: the rule of three, an evil ogre, instant love (between the light brown–skinned protagonist and her light-skinned prince), a high-speed pursuit, a resultant curse, and a happily ever after. But an author’s note by Spiegelman excavates deeper meaning: “This story, in all its multicultural variants, has always been about the invisible labor of women.” Sánchez emphasizes the folkloric feel with fine-lined, hatched digital art conveyed in shifting full-color panels and spreads, infusing dynamism with fluid forms and gangling elastic limbs; Lola Moral’s light palette gives the comic a vintage wash. A female-focused lens infuses this classic tale with new energy. Front matter features an introduction by F. Isabel Campoy; back matter features an author’s note and bibliography. A Spanish-language edition is available simultaneously.Ages 8–12. (Sept.)
10/01/2021
Gr 3–6—Blancaflor's hungry ogre father has invited a prince to test his luck in the usually impossible game of the Ogre's Three. If the prince loses, he'll be eaten by the father and Blancaflor's family will inherit the prince's kingdom; if he wins, he gets the ogre's castle. When the prince arrives and is given near-impossible tasks to complete, Blancaflor finds herself captivated by him and does everything within her power to ensure that her father loses. The use of intricate, curved lines adds visual intrigue to natural elements in this clever and humorous take on a feminist fairy tale told around the world. Scenic panels, particularly those involving the royal family, take on a pastel, stained glass aesthetic. Vertical paneling in the physical environment (in buildings and in nature) skillfully conveys physical movement and story progression in a limited space, and power is often depicted via an effective use of exaggerated character scaling. The prince appears light-skinned—his parents have different skin tones implying different racial or ethic backgrounds—while Blancaflor and her sisters appear to be darker-skinned, likely of mixed European and Indigenous heritage despite having an ogre parent. An introduction is included, and there is a full Spanish-language version; in the English version, only the lyrics to the Spanish Renaissance song "Din Dirin Din" appear in Spanish. VERDICT This version of the classic story is a lovely confluence of European and North American culture that celebrates the strength and wit of a young girl whose abilities have been overlooked or underestimated.—Alea Perez, Elmhurst P.L., IL
One of the New York Times Best Children's Books of 2021
"[Blancaflor] is splendidly designed and impeccably colored, and it crackles along at an adventurous pace that makes it excellent treehouse reading." — The New York Times
"Witty and touching" — The Wall Street Journal
★ "Spiegelman’s retelling is a fresh take on the classic story, with contemporary and effortless language that will resonate with modern audiences. Sánchez’s energetic illustrations are a visual delight." — The Horn Book Magazine Starred Review
"It’s impossible not to be charmed by art so full of personality, and the story itself is a subversive treat—Blancaflor’s no damsel in distress, but the one who ultimately saves the day." -- Booklist
"This version of the classic story is a lovely confluence of European and North American culture that celebrates the strength and wit of a young girl whose abilities have been overlooked or underestimated." — School Library Journal
"An energetic, girl-power addition to the fairy- and folktales shelf.” -- Kirkus Reviews
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
"A female-focused lens infuses the tale with classic energy." — Publishers Weekly
"It's gorgeous and smart!" — Author and Librarian Betsy Bird
"The text and art work wonderfully together to tell an ancient tale with relatable sensibilities." —Youth Services Book Review, 5 out of 5 stars
2021-08-18
When Blancaflor’s father, an ogre, sets a trap to win a prince’s kingdom and then eat him up, Blancaflor sets out to thwart the plan.
In a twist from the traditional trope in which a damsel in distress is saved by the dashing prince with whom she then lives happily ever after, here it is the brave and resourceful young woman with hidden powers who saves the clueless prince. As the ogre and the prince play “The Ogre’s Three,” a deadly game the ogre is bound to win, Blancaflor carries out the challenges, letting the prince believe it is he—and his luck—who has accomplished the feats. As in so many fairy tales, in spite of her smarts and his lack thereof, the pair fall in love at first sight, and they do go on to live happily ever after. García Sánchez captures the nonstop action with artwork that is dynamic and vibrant. Readers can’t help but follow as the story goes back and forth between pages full of panels to full-bleed illustrations. The brown-skinned characters have wonderfully expressive faces despite deceptively simple styling. The setting of the story—and the story itself—feels more European than Latin American, a phenomenon of cultural exchange addressed in a foreword by F. Isabel Campoy and in Spiegelman’s closing note. The book publishes simultaneously in Spanish, ably translated by María E. Santana and José M. Méndez.
An energetic, girl-power addition to the fairy- and folktales shelf. (Graphic folktale. 8-12)
