The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale
HarperCollins, 1997
The subtitle conveys the basic outline and theme of Laurence Yep's tale. The youngest of seven sisters known by their birth order is also the most compassionate. When a dragon threatens their father, Seven steps forward to marry the dragon. Seven's filial piety, courage, and eye for true beauty are rewarded when the dragon transforms into a prince who presides over a distant, underwater realm. Although happy, Seven misses her family. While Seven is visiting, however, her envious sister Three threatens her happy union.
In this variation of a well-known fairy tale, The Dragon Prince does not challenge gender stereotypes or the gendering of virtues, which may or may not be to your taste. Regardless, the book rewards they eye with Kam Mak's magical realism. The images are operatic in their rich colors and dramatic stage settings, and they make the tale come alive.
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