Angelica and the Bear Prince
CCBC Review:
Angelica (Vietnamese American) is an over-achieving high school student experiencing burnout. Determined to find a single activity that brings her joy, Angelica interns at a local children’s theater, assisting in a production of East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Privately, Angelica has a literary crush on the Bear Prince character, Per, and has been chatting anonymously with someone running a Per the Bear fan account. She knows it’s weird, but she also feels safe and comforted by sharing memories of her late grandmother with a stranger. Evident to readers is that the author of @PertheBear is the new-to-town, kind, swoon-worthy nonbinary teen playing the role of the Bear Prince on stage. Meanwhile, Angelica’s best friend keeps trying connect with Angelia, but Angelica is alternately distracted and judgmental. Angelica also seems to be oblivious to her parents’ stress about the success of their restaurant business. Interspersed in this graphic novel is an episodic telling of the Norwegian fairytale, which parallels Angelica’s own quest for self-discovery and romance. Gorgeous, detailed illustrations add atmospheric warmth to a winter tale that successfully interweaves stories of personal growth and healing for multiple characters. Honest dialogue and well-crafted characters bring surprising depth to a story that at first glance appears to be about a wide-eyed girl falling in love with a teddy bear. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Trung Le Nguyen
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Graphic Novel
Subjects:
Love and Romance
Mental Health and Illness
Nonbinary People
Social Media
Theater
Vietnamese and Vietnamese Americans
Diversity subject:
Asian
Publishers:
Random House, RH Graphic
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 209
ISBN: 9780593125472
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 741.5 Nguyen