Kay O’Neill Triple Feature: Aquicorn Cove, Princess Ever After, and Tea Dragon Society

Aquicorn Cove

First, a word from the publisher: “When Lana and her father return to their seaside hometown to help clear the debris of a storm, the last thing she expects is to discover a colony of Aquicorns—magical seahorse-like residents of the coral reef. As she explores the damaged town and the fabled undersea palace, Lana learns that while she cannot always count on adults to be the guardians she needs, she herself is capable of finding the strength to protect both the ocean, and her own happiness.“

Pros:

• Vibrant, pastel color palette used
• Pro-environmental message
• Short, easy to read in a single sitting

Cons:

• LGBT relationship in the story (which is good), but it is only implied (which is disappointing).
• It could be argued that the solutions reached in the story are a bit too simple / “clean,” but it’s a story for kids (Also, maybe sometimes the answer is simpler than we think.)
• (nit-pick) The eponymous aquicorns play a smaller role in the story than you’d expect given the title of the story

Conclusion:

It’s a quick, fun read. The work touches on themes of love, loss, grief, and environmentalism, wrapped up in a vibrant package. If the premise sounds interesting to you, or if you are a fan of O’Neill’s work, definitely check this one out.

Check it out here.

Princess Ever After

Again, here’s the premise: “When the heroic princess Amira rescues the kind-hearted princess Sadie from her tower prison, neither expects to find a true friend in the bargain. Yet as they adventure across the kingdom, they discover that they bring out the very best in the other person. They’ll need to join forces and use all the know-how, kindness, and bravery they have in order to defeat their greatest foe yet: a jealous sorceress, who wants to get rid of Sadie once and for all.“

If I had to summarize this work, I’d call it a “fairytale with an LGBTQ+ twist.” It’s short, cute, and wholesome. I swear I remember reading a web comic of this story that was longer, though. Some of the story beats are a touch anticlimactic because of how easily they are solved, but it was all in good fun and I was smiling throughout. I also very much appreciate the inclusion of a person of color as a main character. All in all, this story is a fun little romp.

Check it out here.

The Tea Dragon Society

Once more, with feeling, the premise: “After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.“

The work is very cute in its presentation. I enjoyed that people of many shapes, sexual orientations, genders, and skin colors seem to be represented. The work can easily be read in one sitting, but there seems to be at least another volume or two set in this universe, so I can’t complain too much about a lack of material.

With that being said, the work seems chiefly interested in fleshing out the world and tea dragons. I wouldn’t be surprised if the author thought of tea dragons first and build the rest around them. Ultimately, I enjoyed my time with this comic and will likely return for more in the future. Happily, there are two more published work in the series.

Check it out here.

You may also enjoy …

• “The Prince and the Dressmaker” by Jen Wang
• “The Witch Boy” by Molly Knox Ostertag (you can see my review here)

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