Angelica and the Bear Prince is a graphic novel by Trung Le Nguyen. It was released on October 7, 2025 by Random House Graphic. It won the 2025 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature.
Plot Summary The plot is loosely inspired by the Norwegian fairytale East of the Sun and West of the Moon.
Angelica, a teenage Vietnamese-American girl suffering from burnout and grief over her grandmother's death finds solace in texting the anonymous person who portrays the mascot of the local theater. After getting a job at the theater, she develops a crush on the mascot, and seeks to learn the identity of the person behind the costume.
Reception Angelica and the Bear Prince received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly. Kirkus Reviews stated the novel "tenderly explores difficult emotional topics like anxiety and long-lasting grief". It was also reviewed by the School Library Journal, which called it a "lovely look at burnout, grief, and coming-of-age with just a dash of teenage romance as a treat".
In 2025, the book won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature. + Other awards and honors for Angelica and the Bear PrinceYearAward/HonorResultRef.2026Eisner Award for Best Publication for TeensNominatedHarvey Award for Best Young Adult BookTBARingo Award for Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel - Ages 12 and UpTBA2025The Beat’s Best Kids Comics IncludedKirkus Reviews - Best Young Adult BooksIncludedNew York Public Library - Best Books for TeensIncluded
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