SCAN MAGAZINE WINTER 2022
Love, Death and Nature: The Journey of a Princess Written by Benjamin Greennagel Illustrated by Keith Alexander Lee
When I was six years old, I received an invitation to a Halloween party. I was particularly allured by the fact that I was expected to wear a costume, and I spent every afternoon picking through my sister’s closet until I had crafted the perfect ensemble. When the day of the party finally arrived, I pushed through the white picket gate of my best friend’s backyard, my plastic tiara gleaming on top of my head and my long, sequined gown trailing on the grass behind me. It took me at least an hour before I even noticed that I was the only boy who came dressed as a princess. From a young age, I have been drawn to stories about characters I can relate to, which were feminine people who felt out of control and those who struggled to belong. Reading these stories made me feel as though I was part of a coalition, standing alongside the princesses who, despite their circumstances, found empowerment through their personal relationships with the natural world. As I grew older, I realized that these princesses seem to stand side by side with each other, too, as their core values echo in folktales around the world.
