The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich

As the daughter of a Count in the whimsical, cheese-themed kingdom of Fromage, Lady Camembert must marry a man to provide for her. This effort goes poorly very quickly when it becomes clear that she would much rather marry another woman. With her father on the brink of death, Cam and her father hatch a plan to allow Cam to claim her father’s inheritance and survive on her own: she must pretend to be a man.  

Taking on her late father’s title, Cam moves to the heart of the kingdom where she meets Brie, the Princess of Fromage and fashion icon to many. The two bond over their shared passion for activism and fantastic clothing in an illustrative backdrop filled with color and style. Cam begins to fall helplessly in love with Brie, and it seems the feelings may be reciprocated – the problem is, Brie believes Cam is truly a man. As their shared feelings grow stronger and harder to ignore, Cam must decide between remaining safely hidden or pursuing the perfect, yet risky happiness she never thought possible.  

Cam is a fiercely bold and funny main character, often full of poise and charm until a mishap renders her dramatically morose. She fits both the Lady and Count personas perfectly, stylishly, and remains unabashedly herself in either form. As she navigates her new life, she struggles to reconcile her desire to remain undetected with her feelings for Brie as well as her tendencies towards extravagance. Cam’s maid and cook, Feta, gives Cam advice with a healthy dose of tough love. Cam also quickly makes friends with Ricotta, a close advisor to Brie, and the fashion line designer Lady Gorgonzola. These supporting characters provide comic relief and help Brie and Cam come to terms with their difficult feelings, playing a crucial role in advancing the narrative.   

The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a fun, lighthearted graphic novel that most readers will breeze through. Each panel features zero to four sentences that combine onomatopoeia, fashion-related discussion, and playful banter. At one point, Brie flirtatiously invites Cam to see her gown collection, saying, “I can’t imagine anyone else who would appreciate my vintage Cheddior.” Muniz’s illustrations feature a wide variety of bright and pastel colors in a detailed, comic style. The panels’ art illustrates the colorful and stylish clothing as well as the characters’ emotional and often humorous facial expressions. The illustrations and dialogue work well together to tell this whimsical story.   

Readers of all ages will fall in love with Cam and the world of Fromage because it’s filled to the brim with clever cheese-based puns and references to real luxury clothing brands. Anyone who loves cheese or fashion will find themselves particularly at home in this story. In addition, Muniz tells an endearing romance that includes interesting commentary on gender, social classes, and not fitting in. The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a delightfully cheesy tale that readers are sure to enjoy.  

Sexual Content  

• Brie tells Ricotta that “something happened last night” between her and Cam. Ricotta becomes excited, saying, “Zola and I were hoping you guys would smooch after we left.” However, nothing occurred between the two.  
• In her explanation of the previous night, Brie expresses excitement at the former prospect of being alone with Cam, though it did not happen.  
• When the pair finally reaches an understanding, Brie pulls Cam in for a brief, sensual kiss. 

Violence  

• Count Camembert – Cam’s father – is illustrated coughing into a handkerchief. The handkerchief has bloodstains on it, and the Count says he is “not long for this world.”  
• There are a couple of references to animals being harmed to create fashionable furs as Princess Brie begins a campaign for cruelty-free fashion. She says, “I think it would be more effective to just show them how fashionable they can be without harming a single animal.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None

Language 

• When Cam crashes Princess Brie’s ball, she thinks, “Ooh, she’s pissed.”  

Supernatural  

• None

Spiritual Content  

• There are a few references, usually in exclamation, to “gods.” For example, Cam says, “Gods, this sucks!”