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Her Muddy Majesty of Muck
Not yet published
Expected 31 Mar 26* Kirkus Reviews, starred review
From international picture book star Beatrice Alemagna comes an enchanting new fairy tale set in a mucky, magical underground world where the Mud Princess rules.
A little girl’s too-big feelings spur a cathartic journey of adventure and discovery, in this picture book for kids ages 5–8, perfect for fans of Where the Wild Things Are.
Yuki is lost in a dark mood on her way home from school. In a flash of frustration, she tosses her house keys down an open manhole. When she climbs down to retrieve them, she discovers another Mudland.
The Mud Princess, an enormous dripping thing made of mud and sticks, greets Yuki and shows her the wonders of her kingdom. Yuki’s dark mood is at home here—her sadness and anger fit right in. As they journey together, the Mud Princess becomes larger, absorbing the anger around her. Everything the princess touches becomes muddy, even Yuki. Yuki faces a choice—to become a Mud Princess herself or to return to the world above ground and its expectations.
As in her other picture books, Beatrice Alemagna explores children’s feelings in a way that speaks to them directly. The Muddy Majesty of Muck explores anger and frustration with humor and brings us two unforgettable characters, the relatable Yuki and the strange and fascinating Mud Princess.
From international picture book star Beatrice Alemagna comes an enchanting new fairy tale set in a mucky, magical underground world where the Mud Princess rules.
A little girl’s too-big feelings spur a cathartic journey of adventure and discovery, in this picture book for kids ages 5–8, perfect for fans of Where the Wild Things Are.
Yuki is lost in a dark mood on her way home from school. In a flash of frustration, she tosses her house keys down an open manhole. When she climbs down to retrieve them, she discovers another Mudland.
The Mud Princess, an enormous dripping thing made of mud and sticks, greets Yuki and shows her the wonders of her kingdom. Yuki’s dark mood is at home here—her sadness and anger fit right in. As they journey together, the Mud Princess becomes larger, absorbing the anger around her. Everything the princess touches becomes muddy, even Yuki. Yuki faces a choice—to become a Mud Princess herself or to return to the world above ground and its expectations.
As in her other picture books, Beatrice Alemagna explores children’s feelings in a way that speaks to them directly. The Muddy Majesty of Muck explores anger and frustration with humor and brings us two unforgettable characters, the relatable Yuki and the strange and fascinating Mud Princess.
- GenresPicture Books
64 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication March 31, 2026
8 people want to read
About the author
Beatrice Alemagna
79 books208 followersBeatrice Alemagna was born in Bologna, Italy in 1973. She graduated from the Istituto Superiore for industrial arts in Urbino, Italy. She has won numerous international awards for her illustration. She now lives in Paris, France, where she works as an author and illustrator as well as a designer of childrens books, posters and collages.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
Her Muddy Majesty of Muck is an interesting illustrated picture book for children about a little girl who thinks her older brother doesn't like her as he's always so quiet and seems to have no interest in her. One day, on their way home from school, she throws their house keys down an open manhole in the road and then goes down to retrieve them. There, she meets a mud monster called Her Muddy Majesty of Muck, who feeds off negativity and grows with it.
The story is a little confusing as I wasn't sure why she threw the keys down the drain to then go down to look for them, but the message delivers that if we are surrounded by negativity and resentment we feed this within ourselves until it starts to take over but baby steps toa more positive outlook and connection with others helps to shrink it away.
Her Muddy Majesty of Muck is an interesting illustrated picture book for children about a little girl who thinks her older brother doesn't like her as he's always so quiet and seems to have no interest in her. One day, on their way home from school, she throws their house keys down an open manhole in the road and then goes down to retrieve them. There, she meets a mud monster called Her Muddy Majesty of Muck, who feeds off negativity and grows with it.
The story is a little confusing as I wasn't sure why she threw the keys down the drain to then go down to look for them, but the message delivers that if we are surrounded by negativity and resentment we feed this within ourselves until it starts to take over but baby steps toa more positive outlook and connection with others helps to shrink it away.
December 27, 2025
⭐ Children’s Fantasy | Quirky Creatures | Dark Humor
Thank you Astra Publishing House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The cover art and typography immediately drew me in the interior illustrations are interesting, capturing the feel of a whimsical children’s book. It would have been cool if some of the cover art typography was used in the interior book.
I was a bit confused about why the protagonist threw the keys down the manhole, and how she was shocked she did it despite it looking intentional, which starts the bulk of the story.
The creatures not aesthetically pleasing, with some even referred to as “boogers,” giving the story a slightly grotesque, almost horror-like vibe. The narrative plays with contrasts, despite the muted colors and unsettling creatures, the illustrations make the story appear somewhat cheerful. One memorable line, “other people’s anger is scrumptious,” perfectly captures the darkly humorous tone, making the story feel like a place to visit for those frustrated with life, though it’s definitely not a vacation resort.
Overall, the story is unusual & playful with an ending that wraps up on a positive note. Fans of quirky, slightly dark children’s stories with mixed media illustrations will likely enjoy this one.
Thank you Astra Publishing House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The cover art and typography immediately drew me in the interior illustrations are interesting, capturing the feel of a whimsical children’s book. It would have been cool if some of the cover art typography was used in the interior book.
I was a bit confused about why the protagonist threw the keys down the manhole, and how she was shocked she did it despite it looking intentional, which starts the bulk of the story.
The creatures not aesthetically pleasing, with some even referred to as “boogers,” giving the story a slightly grotesque, almost horror-like vibe. The narrative plays with contrasts, despite the muted colors and unsettling creatures, the illustrations make the story appear somewhat cheerful. One memorable line, “other people’s anger is scrumptious,” perfectly captures the darkly humorous tone, making the story feel like a place to visit for those frustrated with life, though it’s definitely not a vacation resort.
Overall, the story is unusual & playful with an ending that wraps up on a positive note. Fans of quirky, slightly dark children’s stories with mixed media illustrations will likely enjoy this one.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What sounds like a playful, fairytale title turns into a surprisingly thoughtful story about power, mess, and the things we’d rather not clean up. Definitely a story for the younger ones but can be enjoyed by everyone, as the art is ,in my opinion, the best part of this.
The book leans hard into its muddy imagery both literally and metaphorically and uses it to poke at class and personal responsibility. The main character isn’t a shiny, heroic ruler, and that’s what makes her interesting. The humor is dry and clever, and the story doesn’t rush to make anyone fully redeemed or “fixed.”
It’s not a perfectly tidy read, but that feels intentional. If you like stories that are a little strange and have a little one to share it with then this one’s worth your time.
Thank you NetGallery, Astra publishing house and the author, Beatrice Alemagna, for the ARC.
The book leans hard into its muddy imagery both literally and metaphorically and uses it to poke at class and personal responsibility. The main character isn’t a shiny, heroic ruler, and that’s what makes her interesting. The humor is dry and clever, and the story doesn’t rush to make anyone fully redeemed or “fixed.”
It’s not a perfectly tidy read, but that feels intentional. If you like stories that are a little strange and have a little one to share it with then this one’s worth your time.
Thank you NetGallery, Astra publishing house and the author, Beatrice Alemagna, for the ARC.
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February 4, 2026Titolo italiano: "Sua altezza poltiglia, principessa di fango"
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews