Actor and children’s author Greg McGoon had hit the second book slump. His first book, Out of the Box, chronicled a boy who uses his imagination to make friends. But now he found himself straining for a novel approach to self worth and transformation.

“I wanted to explore those themes in fairy tales recognizing LGBT characters, since those stories are lacking,” says McGoon. “After months of struggling, I stopped what I was doing, went back to the foundation of ‘Once upon a time…’, and realized that the ultimate form of transformation was being transgender.

Author Greg McGoon with The Royal Heart

“As soon as I tapped into it, it just flowed,” he adds.

The result, falling together in a mere four months and in time for National Transgender Awareness Week November 14—20, is The Royal Heart (Avid Readers Group), the first traditionally styled fairy tale starring a transgender teen.

“There are children’s books that discuss transgender youth, but they’re more modern in tone,” he adds. “The LGBT community doesn’t have a traditional transgender fairy tale. Gay themes have recently started to appear in children’s books with a fairy tale vibe, but they’re few and far between. I want to add to that voice, but in a classic feel, using words like ‘shall’ and ‘thy.’”

Illustrated by J. Orr, an artist who has freelanced for Disney and Universal, the book tells the story of a young prince who feels he’s living a lie and can’t bring himself to tell his parents, the king and queen, that he’s not fit to eventually rule the kingdom. After running away, a magical encounter with his grandmother’s spirit helps him transition to a princess. She’s ultimately accepted by her parents—her worth as their child and potential as ruler remaining untarnished.

“I liked the idea of a member of an older generation welcoming this new idea first,” says McGoon. The book also includes an original lullaby written by McGoon and the illustrator’s husband, Arthur Orr.