I’m looking for help finding an old childhood book – I have a feeling the titled included the words “black monster” or “princess of the sea”), but I know the last I read it was in 1997. It was about a (red?) haired princess who lived by the sea (the cover featured her in a patterned dress standing by the water, with a castle on a cliff behind her). The kingdom is being threatened by a black monster/a sea creature. However after much determination and sleuthing, the princess discovers that it’s only a scuba diver come to visit. At the end, they become friends and she ditches the kingdom to go diving with him. The artwork was very beautiful and almost realistic, but heavily stylized and had so many nice patterns. I’m still depressed my mother donated the book years ago, and it’s been killing me that I still can’t find it! So any help would be appreciated!!
following – wounds great!
Could it be The Monster from the Sea by William Hooks? A princess longs for excitement, but the king won’t allow visitors or let anyone leave the island. So when a strange monster pops out of the sea and terrifies the island, the adventurous princess decides to find out more about the creature–and where it comes from
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3863917-the-monster-from-the-sea