Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty & the Beast

Gr 7 Up—Honour, called Beauty from a young age, thinks she is plain compared to her two older sisters and thus misnamed. Living in the city with her family, Beauty enjoys reading and studying until her father's business is ruined when all of his ships are presumed lost at sea. Though forced to move to a small house in the north, the family is happy together. Word comes that one of the ships has returned to port and Beauty's father goes to the city, promising to bring back rose seeds for his youngest daughter. Instead, he returns with a frightening story of a Beast in an enchanted castle who has demanded his life in exchange for the stolen rose. However, her father will be spared if Beauty volunteers to live with the Beast. Beauty is determined to save her father's life and sets out to discover whether the Beast can be tamed. McKinley's novel (HarperCollins, 1978) is ably narrated by Charlotte Parry, whose youthful voice is perfectly pitched for the titular character. She successfully differentiates supporting characters—a slight deepening of her voice for the Beast or changing her accent for the invisible servants—but this is Beauty's story, and Parry's steady narration guides listeners on her journey. McKinley's novel remains fairly true to the plot of the original fairy tale, but fully develops Beauty's character, making this a true coming-of-age story as well as a romance that will find a new generation of fans.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL