McKinley, Robin. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast. New York : Harper & Row, 1978.
Plot: Beauty hates her nickname, since she does not live up to its expectations with her stooped back, spotted face, and big feet. However, her looks become the least of her concerns when disaster strikes her family. Her father looses his fortune and her sister looses her fiancee. Forced into the country to begin again, her family manages to survive and eventually find comfort in their situation. Calamity looms again when her father is confronted by a vengeful beast. To save him, Beauty offers herself in her father's stead. Despite her courage, she cannot decipher the mystery of the enormous beast or his rich castle. Yet, she must, for reasons she cannot bring herself to understand.
Genre: Fantasy, Fairy Tales
Reading Level: Grades 4-8
Similar Titles: Outlaws of Sherwood, Rapunzel
Personal Thoughts: A classy retelling of a classic story. The characters fit more into modern archtypes, but still maintain the expectations and social obligations of the novel's setting. A comfortable read on a cold day.
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