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Beauty & the Beast
Beauty & the Beast
Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 14, 2016
Review
Kuniko Craft's illustrations are the star of this retelling of the Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's version first published in France in 1756. Created in artist's oil paint on a gesso panel, each page features a lush drawing with detail and depth. Children would most benefit from being read this story one-on-one as they can pore over the pictures while the long pages of text are read. The text is not the Disneyfied version, but true to the original story and, as such, pulls no punches. The cruel sisters of Beauty are turned to stone statues at the end to "repent for your selfishness and spite..." and Beauty is rewarded for her honest heart and lives a happy life with her Beast until the end of their days and "those were many indeed." A great book for fairy tale enthusiasts and a gorgeous addition to a collection, especially one interested in preserving the original stories and enhancing them with top-notch artwork.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Craft, Mahlon F.
Illustrator: Craft, Kinuko Y.
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: folklore
Audience: grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780060539191
Price: 17.99