Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
This much-loved retelling of the classic French taleBeauty and the  Beastelicits the familiar magical charm, but is more believable and complex than the  traditional story. In this version, Beauty is not as beautiful as her older sisters, who are  both lovely and kind. Here, in fact, Beauty has no confidence in her appearance but takes  pride in her own intelligence, her love of learning and books, and her talent in riding. She  is the most competent of the three sisters, which proves essential when they are forced to  retire to the country because of their father's financial ruin.The plot follows that of the renowned legend: Beauty selflessly agrees to inhabit the  Beast's castle to spare her father's life. Beauty's gradual acceptance of the Beast and the  couple's deepening trust and affection are amplified in novel form. Robin McKinley's  writing has the flavor of another century, and Beauty heightens the authenticity as a  reliable and competent narrator.This was McKinley's first book, written almost 20 years ago. Since that time she has been  awarded the Newbery Medal forThe Hero and the Crownand has  delighted her fans with another retelling of theBeauty and the Beastfable,Rose Daughter.Still,  McKinley's first novel has a special place in the hearts of her devoted readers, many of  whom attest to relishingBeautytime and again.(Ages 11 to Adult)