Alex Field (text), Helene Magisson (illus.), Beauty and the Beast (Happily Ever After), New Frontier, 1 March 2017, 24pp., $24.99 (hbk), ISBN: 9781925059809
While Beauty and the Beast rides high in the Box Office, this picture book version of the classic fairytale is timely, and will likely prove popular with young readers, some of whom may be deemed ‘too little’ to watch the live action movie, which is rated PG.
The drawcard for this publication is without doubt the stunning watercolour illustrations by Helene Magisson. Dark peach and violet tones absorb the reader into Beauty’s world, with magical butterflies scattered across the pages.
The fairytale itself is retold simply. The themes of personal identity, self-sacrifice, acceptance and kindness thread through the story gently, following the traditional ‘happily ever after’ pattern of princes and princesses. Modern young girls might question Beauty’s sudden change of heart toward the Beast, given that she has been kept virtually a prisoner for no real reason, but this is a tale written long ago, and so is in keeping with the fairytale genre.
I was a little confused by the byline of the series, which is ‘a new twist on classic fairytales’ – I struggled to see just what the innovation on the text was. Despite this, I still enjoyed the retelling, and thought that the choice of a large and clear font on white pages to be a good one for encouraging young independent readers.
This book is not a ‘must have’, but it would not be out of place in any junior library collection for readers aged 4-8 years. If your current version of Beauty and the Beast is looking tired, this one would be a useful addition, particularly as the movie is likely to spark renewed interest in borrowing!
Reviewed by Kay Oddone
