Beauty and the Beast

Rating:
Summary: One of a Kind
Review: A thousand words cannot begin to describe this book. Marianna Mayer took a story that all readers would be familiar with and without drastically changing it, gave us a breath of fresh air from our childhood. Her prose is outstanding but the true standout is the way she portrays emotion. In too many fairy tales, the characters are cool and aloof and the only human emotion portrayed is love. In this "Beauty and the Beast," the lucky reader can see the depth of Beauty and the Beast's despair and hope. As for the illustrations, they are breathtaking! Mercer Mayer's fairy tale work is incredible and full of detail. Beauty's rooms are rich and colorful. Beauty is gorgeous and the Beast is a tad scary. Unusual details include the Egyptian motifs scattered thourghout the castle, especially the sphinx off in a distant room. I highly recommend this book, no matter what your age. This book has an heirloom quality to it and the story is as beautiful and as timeless as the mountains outside Beauty's window.

Rating:
Summary: Beauty and the Beast
Review: I had this book as a child and loved it then, but forgot about it as I discovered novels. Years later I went back and read it again and saw a thousand things I had missed before. Do you notice that the castle has Egyptian architecture? Or that certain shade of blue-purple that connotes something out of the ordinary? Or the presence of roses in almost every picture? The words do a good job of telling the story, but the illustrations are what truly make this book special. For anyone remotely interested in myth or fairy tales, this is the best telling of Beauty and the Beast available.

Rating:
Summary: Exquisite illustrations add to the beauty of this tale
Review: In a faithful re-telling of the French fairy tale, Marianna Mercer has successfully captured the essence of the story: that true love is blind to all appearances, and that ugliness from without does not necessarily denote ugliness from within. Mercer Mayer's beautiful and carefully done illustrations highlight the magic of the story, portraying both the loveliness of the heroine, Beauty, as well as the inner mean-spirited nature of her beautiful but scornful sisters. I particularly loved his illustrations of Beauty's father, the merchant, which went from despair and sorrow at the loss of his rich cargo ships, to the surprise at being caught by the Beast in the rose garden, to the joy at seeing his daughter again after her "captivity" in the Beast's castle. I first received this book in the early '80's for Christmas from a beloved brother; though my first copy was destroyed, I was lucky enough to be able to purchase another hardcover edition just a few years ago, and it is a favorite of mine which my children hear read to them very often. My advice is to get the hardcover edition, because the softcover may not last as long through all of the readings, but whatever edition you buy, do not miss out on this wonderful and relevant tale retold with skill and beauty.

Rating:
Summary: A work of art and a wonderful retelling
Review: The Mayers present a stunning edition of Beauty and the Beast in this picture book. Marianna's story is simply and beautifully told, and Mercer's illustrations are stunning, full of detail, and create the perfect mood for this classic fairy tale. I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A work of art and a wonderful retelling
Review: The Mayers present a stunning edition of Beauty and the Beast in this picture book. Marianna's story is simply and beautifully told, and Mercer's illustrations are stunning, full of detail, and create the perfect mood for this classic fairy tale. I highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: This is a picture book from childhood?s past.
Review: The story is beautiful yet familiar. The drawings are heartachingly exquisite. Even the pictures in my mind's eye aren't as sumptuous as the illustrations in this book. Mercer Mayer outdid himself. Each time I read this book I discover something new in each painting. I am shocked that it did not receive a Caldicott. Mayer's fairytales have a distressing habit of going out of print- buy this one while you still can. I plan to pass my copy down through generations.

Rating:
Summary: This is a picture book from childhood's past.
Review: The story is beautiful yet familiar. The drawings are heartachingly exquisite. Even the pictures in my mind's eye aren't as sumptuous as the illustrations in this book. Mercer Mayer outdid himself. Each time I read this book I discover something new in each painting. I am shocked that it did not receive a Caldicott. Mayer's fairytales have a distressing habit of going out of print- buy this one while you still can. I plan to pass my copy down through generations.

Rating:
Summary: The illustrations are fantastic, but the text isn't
Review: This retelling of the old fairy tale adds deeper emotions to the story with gorgeous, jewel-toned paintings. The portrayal of the father as a broken man, the beast as a misunderstood animal, and Beauty as all that is selfless and good in pre-modern Europe follows the timeworn pattern. Although the text does not stand out among retellings, the framed, haunting oil paintings that accompany the words on each opening as love turns the beast into a prince make the text superfluous. The images are ageless, but the text I would recommend for ages eight and up.

Rating:
Summary: The illustrations are fantastic, but the text isn't
Review: This retelling of the old fairy tale adds deeper emotions to the story with gorgeous, jewel-toned paintings. The portrayal of the father as a broken man, the beast as a misunderstood animal, and Beauty as all that is selfless and good in pre-modern Europe follows the timeworn pattern. Although the text does not stand out among retellings, the framed, haunting oil paintings that accompany the words on each opening as love turns the beast into a prince make the text superfluous. The images are ageless, but the text I would recommend for ages eight and up.