Beauty and the Beast: An Illustrated Fairy Tale Classic by Brittany Fichter (Illustrated by Rebecca E. Paavo)

Children’s Literature. 40 Pages. 5 Stars

Synopsis:

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Belle who
wanted nothing more than to fight pirates… or be a
princess… or explore magical underwater cities.

Belle wanted to go wherever her books could take her.
Her favorite spot to begin such adventures was in the garden,
nestled among the roses.

Inspired by Villeneuve’s original fairy tale as well as Petrus Gonsalvus’ true story, Fichter’s retelling of Beauty and the Beast marries fact with fiction in an all-new twist, mesmerizing children and adults as they read this mysterious tale of love and friendship time and time again. Bringing the magic to life, Paavo’s whimsical watercolor illustrations will keep children coming back for more as Beauty embarks on her hero’s journey in this timeless tale of truth, redemption, and love.

My Review

This is an absolutely charming addition to children’s literature! The book is designed for a parent or elder to read to a young child. Older children interested in reading could also enjoy the story on their own. (Or straight up young adults who are insane like me :D) There are a few bigger words spread throughout the book, which I think is fantastic. It’s a great way to build and expand little vocabularies and provides grounds to discuss the book and engage with one’s children. It is long by the standards of typical children’s books. However, it’s engaging and could be read either in one sitting with eager readers or perhaps broken up into two or three nights before bedtime for the ones with shorter attention spans. My favorite stories as a child were stories my grandfather told me and my brother, a little at a time. Each night we eagerly awaited the next installment of the story and it made those nights special. The book isn’t long enough to sustain this idea for more than a few nights, but it is one that can be read over and over–and enjoyed even more each time.

The illustrations are simply stunning! I love the stained glass elements throughout the story and the depth of colors in some of the scenes are absolutely breathtaking. Mrs. Paavo has created some captivating images in this book. There is one, in particular, that I found myself thinking, “This is the most beautiful Belle I’ve ever seen.” And two or three illustrations after that I just couldn’t stop staring at! The beast was curious and drew me in visually and the faerie was so pretty! There is something gentle in her work that reminds me of that childlike wonder and awe that we all hope to retain as we grow older. There are some seriously creative scenes and I am in love with her simple, yet homey style. The whole book felt like I was staring into a sacred chapel filled with light piercing through colored glass at just the right angle. I was entranced.

The story itself is based on the original Beauty and the Beast story, and I could see all of the points of connection. It was so fun to see a story stay so true to the original! Retellings are creative and thrilling in their own right, but this is unique in that it didn’t stray from the original, providing a stunningly illustrated version of the classic that is plausible and available for little hands to enjoy. The book is just charming and nostalgic. It felt like a piece of home reading it. I hope to share this with my kids one day. In the meantime, I fully intend to share it with every youngin’ I know! I am blown away! I cannot wait for Cinderella!!

More:

Cinderella is to come! They haven’t started on it yet, but they have discussed it and are making plans to begin the sequel. Hopefully, we’ll get an enchanting little series of children’s books out of the deal! Go check it out and be sure to leave a rating and review for this indie team!