Whether she is comparing her ungainliness to her sisters' loveliness or struggling to overcome her fear at being trapped in the Beast's castle - not because she is scared of the Beast himself, but because she has an innate understanding of what it means to be free. As a narrator, Beauty is thoughtful and honest. I had to stop myself more than once from detailing the whole plot in this review and will force myself to a short list of the qualities of this book that are most brilliant. Beauty's journey from resigned but frightened prisoner by choice to compassionate, loving companion is rich and irresistible. Despite this, McKinley makes every word compelling. This is one of those books where you know the ending without having read it. Some Friday I will give all of these books a proper review, but if you love fairy tales the way I do, rush out to find them the minute you finish reading Beauty.

These are fabulous, feminist retellings of popular fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, The Princess and the Pea and Cinderella as well as lesser known tales like T oads and Diamonds and the Golden Goose. Gail Carson Levine also wrote a series of short stories, now published in one hardcover volume titled The Fairy's Return and other Princess Tales, or in two paperback volumes titled Princess Tales, Volume 1 and Princess Tales, Volume 2. For those of you who saw the movie, the book is completely different and please, please don't judge the book by the movie. Ella Enchanted, a spectacular book by Gail Carson Levine is probably the most famous in this genre.

I have always loved fairy tales and have really enjoyed the growing genre I'll call fairy tale re-telling. However, it is her first published book, Beauty, that has been a favorite of mine since I first read it. Robin McKinley has won a Newbery Award for The Hero and the Crow n, as well as a Newbery Honor for The Blue Sword.

Beauty by Robin McKinley