Beauty and the Beast

Ladybird – Well Loved Tales Series 606D #3.1

by Vera Southgate

4" x 6" hardback, printed in the U.K. with beautiful color illustrations on each page. The original story of beauty and the beast, before disney, no animated characters illustrated, all people - princesses, english gardens, etc. 50 pages in length. There are 15 books in the series. This book is suggested for 3rd grade reading. This book has been in one family since the early 1970s.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Picture Books, Classics, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Romance

52 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

Reviews

[Marquise]

This is another edition with the same text by Vera Southgate as the edition with art by Robert Ayton that I disliked (Gorilla Beast, ugh), but this one has art by Stephen Player. I loved his style more, so painterly and that he did a better job with this tale than with LRRH, in my opinion, and his depiction of Beast, whilst still not one I'd call great, was much better than Ayton's (he's a sort of goat/ram of sorts).

I can also see that the text by Southgate wasn't meant for Ayton, because it fits Player better. I still don't like that Southgate made Beauty forget her promise and stay because she wanted to.

[Marquise]

Awful depiction of Beast as an oversized and depressed gorilla, and there's changes that I struggle to understand the point of, like asking for a bunch of white roses instead of just one, and why the merchant never explains how he lost his fortune, which makes his daughets' petitions for lavish gifts all the more insane considering they have no hope of recovering the fortune that is the impulse behind their selfish wishes for rich presents. Also, Beauty just forgets to go back to the castle, she stays on her own because she wants to be with her father, breaking the promise she made on her own.

[booklady]

Beauty was a version of Cinderella/Cordelia, that is, she was the loving and beautiful of the three sisters. It seems to be a classic prototype in fairy tales and literature in general, to emphasize the Good by contrasting it with the Bad. There are some brother/son scenarios as well.

Beauty has to return to the Beast's palace because her father unwittingly picked some forbidden roses in his garden and he was sworn to bring whatever he first met on his return home. Much like Jephthah's Daughter in the Old Testament (Judges 11:29-39) Beauty loved her father and came rushing out to greet her dear father on his return from his trip, only to break his heart because he knew what this greeting meant.

Fortunately, this is not a Shakespearean tragedy nor a Scriptural sermon, this is a Fairy tale and though things get a bit dark at times for the heroes and heroines, they win out and the bad guys (and gals) get their comeuppance. Beauty fulfills her father's duty and things still find a romantic way in the end.

Lovely. Romantic. One of the best! And when you put it to music, it gets even better! And for this booklady, the library in the movie was just about as heavenly as can be imagined! (deep sigh)

[Deborah Roberts]

A lovely fairy tell.... Would make a great ballet!

[Claire Ford]

Classic story, ever so slightly different from the latest adaptations.

[Clare O'Beara]

I read this when we were small, the little hardback was enjoyable and well illustrated. This one was seen as a tale for girls, who were given stories about princesses and sleeping beauties. In general boys were clearly expected to go out and have adventures. Girls were not, or they met savage beasts in the forest. Here again a girl has to live indoors and be a housekeeper. She doesn't get a choice about whom she marries. Maybe this was to reconcile maids to being wed to older men.
I think it's important to tell the old fairytales to children as otherwise they won't know the stories in today's jumble of other entertainments and games.
This is an unbiased review. I have not read a new edition.

[Gerri-Geraldine Lavis-Gregory]

Thought I'd take a trip down memory lane after watching the Birmingham Ballet perform this classic (a lovely reminder about the White Rose)

[for-much-deliberation ...]

From my ladybird book collection as a child, quite enjoyed all these tales, this was one of the last that I had, they all ended up being donated to the library

[Dane Cobain]

You’ve probably already heard of this story, and this interpretation was decent enough. I do want to read it in French too, though.

[Annisa Nur Widya]

Wah beda ternyata ya sama cerita disney nya. Ternyata dia punya dua saudara perempuan, kayak Cinderella aja. Beauty yang menemani kesendirian Beast minus gelas, lilin dan jam yang bisa berbicara. Kalau disini, konflik Beast nya mau meninggal karena nggak sanggup hidup tanpa Beauty, jadi mending kelaparan sampai mati ehehe. Beauty juga udah terbiasa bercengkrama dan akhirnha kembali u tul Beast.

[Sophie Crane]

This series is totally and completely fantastic in so many ways, The stories will live for children for ever and ever as one says, The physical presentation in as magical as the stories and it so marvellous to see these timeless stories renewed once again for the new generations to enjoy as much as we did when we were children.
Timeless Wonders!

[Catherine Mason]

Brings back memories of reading to my children. A pleasing version, although I prefer a brunette beauty myself.

[Emily Francova]

It's so beautiful

[Paul Pryce]

Beautiful book

[Phair]

This little book is not one of my favorites. I do not like the Beast depicted as gorilla-like (a sad-sack gorilla with big canine teeth). The setting is latter 18thc complete with powdered wigs and tricorne hats. Illustrator Robert Ayton did a decent job costuming the male characters but not so great on the women. I found Beauty's look particularly off-putting- sometimes she looked downright homely and at other times like an airhead. Probably added to my collection in late 1980s.

[Sarah Baines]

Admittedly most of the 4 Stars are for the sublime illustrations in the edition I read. The story again, is another one I adored as a child but now I couldn't help but feel that it was a bit boring as not much really happened and what did happen was down to Beauty's father being a dirty rotten thief!!

[Selia]

Любимата ми приказка

[N. Ray]

Didn't care for the illustrations, but loved the story.

[Harini]

It was okay but this definitely is not my favorite version.

[Lynn Smith]

After Cinderella this is my favourite fairy tale. I love it and it was wonderful to rediscover it with my niece first as a baby and then in her early childhood.

[Jenks]

Classic
Story .

[Viktoriya]

movie is way better!!!!!!

[Sarah Martin]

Another beautiful told classic with stunning illustrations by Eric Winter.

[Autumn Leaf]

After reading a thriller I picked this up as a cleanser. I was not expecting much.