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Disney: Belle Takes Flight
The spell may be broken, but Belle's adventures have just begun! This original middle-grade novel continues the story of Disney's Beauty and the Beast!The spell that turned the Prince into the Beast has been broken. But when he mysteriously goes missing, Belle learns that he is being held prisoner by a far-away kingdom under a spell of their own. Now it's up to her to rescue him. With the help of Lumiere, Cogsworth, and several new friends, Belle sets out on a quest that takes her farther than she's ever gone before. This original hardcover middle grade novel based on the beloved Disney classic Beauty and the Beast is perfect for fans of The Descendents and other older Disney books.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published December 11, 2018
14 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Kathy McCullough
20 books115 followersI'm a novelist and screenwriter living in L.A., author of Don't Expect Magic and its sequel Who Needs Magic?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 10, 2018
Cute and clever, but someone didn't catch the mistake where for some unexplained reason Mrs. Potts speaks with an Irish accent. Really? Didn't anybody see the two movies, the musical, or the park productions for research?
September 2, 2018
Book #69 Read in 2018
Belle Takes Flight by Kathy McCullough
This book continues the story of Belle and her Beast/Prince. In this book, Belle wants to bring books to her village but the printing press in a far city is taking too long. The Beast is kidnapped by his cousin and Belle, along with Lumiere and Cogsworth, go to rescue him in Belle's father's steam balloon. They find, along with the Prince, a whole bunch of books in the castle. It was the dead Queen's dream to open a school in the village and share those books with the school. Belle helps make that happen. As with most fairy tales, there is happy ending. Middle school readers would especially love this book. I borrowed this book from the public library.
Belle Takes Flight by Kathy McCullough
This book continues the story of Belle and her Beast/Prince. In this book, Belle wants to bring books to her village but the printing press in a far city is taking too long. The Beast is kidnapped by his cousin and Belle, along with Lumiere and Cogsworth, go to rescue him in Belle's father's steam balloon. They find, along with the Prince, a whole bunch of books in the castle. It was the dead Queen's dream to open a school in the village and share those books with the school. Belle helps make that happen. As with most fairy tales, there is happy ending. Middle school readers would especially love this book. I borrowed this book from the public library.
August 31, 2019
Really a 3.5
A nice, quick read for fans of beauty and the beast! I liked that Belle wasn't weak and could hold her own. I will never get over never giving Prince ADAM a name in any of the movies/books.
A nice, quick read for fans of beauty and the beast! I liked that Belle wasn't weak and could hold her own. I will never get over never giving Prince ADAM a name in any of the movies/books.
July 20, 2018
I get that this book is targeted towards kids but they skipped a lot of details that would have made the story make more sense.
September 28, 2018
This was a fun story for any Beauty and the Beast fan! The story takes places after the curse. Perfect for middle school readers and up!
December 24, 2018
They skipped a lot of detail that would’ve made the story better
January 21, 2020
This was just such a super adorable book! Full RTC. Thank you Scholastic Australia for my review copy :)
May 12, 2020
This cover is stunning. My daughter and I read this over a week and we enjoyed. It was cute, different. It was not my favorite, it did skip a lot of the detail and that is why I think it was strange and confusing.
December 16, 2023
Cute read for children. Gives a little bit of scientific information with a good mix of adventure.
October 4, 2018
For more reviews, check out my blog: Craft-Cycle
A good read. Kind of cool to see something what happens after the original story.
I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more air travel. Based on the title, I was pretty pumped about the steam balloon, but it doesn't really stay in the air for very long. I guess the title works on a metaphorical level or whatever, but I was really excited for a steam-powered adventure.
Nice story overall. I really liked Belle's character. She is written true to form: innovative, kind, smart, caring, adventurous, and always ready to help. I also liked the resolution although I feel like it was simplified to the point that it didn't necessarily make sense. I know it's a middle grade book, but there were some key points missing that could have made it stronger. Still a satisfying ending, just a little vague.
Beautifully designed book. Overall, I enjoyed this one.
A good read. Kind of cool to see something what happens after the original story.
I was a little disappointed that there wasn't more air travel. Based on the title, I was pretty pumped about the steam balloon, but it doesn't really stay in the air for very long. I guess the title works on a metaphorical level or whatever, but I was really excited for a steam-powered adventure.
Nice story overall. I really liked Belle's character. She is written true to form: innovative, kind, smart, caring, adventurous, and always ready to help. I also liked the resolution although I feel like it was simplified to the point that it didn't necessarily make sense. I know it's a middle grade book, but there were some key points missing that could have made it stronger. Still a satisfying ending, just a little vague.
Beautifully designed book. Overall, I enjoyed this one.
December 1, 2018
This book is amazing.
August 11, 2018
Great book 👍🏻 Very well thought out, good story behind it.⭐️⭐️I would give it five stars 🌟
August 31, 2018
Simple story yet it has one great adventure to read :)
December 31, 2020
What every Disney fan wants to know about their favorite movie is what happens after happily ever after, and Kathy McCullough's Belle Takes Flight answers that question for Beauty and the Beast. After the Beast's curse is broken and everyone in the palace is human again, the adventure is only just getting started for Belle and her new friends.
Life seems almost perfect in the castle once the Enchantress' spell was broken. But when the Prince uncovers an old music box that once belonged to his mother, he becomes despondent and won't talk to anyone, not even Belle. Belle fears the Beast might be making a return appearance, the way he withdrew from everyone after his curse. And then just as suddenly, the Prince vanishes.
Now Belle, Cogsworth, and Lumiere are going after him. They used the magic mirror to see where he was at and saw him imprisoned in a castle far away and Belle is not ready to lose the Prince only after she just found him. She will do whatever it takes to bring him home.
This middle grade read was quite the adventure. Though I was a little put off by the fact that the Beast is now the Prince. We have all the other names of every character from the movie and yet, the Beasts is only the Prince. It's weird when Belle even calls him this in her head, capital "P" Prince. I mean, I know like many of the early princes, he doesn't have a name. We already had two Prince Charmings. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole "Adam" debate either. I mean, at least it's a name, but I guess because the movie lacked to give him one, almost anything feels off, but Prince feels too cold as well.
The story itself was rather cute. I know this is middle grade book so things were very much on the simple level. Simple problem, simple solution, simple adversaries and conflicts. That's not to come off as a bad thing either. It was a fitting story for the targeted audience. I think this is a story all Disney fans would enjoy. Who wouldn't love an extra adventure with their favorite Disney characters? Thankfully, we Disney fans have a whole lot of books to choose from in that regard.
I was a tad upset that even in a post-happily-ever-after story, Belle and her Prince don't get a lot of together time. That they even have a problem arise so early in their new relationship was a bit of an upset too. I wasn't looking for romance or anything like that, I just wished they could've had more time together is all.
If you're a Disney addict like myself, or know of a younger reader who would love an added Disney tale Belle Takes Flight is the perfect read to satisfy all ages! It's the right blend of Disney familiarity and newness to make any Disney fan happy.
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
Life seems almost perfect in the castle once the Enchantress' spell was broken. But when the Prince uncovers an old music box that once belonged to his mother, he becomes despondent and won't talk to anyone, not even Belle. Belle fears the Beast might be making a return appearance, the way he withdrew from everyone after his curse. And then just as suddenly, the Prince vanishes.
Now Belle, Cogsworth, and Lumiere are going after him. They used the magic mirror to see where he was at and saw him imprisoned in a castle far away and Belle is not ready to lose the Prince only after she just found him. She will do whatever it takes to bring him home.
This middle grade read was quite the adventure. Though I was a little put off by the fact that the Beast is now the Prince. We have all the other names of every character from the movie and yet, the Beasts is only the Prince. It's weird when Belle even calls him this in her head, capital "P" Prince. I mean, I know like many of the early princes, he doesn't have a name. We already had two Prince Charmings. I'm not sure how I feel about the whole "Adam" debate either. I mean, at least it's a name, but I guess because the movie lacked to give him one, almost anything feels off, but Prince feels too cold as well.
The story itself was rather cute. I know this is middle grade book so things were very much on the simple level. Simple problem, simple solution, simple adversaries and conflicts. That's not to come off as a bad thing either. It was a fitting story for the targeted audience. I think this is a story all Disney fans would enjoy. Who wouldn't love an extra adventure with their favorite Disney characters? Thankfully, we Disney fans have a whole lot of books to choose from in that regard.
I was a tad upset that even in a post-happily-ever-after story, Belle and her Prince don't get a lot of together time. That they even have a problem arise so early in their new relationship was a bit of an upset too. I wasn't looking for romance or anything like that, I just wished they could've had more time together is all.
If you're a Disney addict like myself, or know of a younger reader who would love an added Disney tale Belle Takes Flight is the perfect read to satisfy all ages! It's the right blend of Disney familiarity and newness to make any Disney fan happy.
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
January 31, 2024
With starting this month late, I’m eternally grateful to have completed my goal for January! “Belle Takes Flight” is a sequel adventure novel by @kathymcculloughbooks, the first book in her unnamed (both tagged “The end is just the beginning…”) middle-school series about the Disney Princesses. This two-book series seems to correspond with the release of the live-action films, but no other books have released since.
“Belle Takes Flight” picks up shortly after the curse has broken, just as a mysterious music box with a dark history appears after years of being missing. Upon seeing it, The Prince disappears, with little clues as to where he’s gone and what’s happened. With the help of the Enchanted Mirror, Belle finds that their beloved prince has been taken prisoner in a nearby kingdom. Now set on a mission, Belle, Cogsworth, and Lumiere must take to the sky and rescue their friend from his shackles. However, as the questers arrive to Brumeux, they discover that there might be more than one cursed castle in France. Belle must use her wits, compassion, and love for books to save not only The Prince but the kingdom, too.
—
Coming from some heavier renditions of BATB this month, I was absolutely delighted to read McCullough’s hidden treasure of a tale. As a middle-school read, BTF feels like a direct-to-film sequel in the best way possible. It has all the perfect characterizations and voices of the original story, with the lightness of a simple sequel.
I loved seeing Maurice’s inventions take center stage, especially in showcasing just how bright Belle is and how she is just as capable an inventor as her father. Though my experiences in hot air balloons are pretty minimal, I was happily surprised by how much detail was put into accurately describing its innermost workings.
I really enjoyed this story and how easy it was to intake. With usually assigning pages as “homework,” I had too much fun in this little world to stop as scheduled. I highly suggest this to anyone looking for a cute and light-hearted story!
I hope we will one day be lucky enough to see McCullough’s takes on the Live-Action Aurora, Cinderella, Mulan, and Ariel!
“Belle Takes Flight” picks up shortly after the curse has broken, just as a mysterious music box with a dark history appears after years of being missing. Upon seeing it, The Prince disappears, with little clues as to where he’s gone and what’s happened. With the help of the Enchanted Mirror, Belle finds that their beloved prince has been taken prisoner in a nearby kingdom. Now set on a mission, Belle, Cogsworth, and Lumiere must take to the sky and rescue their friend from his shackles. However, as the questers arrive to Brumeux, they discover that there might be more than one cursed castle in France. Belle must use her wits, compassion, and love for books to save not only The Prince but the kingdom, too.
—
Coming from some heavier renditions of BATB this month, I was absolutely delighted to read McCullough’s hidden treasure of a tale. As a middle-school read, BTF feels like a direct-to-film sequel in the best way possible. It has all the perfect characterizations and voices of the original story, with the lightness of a simple sequel.
I loved seeing Maurice’s inventions take center stage, especially in showcasing just how bright Belle is and how she is just as capable an inventor as her father. Though my experiences in hot air balloons are pretty minimal, I was happily surprised by how much detail was put into accurately describing its innermost workings.
I really enjoyed this story and how easy it was to intake. With usually assigning pages as “homework,” I had too much fun in this little world to stop as scheduled. I highly suggest this to anyone looking for a cute and light-hearted story!
I hope we will one day be lucky enough to see McCullough’s takes on the Live-Action Aurora, Cinderella, Mulan, and Ariel!
March 11, 2024
A cute story that takes place after the classic Disney animated movie Beauty and the Beast.
Though it also serves as a sequel to the live action one too. Honestly this book kind of mashes the two together and then does it's own thing.
The story uses the magic atlas as introduced in the live action version, but the character descriptions are much closer to the animated version. Also this book reintroduced the steampunk feel and aesthetic from the animated one, and I really appreciate it. (I accept that live action version really wanted historical realism, but it's magic, it can be a little anachronistic.)
Anyway, this short novel has plenty of action and adventure, what it does not have is a name for the prince. I don't care how formal your society no woman is going to address her husband as The Prince. )Though I guess they aren't actually married yet since she never calls him her husband. This is actually more problematic because now the prince has an unmarried woman living with him who is not employed at the castle.)
TL;DR: the prince can have a name, it won't hurt anyone. The book is a sequel to both versions of the movie. And sanitizing the story by having Belle and the prince not married actually makes it a little worse.
Though it also serves as a sequel to the live action one too. Honestly this book kind of mashes the two together and then does it's own thing.
The story uses the magic atlas as introduced in the live action version, but the character descriptions are much closer to the animated version. Also this book reintroduced the steampunk feel and aesthetic from the animated one, and I really appreciate it. (I accept that live action version really wanted historical realism, but it's magic, it can be a little anachronistic.)
Anyway, this short novel has plenty of action and adventure, what it does not have is a name for the prince. I don't care how formal your society no woman is going to address her husband as The Prince. )Though I guess they aren't actually married yet since she never calls him her husband. This is actually more problematic because now the prince has an unmarried woman living with him who is not employed at the castle.)
TL;DR: the prince can have a name, it won't hurt anyone. The book is a sequel to both versions of the movie. And sanitizing the story by having Belle and the prince not married actually makes it a little worse.
July 24, 2021
It’s such a great feeling when you’re able to read a book in less than a day!😍
These story pics shortly after the end of “Beauty and the Beast” live-action movie, and it follows Belle as she tries to find the missing Prince!
With the help of some old friends and some new ones, Belle travels to a new kingdom with its fair share of curses and sorrows.
It’s definitely a middle-grade book, and you read it as it is, simple, fast, cute and with a happy ending!☺️
Belle continues to be the loving bookworm who wants to share her passion with the rest of her village, at the same time she craves for new adventures, which she gets when the Prince suddenly gets missing after seeing his mother music box.
I loved the story in all its simplicity, the love for books always present, through Belle and her new found friends! It’s obvious the author wanted to share how magical a book can be, and the ways it makes us travel and have incredible adventures without leaving the safety of our homes.🥰📖
A must read for all book lovers out there, who just want to travel through a fairytale in a warm summer day!☀️
These story pics shortly after the end of “Beauty and the Beast” live-action movie, and it follows Belle as she tries to find the missing Prince!
With the help of some old friends and some new ones, Belle travels to a new kingdom with its fair share of curses and sorrows.
It’s definitely a middle-grade book, and you read it as it is, simple, fast, cute and with a happy ending!☺️
Belle continues to be the loving bookworm who wants to share her passion with the rest of her village, at the same time she craves for new adventures, which she gets when the Prince suddenly gets missing after seeing his mother music box.
I loved the story in all its simplicity, the love for books always present, through Belle and her new found friends! It’s obvious the author wanted to share how magical a book can be, and the ways it makes us travel and have incredible adventures without leaving the safety of our homes.🥰📖
A must read for all book lovers out there, who just want to travel through a fairytale in a warm summer day!☀️
March 4, 2020
The cover is stunningly beautiful and is set out for pretty much any age. Little Miss C loves all the tiny little details and also the colour combination.
She has been easily captivated by the writing style and wouldn't put it down for anything, not even for dinner. Little Miss C says, she is happy to have met some of her favourite Disney characters again and that she really enjoyed this continuation of 'Beauty and the Beast'.
She even had a few giggles here and there, especially when it came down to Lumiere and Cogsworth. Who are her favourites in this book by the way. And after she enjoyed this read so much, I'll definitely give it a go myself.
As Little Miss C is a huge fan of Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast', I knew immediately that she'd be happy to read this. So far it's one of her highlights for 2020 and her copy is honestly very loved already. She has read it twice by now and also recommends it for anyone, who's interested in finding out what happens next with Belle and her Prince.
She has been easily captivated by the writing style and wouldn't put it down for anything, not even for dinner. Little Miss C says, she is happy to have met some of her favourite Disney characters again and that she really enjoyed this continuation of 'Beauty and the Beast'.
She even had a few giggles here and there, especially when it came down to Lumiere and Cogsworth. Who are her favourites in this book by the way. And after she enjoyed this read so much, I'll definitely give it a go myself.
As Little Miss C is a huge fan of Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast', I knew immediately that she'd be happy to read this. So far it's one of her highlights for 2020 and her copy is honestly very loved already. She has read it twice by now and also recommends it for anyone, who's interested in finding out what happens next with Belle and her Prince.
January 16, 2020
Thank you so much Scholastic for sending me a copy to read and review!
This story takes off after the spell on the Beast in broken in the original Beauty and the Beast. Belle and Maurice have moved into the castle and all seems to be going well, until one day, the Prince goes missing. Upon inspecting the Magic Mirror Belle learns that the Prince has been taken captive by a neighbouring kingdom.... his cousin's kingdom no less. So Belle, Cogsworth and Lumiere embark on a journey in a hot air balloon to rescue him, making some valuable friends along the way.
This story highlights the importance and power of family, friends and of course, books!
This is a great middle grade story for young readers who enjoyed The Beauty and the Beast :)
This story takes off after the spell on the Beast in broken in the original Beauty and the Beast. Belle and Maurice have moved into the castle and all seems to be going well, until one day, the Prince goes missing. Upon inspecting the Magic Mirror Belle learns that the Prince has been taken captive by a neighbouring kingdom.... his cousin's kingdom no less. So Belle, Cogsworth and Lumiere embark on a journey in a hot air balloon to rescue him, making some valuable friends along the way.
This story highlights the importance and power of family, friends and of course, books!
This is a great middle grade story for young readers who enjoyed The Beauty and the Beast :)
March 24, 2020
The book is a sequel to the story we already know and love. Belle wants to build a library for the village children and encounters some problems along the way and has quite the adventure. Yes we finally get to see Maurice's flying machine! I enjoy the continuation of Belle's character as I believe the author stayed true to her original depictions. A fun middle grade story for any Disney lover. I give this book 4 stars.
Thank you so much Scholastic Australia for this copy in return for my honest and independent review.
Thank you so much Scholastic Australia for this copy in return for my honest and independent review.
August 30, 2025
The cover is absolutely stunning, there’s no question about that. The story itself is fine, though it doesn’t really feel like a true sequel to Beauty and the Beast despite including the original cast. Even so, it works as a fun adventure, although a few more details here and there would have helped strengthen the story. I’m also not sure how profitable printing all those books would have been just to address the kingdom’s problems caused by the King’s grief over his wife’s passing. On a brighter note, Granny receiving credit for being the true author of her story was a lovely little ending.
October 4, 2021
3.5 Stars! ☆
A very cute, short chapter book adventure. Great for young readers and fans of the Disney movie! I appreciated the way Belle was characterized as clever and resourceful, and she had some great moments with The Prince. Definitely a story written with love for the source material! Some elements weren't very well-explained, and I found it odd that the author chose to give everyone and everything a name except for The Prince, so that stood out to me. But still, mostly adorable!
A very cute, short chapter book adventure. Great for young readers and fans of the Disney movie! I appreciated the way Belle was characterized as clever and resourceful, and she had some great moments with The Prince. Definitely a story written with love for the source material! Some elements weren't very well-explained, and I found it odd that the author chose to give everyone and everything a name except for The Prince, so that stood out to me. But still, mostly adorable!
October 20, 2019
I liked the personification of the characters in this story. I was worried when I saw that this was written by the same author as "Jasmine and the Sapphire Quest". I couldn't finish that book because it was so boring. Although this book was not terribly fast paced, at least it was easier to read. Cogsworth was so funny.
June 22, 2021
This was a quick little middle grade story, the concept was original and easy to follow, I enjoyed the plot... I do wish it had been a bit more in depth but it is aimed for a younger audience. The characters have been captured beautifully and the settings have been created well, this is quite a visual read and good for an afternoon's feet up with a cuppa.
July 13, 2020
It is a fun story for kids especially to those who are just starting to read story books and novels. I think they would enjoy reading more if they read this book since the book tackle about the love for books and how important reading is.
February 3, 2019
Really wanna read this again with the audiobook.
August 18, 2019
Adventurous and awesome
July 27, 2020
This was a cute companion story to the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast.
October 19, 2020
I’m a lover of the beauty and the beast story and characters and this is an excellent add on from the beloved story! Sweet and exciting!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews