5 Beauty & the Beast Inspired Tales Perfect for Young Adults

Beauty and the Beast inspired young adult books, stack of books by pink vase

Beauty and the Beast inspired tales and fairy tale retellings for the young adult audience are in abundance, and that's great, because we all need a touch of BATB magic in our lives.

Here are 5 Beauty and the Beast inspired young adult books that offer a new angle. Let's read something, shall we?

Hunted by Meagan Spooner

Beauty and the Beast inspired books, Hunted

Hunted is highly rated, and not just among Beauty and the Beast enthusiasts. In this BATB-inspired tale, Beauty is a hunter who sets off to find her missing father in a cold, wintry setting. What she finds are fantastical beasts and a Beast in need of rescue. It's a beautifully written tale and perfect for young adult audiences.

Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley

Beauty and the Beast inspired books, Beauty

Robin McKinley is one of my favorite authors. I just love her style. McKinley's Beauty was one of the early BATB retellings, published in 1978, long before Disney made the tale popular. This version is sweet and just like traditional fairytales, provides lessons we all should heed.

Belle: A Retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" (Once Upon a Time) by Cameron Dokey

Cameron Dokey's Belle focuses on Beauty and her relationship with family. Instead of a rose, as in the Disney version, there's a Heartwood tree and Belle is a wood carver hobbyist. This retelling also evokes an old fashioned fairytale with a moral message - true beauty is found on the inside.

Of Beast and Beauty by Stacy Jay

Stacy Jay's Beauty in Of Beast and Beauty is an adventurous princess who questions the current state in this dystopian, science fiction retelling. Her Beast is a mutant captured while trying to provide for his community. While this tale is light on BATB-inspiration, it does have blood-craving roses and a thoughtful moral message about challenging the superficial differences that divide humanity.

Scales: A Fresh Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Alydia Rackham

In Scales, it's Beauty who's transformed into the Beast. She's cursed by her jealous sister, and of course, the curse can be broken only by true love. Scales is a sweet, wholesome, fantasy BATB retelling, and very well done, in my opinion.

If you're seeking a light, clean Beauty and the Beast romance, check out one of these selections. I'd love to hear your take. Post a comment or let's connect on Goodreads.

Already read them? I bet you'll find one you haven't read yet on the Beauty and the Beast Fan Fiction list.

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Symbolism of the Rose in Beauty and the Beast

Roses play a significant role in many Beauty and the Beast tales. Have you ever wondered about the symbolism of the rose in Beauty and the Beast ? Me too. Image by Tama66 on Pixabay The rose played a key role in the original tale by Madame Barbot de Villeneuve and in Madame LePrince de Beaumont's shortened version . While I'm not a literary expert, I can wield a keyboard like a fiend. Some research and voila, a few interesting tidbits. We'll explore the setting at the time of the original tale and the importance of the rose in 18th century France when Mesdames Barbot de Villeneuve and LePrince de Beaumont penned their tales. We'll also look into the symbolism of the rose and what it's hinting at for the leading characters. Beauty's Setting in the 1700s in France Decadence was happening in 18th century France. Louis XV was king for most of the century. Lush and lovely things were all the rage. The French Court was headquartered at Versailles, an opulen

Beauty & the Beast Meets The Witcher. Who Knew?

I made an interesting discovery the other day. I was making the acquaintance of Geralt of Rivia, the Witcher, in The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski . A delightful, tough, magical kinda dude. I enjoyed the format of the book and getting to know the characters as the short stories unfolded into a broader tale. About three shorts in I was delightfully surprised to discover that Mr. Sapkowski enjoys fairy tales, and wove my fave into the story. The Witcher Meets Beauty and the Beast in "Grain of Truth" In one of Geralts' adventures, "Grain of Truth," he is meandering through a forest and encounters the remains of two unfortunate souls. One is a woman with a rose pinned to her dress. He meanders further down the path and encounters a dilapidated castle. Upon entering the courtyard he is accosted by the Beast, also called Nivellen. Nivellen is a jovial fellow, and after a ferocious display where he fails to frighten the Witcher, he instead invites him

Madame Barbot de Villeneuve's La Belle et La Bete: Reflections on the Original Beauty & the Beast Tale

I am not a literary critic, reviewer or smart in literary analysis in any such way. Just to be clear. I love to read, and I love to read Beauty and the Beast tales - in the case you haven't read previous posts. While this project has increased my interest in literary analysis and I'm learning it can be a bottomless hole on the interwebs, for now, I'm keeping posts simple for us plain folk. However, I have found a few analyses and reviews that I respect and will reference them for your edification. The OG Beauty and the Beast Reflections on the original - La Belle et La Bête by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve , written 1740: Barbot de Villeneuve, author of the original Beauty and the Beast Did you know that Beauty is the daughter of a fairy!?! And the Prince's cousin!! /ewww Monkeys, parrots and birds attend Beauty while at the enchanted castle. The Beast woos Beauty in her dreams, as her "Beloved Unknown." She doesn't fall in