To earn money for her family, twelve-year-old Beauty (who's anything but) is in search of a magical crystal; meanwhile, a witch transforms sensitive Prince Riley into a comically grotesque beast. A twist neatly merges the two plot lines. The setting is a medieval kingdom, but the affectionate duo is delightfully modern. Short chapters, alternately narrated by the two protagonists, keep the pace snappy.

A reasonably charming middle-grade version of "Beauty and the Beast" has little bite. Told in alternating chapters by Beauty and the Beast, who is really a prince named Riley, this takes place in a sort of medieval world (travel by carriage and horseback, inns with straw beds) but has a sharp contemporary tone. Beauty has an older sister who is beautiful and accomplished and pretty nice, and Riley has an older brother whose perfection is somewhat marred by the fact that it is his comments to the witch they encounter that gets Riley turned into the Beast. The story takes a very long time to get started, as Beauty needs to go on a quest of her own before she can rescue the Beast with a kiss. While that quest provides a glowing pink talisman that helps save Riley/the Beast, the connections between the first half and the second half of the story don't always adhere. But Beauty and the Beast share an interest in science, a lack of interest in fuss and folderol, and more than one very sweet kiss. It's all so clean and lighthearted and safe that readers accustomed to any edge at all might find their teeth aching; on the other hand, it is part of a series that has found its audience. Absolutely no villains--even the witch who cast the spell gets to turn herself into a cat to accompany her feline companion--and a bunch of supportive parents, siblings and buddies make for a squeaky-clean read. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Gr 4-7 This installment in the series tells of Beauty, a plain girl whose life drastically changes after a fire destroys her father's business, and Riley, a prince who would rather gaze at the stars than dance at lavish balls. When a mischievous witch turns Riley into a hideous beast and renders his family completely invisible, he must find a girl to love him before his time runs out. Told in alternating viewpoints, this is an appealing fairy-tale spin-off. The characters and dialogue emphasize the importance of family strength in times of adversity. Both Beauty's and Riley's families face serious problems, but they handle their issues with integrity, humor, and courage. At times, however, the dialogue doesn't sound authentic and seems pieced together with little or no transition. Pacing is also a concern. The stories meander through lots of events before the two finally meet, but they all seem random and do little to enhance the plot. It isn't until about 70 pages from the end that the traditional story begins, leaving some to wonder what took so long. Still, Mass and fairy-tale retellings are popular with tweens, and librarians looking for light, nonviolent retellings will find that Beauty fits the bill nicely. Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX