Beastly

Gr 8—10—Privileged, popular, and proud, high school student Kyle Kingsbury knows he can get away with virtually anything because of his good looks and his father's money. But Kyle goes too far when he sets out to humiliate a mysterious and unpopular girl at the school dance. The girl turns out to be a witch who casts a spell on Kyle, turning him into a beast who is now as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. The only way for Kyle to break the curse is to fall in love with someone who will look past his appearance and love him in return. Alex Flinn's modern retelling (HarperTeen, 2007) of Beauty and the Beast is performed by Chris Patton whose believable, youthful voice helps listeners identify and sympathize with the Beast as he starts to transform from arrogant, selfish, and cruel to caring and kind. His nuanced narration gives the main characters individual personalities, including the occasional beastly growl he adds to Kyle's voice and the chat room conversations with other victims of magical transformations. Listeners will be satisfied with this tale of personal growth and love that also addresses the larger issues of society's fixation on beauty and popularity.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL