This is part of the Twice upon a Time series and puts a new spin on an old story. Beauty was named by her mother who was on her deathbed and, unfortunately, Beauty did not live up to her name. Prince Riley is supposed to be “princely” like his older brother but he is not interested in balls and royal occasions but wants to be a scientist. When Riley meets a witch she turns him into a hairy ugly beast. When Beauty’s father comes to the castle – you probably know what happens. This is a wonderful take on the story of “the only one who didn’t run away”. Reviewed by BPL volunteer EE.

this book was a little boring at first, but if you keep reading until the end, it gets better.

This is the most enjoyable book I've read this summer! Based on the classic fairy tale of "Beauty and the Beast," Mass fleshes out the story so that all the details make sense and all the characters have understandable personalities and motives. Well done! I was disappointed that NYPL does not seem to have the other books in the "Twice Upon A Time" series. If they are even close to as good as this one, they would certainly be worth purchasing for the library. I know I want to read them! Highly recommended for Grades 4-8. Appropriate as a read-aloud for younger children and can certainly be enjoyed by older students and adults.