Beastly (Kendra Chronicles)

With a new Beauty and the Beast movie hitting theaters in Spring 2017, it’s time to catch up on all things Beastly. Find out what it was like for the beast in Alex Flinn’s contemporary retelling of the classic tale. This edition features cover art from the 2011 movie starring Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer.I am a beast.A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. From School Library Journal 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, ILα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Review Eminently satisfying (Publishers Weekly ) Beastly has romance, true love, tragic circumstances, magic, action adventure, and hope. It’s a must-read for all fairy-tale fans, and has a knockout cover to boot. (School Library Journal ) Teens will LOL. They will also find their preoccupations with looks, status and pride explored thoroughly. (Kirkus Reviews ) An] engrossing tale that will have appeal for fans of fantasy and realistic fiction” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) ) Equally strong appeal for boys and girls. (ALA Booklist ) Fiction,General,Juvenile Fiction,Fantasy & Magic,Social Issues,Love & Romance,United States,People & Places,Adolescence,Adaptations,Health & Fitness,Beauty & Grooming,Beauty; Personal,Fairy Tales & Folklore A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright — a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever — ruined — unless I can break the spell.Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly. A modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form