Beauty and the Beast

From The Blue Fairy Book, retold by Andrew Lang

This tale comes from The Blue Fairy Book, a collection compiled by Andrew Lang and first published in 1889, though the story itself originated with French author Madame de Villeneuve in 1740. "Beauty and the Beast" has become one of the world's most beloved fairy tales, exploring the transformative power of love that sees beyond surface appearances to recognise true character. The story rewards careful readers: the recurring dreams, the warning not to trust appearances, and Beauty's gradual recognition of the Beast's gentle nature all work together to teach that genuine worth lies in kindness, loyalty, and courage rather than physical beauty. This text reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. The tale endures because it addresses a timeless human challenge—learning to value substance over superficial charm.

Band

Blue · Independent readers, confident, about 10 to 12

Length

long · about 1082 words in 5 sections · 2 pictures

Source

The Blue Fairy Book, Andrew Lang · Project Gutenberg

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.