Beauty and the Beast

""Oh, she makes me sick!'' one of her ugly sisters says of Beauty's wishnot for jewels or dresses, but for a rose. That's one of Osborne's touches that, while modern, adds wit to this version. It is Pels's artwork, however, that gives this telling its glow. The sensational pictures reveal the underlying sensitivity and poetry of the tale; luminiferous figures are carved from backgrounds of mystery and darkness. One scene intrudes: the wedding scene at the end is the equivalent of an abrupt waking from a most exquisite dream, and the text there seems flippant. But this is an effort worthy of praise. Author and artist together highlight Beauty's fidelity to both her father and the noble beast. Ages 712. (May)