Enchanted Friends Help With the Beast's Feast

One of Disney’s most iconic scenes is the romantic evening Belle and her hairy host share in Beauty and the Beast as he tries to work up the nerve to confess that he loves her. While what everybody remembers about that scene is the elegant ballroom dance that sends them spinning around the room, it is preceded by dinner, and that is the focus of The Beast’s Feast, a level two Disney’s First Reader written by Gail Tuchman and illustrated by Eric Binder and Darren Hont.

At the end of the story, we see the Beast in his snazzy blue outfit that looks like some sort of Naval dress uniform, and Belle is glowing in her golden gown. Mostly, though, Belle is out of sight, and the Beast wears his purple cape as he consults with his household staff over the particulars of the evening’s entertainment. Both characters are well rendered except when it comes to Belle’s eyes, which appear to be a grayish hazel instead of the rich chestnut brown they usually are. Considering the fact that I am pleasantly accustomed to sharing both hair and eyes with my favorite Disney princess, I find the color change galling.

Other characters featured here include Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, Chip and the canine footrest, and they are all in fine form. It is their presence that builds the structure of the book, since the Beast asks each in turn how he or she might contribute to his special evening. (Well, he doesn’t ask the dog specifically, but the pooch’s waggling enthusiasm is evident.) The repetitive structure reminds me of both The Little Red Hen and The House That Jack Built. Like the first, it is a series of pleas for aid, but in this case the friends are much more helpful. Like the second, it builds on itself so that by the end, we have a long string of things that will help make this elegant date as memorable as possible.

The structure mostly works well, though I feel like it’s trying to incorporate rhyme and rhythm, but only halfway, so the result is a little uneven. Sometimes it rhymes and sometimes it doesn’t, and the rhythm is not very strong. Still, the repetition is useful for early readers, and it can be fun to try to anticipate what will come next. Which character will the Beast consult? What services will he or she volunteer? The gentle enthusiasm on the Beast’s face throughout the story increases the anticipation for the grand finale.

This is just a quick tie-in book to a classic movie. Those who know the characters will find nothing surprising here, and those who don’t are lacking the prior character development that makes this scene so wonderful. Still, reluctant readers who love Beauty and the Beast may find the familiar characters enough incentive to give this book a whirl, and anything that helps kids immerse themselves in the wonders of reading is a beautiful thing indeed.