Beastly by Alex Flynn

Kyle Kingsbury is the son of a network news anchor, living in present-day New York.  He's spoiled.  He's rich.  He's good looking.  And he's really mean to anyone not in the elitist popular clique at his exclusive high school.  When a goth girl with mossy teeth named Kendra calls him ugly on the inside, a real beast, he invites her to a school dance-- even though Kyle is really planning to take Sloane, the most popular and best looking girl at school.  What happens isn't much of a surprise.  Kyle shows up at the dance with Sloane, and they make a bit of a scene that is designed to humiliate the ugly and unpopular girl.  Kendra, of course, is a witch in disguise, and that night she turns Kyle into a hideous beast.  He has two years to find someone to fall in love with, and earn her love in return, or he is doomed to remain a beast forever.  Kyle's father tries to help by taking him to countless doctors, but eventually his famous dad gives up and ships Kyle off to a seperate house in Brooklyn with a housekeeper and a blind tutor.  Author Alex Flinn says she read countless versions of the Beauty and the Beast myth before, and while, writing her version.  Because I've seen Disney's version of the tale so many times with my own children, and because Flinn is a talented writer, I had a hard time putting this book down.  In my own library I've barely started my book talks before someone begs to check it out.  In fact, this book is hardly ever available because so many teens want to read it.  If you can get your hands on a copy, I highly recommend it.  Like all versions of the Beauty and the Beast myth, Flinn's story emphasises a conceited person's inner turmoil, weighing one's physical beauty and material goods with one's heart and moral compass.  We see Kyle transform himself from a real beast in human form into a caring, compassionate individual even while he gives up hope that he'll never find true love.  For who could ever learn to love a beast?