Join us as we dive into the themes and stories behind Beauty and the Beast during the month of March! And don’t worry, it’s not just for girls–we have lots of relevant “boy” titles, too.
Please note that Redeemed Reader is not affiliated with or endorsing the new Disney movie; rather we are examining the traditional fairy tale in its many cultural retellings along with commentary on the movie itself later this month. We will:
Engage with Our Culture
The new Disney live action Beauty and the Beast film opens March 16. This is a great opportunity to model with and for our children and students how to watch and discuss contemporary films and the stories they represent. To that end, you can expect discussions of the new movie along with movies like Penelope and One Night With the King. (The movie Wonder comes out this year, too, and we will be looking at the book this month during this same series.) We will look for common grace insights in these cultural touchstones as well as connect them to other literary works and the truths of Scripture. We will also be alert to ways in which our culture has changed various storylines or inserted unnecessary elements into them. *movie image credit to imdb.com
Experience well-illustrated picture book versions of the famous story
Mondays, we will feature 1-2 picture book versions for you to experience with your families. Look for these at local libraries or check our amazon store:
- Beauty and the Beast by Nancy Willard and illustrated by Barry Moser
- Ugly by Donna Jo Napoli
- Beauty and the Beast OR Beauty and the Beast and Other French Fairy Tales both illustrated by Edmund Dulac
- Beauty and the Beast by Max Eilenberg and illustrated by Angela Barrett
- Beauty and the Beast by Cynthia Rylant
- and more!
Explore the mythological origins of the tale
The “tale as old as time” was once known as the story of Cupid and Psyche. We’ll be looking at Till We Have Faces as well as a picture book version of the myth.
Examine contemporary novels and memoirs that connect thematically
Watch for discussions of the following contemporary works as we move through the month. Look for these at your local libraries or support Redeemed Reader by buying them through our amazon store! Titles are linked to RR reviews where applicable. Note that titles with only “YA” next to them may have more mature themes and content; please read our reviews and, for titles which we will be reviewing later this month, read amazon reviews and/or wait until our discussion before handing to your child(ren).
- Beauty by Robin McKinley (middle grades/YA)
- The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (middle grades/YA)
- Wonder by R. J. Palacio (middle grades)
- Ugly by Robert Hoge (middle grades/YA)
- “Exploring Ugliness” (joint discussion of Ugly and Wonder)
- The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson (middle grades/YA)
- The Queen of Katwe (YA)
- Every Falling Star by Sungju Lee (YA)
- Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (YA)
But most importantly, we will
Extrapolate out the great themes of Scripture as they are seen in this story: Love, Redemption, Beauty, and Beast.
The story of Beauty and the Beast offers much food for thought for Christians because it mirrors some of the key themes and the storyline of Scripture itself. Join us to discuss and meditate on inner and outer beauty, the extent of the curse of sin (beast), and our Savior’s great redeeming love for us. In particular, we will look at the biblical stories of Esther, Ruth, and Nebuchadnezzar. These devotionals and discussion guides will appear on Fridays throughout the month of March.
- Beauty and the Beast Devotional #1: General Themes
- Beauty and the Beast Devotional #2: Beast
- Beauty and the Beast Devotional #3: Beauty
- Beauty and the Beast Devotional #4: Redemption
- Beauty and the Beast Devotional #5: Love
links will be updated as we read and discuss this month
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We received a comment alerting us to the recent news regarding the cultural agenda in the upcoming film, but in our website overhaul this morning, that comment has been lost! (We responded to it, too). If you are the commenter, feel free to try again!
(Our response was similar to what will appear in the newsletter, so feel free to sign up for the newsletter if you want to hear more!)
That was me 🙂
Based on this news, we’ll not be taking our young kids to see the new movie.
https://www.dennyburk.com/beauty-and-the-beast-to-feature-an-exclusively-gay-moment/
Yes! Thank you for comment, round two!
What I’d said yesterday (in my comment that was also lost) was that we’d seen a similar article yesterday morning, were planning to go ahead with our month’s plans (since most of them do not relate to the newest Disney movie, but rather to the traditional fairy tale), and we are equally saddened by the news. We’ll have a statement in our newsletter today–if you’re not already signed up for that, I would encourage you to do so if you want to keep up with the Beauty and the Beast posts this month.
I was saddened by this news as well but think perhaps Lefou’s character might open up discussion about the human condition. After all, Gaston, (unless this version does something to make him more likable), is vane and uncaring. Lefou could be seen as a symbol of our own propensity for seeking love from the wrong sources. We all struggle with sin, and we must seek to help each other. I am so excited for this ovie but will have to pray in order to determine if I still plan to watch it.
I’m looking forward to reading some of these Beauty and the Beast books you have listed. Have you ever read Bone Gap, by Laura Ruby? To me, it is a wonderful retelling of the story as well, for the abductor of the main character is only fixated on outward appearance. The novel has a beautiful scene of revealment and sacrifice. Another great book is Kelly Barnhill’s Iron Hearted Violet. God bless you.
Meredith, we will be discussing some of those very things, so stay tuned. Next week’s devotional is all about the “beast,” and it is indeed a sin issue. Thanks for the tips on the other Beauty and the Beast narratives. Once you start looking, you see them everywhere!