Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a merchant with his two daughters. The eldest daughter was spoiled and vain, and the youngest preferred to read all day. She was so pretty everyone called her Belle . One day, the merchant got lost in the forest and stumbled upon a castle that looked enchanted. Suddenly, he stood face-to-face with the castle s sole inhabitant: a beast!

"First published in Belgium and Holland by Clavis Uitgeverij, Hasselt-Amsterdam, 2016" Translation of: Belle en het Beest. "English translation from the Dutch by Clavis Publishing Inc., New York.