The story of Beauty and the Beast finds new life in this magical and
imaginative retelling that's filled with romance and adventure.
By the time her sixteenth birthday comes around, Belle feels more
convinced than ever that she is being called by the wrong name. Unlike
her older sisters Celeste and April, whose names suit them perfectly,
Belle knows that she is not beautiful. She begs to be called by her
given name, Annabelle--or even Anna for short--but to no avail. Her
solace is her wood-carving hobby, and she longs to find the Heartwood
tree: Legend has it that, when carved by the right hands, it can reveal
the face of one's true love.
One day, during a fierce storm, Belle's father stumbles upon the fabled
tree--only to become ensnarled by it and come face-to-face with a
terrifying and lonely Beast, who will set him free on one condition:
that Belle carves the Heartwood. Belle agrees, never dreaming that she
and the Beast have the same wish: to be seen not with the eyes of the
mind, but of the heart.