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Parents' Guide to

Beauty and the Besharam

By Mary Krawczyk, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Rivals find romance in amusing and sweet summer story.

Book Lillie Vale Contemporary Fiction 2022
Teen girl with long brown hair is smiling toward the distance. She's wearing a black skirt with a white shirt and blue jean jacket. Graphics behind her include images of books, cherries, the moon, a rose, lips, and a heart.

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

In BEAUTY AND THE BESHARAM, we meet Kavya and Ian, childhood friends turned competitive rivals. They try to outdo each other in everything, from grades to extracurriculars to the summer reading program. Their friends decide to nudge Kavya and Ian toward each other, and maybe settle their rivalry, with three mystery challenges. Ian also ends up working with Kavya at her summer job where they dress up as Disney-inspired fairy tale characters and entertain children at birthday parties. As the pair spend more time together, Kavya discovers how Ian truly sees her and feels about her, and it's not what she expected. At the same time, Kavya gets closer to her sister and navigates a rift among her friends. Ian struggles with his own challenges, including anxiety. Throughout the summer, Kavya and Ian continue to grow in friendship. And maybe more?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Kayva is a charming protagonist who stands up for others, reads voraciously, and has an amazing group of friends. Beauty and the Besharam is a fun, lighthearted romcom that celebrates self-acceptance and highlights diversity in ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. This is a character-driven story focused on relationships. It will resonate most with teens who enjoy reading about friendships, family, and romance.

Given the title's play on Beauty and the Beast, there are many Disney references and lots of other pop culture references too. At times, the narrative and pace of the story is bogged down or sidetracked by numerous pop culture references, frequent naming of product brands, and extensive backstories on certain characters.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how Kavya is perceived by others in Beauty and the Besharam. Some classmates and Indian aunties criticize her for being "besharam," or too much. But her family and friends appreciate her personality. In what ways does Kavya's bold and outspoken personality help her and help others?

  • In Beauty and the Besharam, Kavya and her best friends Blaire, Catey, and Val have an argument that puts a rift into their friendship. They are able to fix it by being honest and listening to one another's points of view. Why are openness and honesty so important in friendships and other relationships?

  • Beauty and the Besharam plays on the themes from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, and there are many Disney references throughout. Kavya says she identifies with Belle. And she and Ian entertain children by acting as Disney-inspired characters. If you could chose to be a Disney character, who would you be? Why?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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