Paris, March 20, (V7N) – France’s education ministry has scrapped a planned distribution of a newly illustrated edition of Beauty and the Beast, citing concerns that its modern depictions—including a police sniffer dog and smartphone-obsessed characters—were inappropriate for young readers.

The book, featuring the original 1756 text by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, was commissioned as part of a government initiative to provide 800,000 primary school graduates with a classic story for summer reading. The updated illustrations were created by cartoonist Julien Berjeaut, known as Jul, and added contemporary elements to the fairy tale.

In Jul’s version, the heroine is portrayed with Mediterranean features, the Beast as a comically shaggy creature, and Beauty’s sisters as social media addicts glued to their smartphones. One particularly controversial scene depicts Beauty’s father, after “a few glasses of wine” as described in the original text, appearing drunk and singing a well-known French tune. Another illustration shows police officers with a sniffer dog inspecting his goods after he arrives from abroad.

‘Not Appropriate for This Setting’

Education Minister Élisabeth Borne defended the decision to cancel the book’s distribution, arguing that its themes—such as alcohol consumption and law enforcement checks—were unsuitable for young children.

“Perhaps in a classroom setting, we could provide context,” Borne said in an interview with CNews/Europe1. “But this is a book meant for holiday reading with the family. It’s an interesting work, but not for this educational purpose.”

The ministry elaborated in a statement, saying that the illustrations introduced “complex realities” such as “police controls” and “trafficking counterfeit goods” that were more appropriate for older students.

Illustrator Accuses Government of Censorship

Jul pushed back against the ministry’s decision, calling it “a political move” and an act of “censorship.” He suggested that his depiction of a more diverse world may have been the real issue.

“The only explanation seems to be discomfort at seeing a world of princes and princesses that looks a little more like today’s schoolchildren,” he said.

Alluding to far-right conspiracy theories about immigration in France, Jul questioned whether his portrayal of Beauty as a young Mediterranean girl had crossed an unspoken boundary.

France’s government has increasingly borrowed rhetoric from far-right groups, particularly on immigration and national identity. Jul compared the situation to efforts in the United States under Donald Trump to restrict discussions on race, gender, and privilege in schools.

“Why look at Trump’s policies with alarm when we are heading down the same path?” he asked.

The controversy over Beauty and the Beast adds to ongoing debates in France over identity, education, and political influence in cultural representation. The education ministry has yet to announce what book will replace it in the summer reading program.

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