Beauty and the Beast by Marianna Mayer (First Aladdin Books Edition, 1987)

This item is a copyrighted edition of the classic fairy tale 'Beauty and the Beast,' retold by Marianna Mayer and illustrated by Mercer Mayer. Specifically, this copy is identified as the first Aladdin Books edition, published in 1987 by the Macmillan Publishing Company. The book is a trade paperback (as indicated by the 'pbk' abbreviation next to the ISBN) with cream or off-white paper stock. It features decorative black ink scrollwork borders along the inner margins of the pages, depicting floral and vine motifs. The type is set in a clean, serif font. Notable publishing details include a copyright date of 1978 for the text and illustrations, with the printing history showing a number line '10 9 8 7 6 5 4' which suggests this is a later printing of the 1987 edition rather than a first printing. The physical condition appears fair to good; there is visible subtle tanning or yellowing of the paper edges consistent with age, and a faint dark smudge or handling mark is visible near the bottom left corner of the copyright page. There is also a slight ripple in the paper near the gutter, though the binding appears intact. This edition is notable for the collaboration between the Mayers, who were high-profile figures in 20th-century children's literature.