Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont

Born in France in 1711, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont became a prolific writer, teacher, and editor. She is most widely remembered for writing the best-known early version of Beauty and the Beast, published in her Magasin des enfants (The Young Misses Magazine), a book that mixed stories with lessons for children.

She spent part of her career in England, where she worked as a governess and continued writing for young audiences. Her books were designed to educate as well as entertain, and they helped popularize a new style of children’s literature that spoke directly to girls and young readers.

Although many people know her today because of a single fairy tale, she wrote extensively across her lifetime. Her lasting appeal comes from the way she combined clear storytelling, practical teaching, and memorable heroines.