Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont was a French writer born in 1711.
She is best known for her version of the fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, which she published in 1756. Her adaptation simplified and moralized earlier versions of the story, making it more accessible and widely appealing. It became the definitive edition, shaping how the tale has been told ever since.
Her work helped establish the fairy-tale genre for young readers, blending entertainment with lessons in virtue and kindness. She wrote other educational and moral tales, often aimed at girls and young women, stressing virtues like honesty, humility, and inner beauty.
When she died in 1780, her Beauty and the Beast and other works ensured her lasting influence. Today, she is remembered for bringing one of the most beloved stories in world literature into popular form, and for teaching generations that true beauty comes from within, not just from appearance.