Ten-year-old Ana is tired of being told how girls should behave. Why should boys and girls have different rules, expectations, and freedoms? Through a lively first-person narrative, she questions the roles assigned to her by family, friends, and society, refusing to accept that being “a girl” must determine who she can be. As she navigates friendships, school life, imagination, and her first discoveries about growing up, Ana learns to challenge stereotypes and think for herself.

Written by Anna Flora, a children’s author with more than fifty published books and a three-time recipient of the Jabuti Prize, Brazil’s most prestigious literary award, Beauty or the Beast? approaches gender expectations with humor, sensitivity, and remarkable authenticity. By giving voice to a protagonist who refuses to fit neatly into conventional categories, the novel encourages readers to question ingrained assumptions and reflect on ideas of identity, equality, and personal freedom.

Thiago Lopes’s illustrations complement the narrative with expressive artwork that captures both the emotional and imaginative dimensions of Ana’s world. A distinctive feature of the book is its interplay between the protagonist’s everyday experiences and a theatrical story woven into the narrative, creating multiple layers of reading. Through wit, insight, and a relatable heroine, Beauty or the Beast? offers a thoughtful exploration of gender roles that remains relevant across cultures and generations.