BOOK REVIEWS

A N N E C H I L C O T T • T H E B E E L I S T E N E R • facebook.com/groups/522382925945077

Have you ever thought of writing a children’s book, or maybe even tried to write one? I think that it is a lot more difficult to it do well than one might imagine. Writing a factually correct story about beekeeping and nature in a fun way is a real skill . Meriet Duncan has definitely cracked it with this lovely adventure story for children of all ages. If you’re looking for a special birthday or Christmas present, this is it.
I’m now on chapter 4 of the sequel, Betsie Valentine And The Honourable Honeybee, which is about Betsie becoming a beekeeper.

Betsie Valentine and the Honeybees is a delightful nature adventure story written by children’s author, motivational speaker, and beekeeper M C Duncan. The intended readership age is between 7-11 years but the story can be read aloud to younger children and enjoyed by everyone. It is a long time since I have been in that age bracket, but I loved this book and had to finish it before teatime to find out what happened next.

Betsie is an engaging character with a fearless spirit and ready for anything. She watches her mother beekeeping and wants to learn more about these fascinating insects herself. One hot, lazy, afternoon, Betsie gets the perfect chance when she meets a honey bee called Hunnie in her garden and they set off on a thrilling journey together. They explore plants and pollination, and every aspect of life inside a bee hive. They even meet the resident queen.

The illustrations are beautiful and help the reader imagine the scenes more vividly. The author does a great job of helping the reader understand the importance of honey bees and other pollinators, and the all the information offered is easy to understand and factually correct. The positive messages are subtly woven into the story by this skilful narrator in such a way that they could inspire a young beekeeper, or purely provide entertainment for an imaginative mind.

There are 28 short chapters and some quotes from naturalist John Muir throughout the book. The high quality of publishing and paper, and the hexagon containing “This Book Belongs To..” on the inside cover, are appealing. This is a “must have” addition to every nursery and primary school library, and it is the perfect gift and introduction to nature and beekeeping for the curious child.

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M A R G A R E T I G G U L D E N • A U T H O R • margaretiggulden.co.uk/about-me

 An inspirational and enchanting story!

 On her 11rh birthday Betsie’s dream of being a beekeeper comes true.  Presents arrive – a beehive, a bee suit, gloves and a smoker.  She announces it’s her best birthday ever!

 At the same time a most mysterious family moves in next door.  Who are they?  Where have they come from?  They remain elusive until Betsie meets Melissa, the daughter, and they become good friends.  Not only do they share a love of bees, they have great fun together.

 I particularly love the way facts about bees and their life cycle are seamlessly woven into this inspirational and enchanting story.

 This, the second tale in the Betsie Valentine series, is beautifully told.  Betsie is a delightful character and we are carried along, entering into her joys and sorrows, her imagination, curiosity and exciting adventure.  I cannot wait for Book 3!

 Betsie Valentine And The Honourable Honeybee is a ‘must for teenagers, for parents, teachers, librarians and all who are concerned about saving our planet.

D R N I C O L A B R A D B E A R • F O U N D E R - D I R E C T O R B E E S F O R D E V E L O P M E N T • beesfordevelopment.org/

“Congratulations on Betsie Valentine And The Honeybees. This engaging story, with beautiful illustrations on every page, provides a marvellous way for children to enter the magical-but- true world of bees. As Betsie becomes a bee, she enters the bee world and the marvellous workings of the honeybee colony are gently opened out for her and the reader to understand.

We need children to learn and appreciate the amazing species that still share the earth with us, and this is a super way to help them to appreciate the important and priceless services that bees provide freely for us all.”

S C O T T I S H E X P E R T B E E M A S T E R • A N N C H I L C O T T

Children’s author, motivational speaker, and beekeeper M C Duncan writes an exciting sequel to Betsie Valentine and the Honeybees. Betsie Valentine And The Honourable Honeybee tells the story of Betsie’s adventures as a new beekeeper. She is a couple of years older now but as delightful and engaging in her early teens.

Mysterious new neighbours move in next door. They seem connected to honey bees and the environment, and are keen on gardening, but never seem to attend to their colony working in a pretty painted hive amongst the flowers. Who are they really, and why is Melissa so vague about her family? What does she do all day while Betsie is at school?

The girls are around the same age with lots in common and Betsie is so keen to have a friend to share beekeeping with. As the story unfolds, the mystery is revealed and, along the way, we learn more about the practicalities of beekeeping as Betsie works alongside her mother in the apiary and gathers material for her end of year school project.

There are 40 short chapters with a beautiful illustration by Teagan Sharrard at the start of each one. At the end there is a useful glossary for the budding beekeeper. This book will be enjoyed by imaginative young people with a reading age of around 9-13 years, and younger children will enjoy having it read to them.