Little Bee #2: The Storytime Extravaganza
Little Bee and the Winged Wonders are back in a second book—exploring gender expression and personal style and the joy in being completely, proudly yourself.
Tiam, one of Bee’s best friends, loves butterflies, art supplies, and sparkly nail polish. These things bring him so much joy—so why does a kid in their school give him such a hard time about it? For the first time in his life, Tiam is unsure about himself. Bee and Sarah enlist the help of her Uncle Andy, a.k.a. the drag queen Peppa Mint, to support Tiam in feeling safe and comfortable in expressing himself exactly the way he wants to. But not everyone is happy with a drag queen coming to the school . . .
In the second book of the Little Bee series, themes of gender identity and expression are explored in an accessible way, focusing on how to remain your truest self, despite peer pressure and bullying. Bee learns how to be a supportive friend and ally, and the book ends in a joyful, celebratory way with a drag queen storytime, shining a spotlight on butterflies as the main bug focus in this title.
Little Bee #1: The Buzz About the Party
A bug-tastic and social justice–filled new early chapter book series! Bee and her friends love parties, but her third grade class’s upcoming Mother’s Day celebration makes her feel all squirmy inside: are she and her dads even allowed to go?
Bee and her best friends Sarah and Tiam—the Winged Wonders gang—love parties almost as much as they love bugs. So when their Grade 3 teacher announces that the class must come up with a winning party idea, the friends are so excited. But when Bee realizes that it’s to celebrate the upcoming Mother’s Day weekend, she is confused and worried: Bee has two dads. Is she allowed to celebrate, and are her dads allowed to come? But Bee quickly learns that she might not be the only one who’s feeling left out. With the help of her friends and her parents, Bee must figure out how she and others in her class with non-traditional families can not only take part in the class party, but feel celebrated too.
Reviews
"Neville leverages bee-related science facts to distill familial concepts, showing through Bee’s burgeoning understanding how everyone benefits from having empathy for others’ experiences."
STARRED REVIEW! "A must-purchase, universally appealing story to build on diversity and social justice in early fiction collections. Neville’s debut is sure to be a hit with fans of the “Jada Jones,” “Jo Jo Makoons,” and “Yasmin” series."
