Introduction.
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.
Review.
Title: Betsie Valentine and the Honeybees
Author: M C Duncan
Illustrator: Tegan Sharrard
Publisher: Tom & Tilley Ltd. UK. 2018
ISBN:978-1-5272-347-38
Softback/Hardback, A4 size, 63 pages
Hardback: 14:99. Softback : £9.99
Available: mdthequeenbee.co.uk/shopbooks & Northern Bee Books
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.