The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee [With CD] [Audio CD]

Dini Petty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2001

Three friends, the Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebee, set sail on a flying ship into the far reaches of space, where they encounter the charming Prince of Night and his wish-granting crown. The others ask for personal improvements, but the sage Bumblebee is happy to stay his old self. When trouble turns up, the humble bee saves the day with the tried-and-true assets nature gave him. Whimsically illustrated, this amusing verse tale shows the importance of believing in oneself.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite a bumblebee protagonist, there's little to buzz about in this didactic picture book by Canadian television personality Petty. The three eponymous characters abruptly decide to "sail through the air/ to the magical land of Who-Knows-Where" in the bear's red ship. When they land on a distant star, the Prince of Night presents the trio with a wish-granting crown. The queen asks for a pair of wings and the bear wants to take the form of a man so he can wear clothes instead of hair, which is "always just there" ("I want to wear shirts, hats, tails, and pants,/ and change every time I go out to a dance").The bumblebee, however, ignores his friends' suggestions to alter his look and decides to be content with what he's got a move that ultimately saves them all from danger. Unfortunately, the "be yourself" message is buried in the sometimes forced rhymes and rushed story. And it is not clear that the bumblebee resists change out of strong self-esteem (considering his size and shape, he says, "I know if I changed any one of those things,/ then someone would say, `I don't like your wings' "). Whimsical perspectives and crisp watercolors go far in redeeming Cowles's (Gilbert de la Frogponde) lumpy, often misshapen characters. Even so, the illustrations do little to enliven the proceedings. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) 12 issue.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Canadian TV talk show host Dini Petty narrates this musical fantasy-in-verse, which is reminiscent of Peter and the Wolf and The Little Prince. Three friends set out on a magical red ship that takes them to see the Prince of the Night. The Prince gives them a crown of stars that is capable of granting one wish to each of them, with the warnings that the wishes are irreversible, and that the demon Growliss may try to steal the crown. The Queen wishes to have wings like the Bumblebee so she can fly. The Bear wants to become a man so he can wear fancy clothes and be admired. The Bumblebee chooses to stay just as he is, despite the urgings of his friends to get rid of his stinger or change his size. When Growliss attacks, it is the clear-headed Bumblebee who saves the day using his own unique gifts. The Queen and the Bear decide they want to return to their original forms, but can't because the wishes are irreversible. So the Bumblebee uses his own wish to change his friends back to their true forms, and all ends happily. The narrated musical piece, featuring classical orchestration and songs, is followed by a straight narration. This recording is noteworthy for its originality and high quality, with an impressive score and lovely songs sung by beautiful voices. While the music accompanying the appearance of Growliss may be frightening for very young children, most youngsters will enjoy anticipating the scary parts as they listen to the recording again and again. While the message of self-acceptance seems heavy-handed at times, and the rhymes don't always flow smoothly, overall this is an artful production that demonstrates respect for children's intelligence and sensibilities, making it a good choice for most collections.

Rachel Quenk, Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth, ME

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Children's Group (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1894502183
• ISBN-13: 978-1894502184
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,061,421 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebee, January 11, 2004

By 

charlie and reilly's mummy (canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebee (Hardcover)

My infant son loves this book. The pages are vibrant with colour and the pictures are wonderful. The rhyming is at times forced, but overall, it is a wonderful book to play with voices and I think the message is quite clear. I look forward to reading this book over the years to my son.

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful imagery and rhyming, March 4, 2003

By 

Jacqueline Deck (Saskatoon, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee (Audio Cassette)

THis book will become a classic and is a delightful compilation of images, rhyming words. the pictures are not so important because this is best listened to while someone else recites it or reads it to their youngster...I anticipate this book being used in schools as it becomes "discovered" as a treasure. It has a very meaningful message to youngsters to boot. Well crafted.

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a great book!, July 31, 2002

By 

Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebee (Hardcover)

I really think the editorial reviews are harsh. The children I read this book to today loved it, and it led to some fun, enlightening activities around self acceptance. They thought the drawings were bright and colorful and they liked the story. The bee does give a positive, if somewhat didactic message. Kids liked how he knew that he could never please everyone and that the best thing to do is to accept himself and feel good about himself. The rhymes may be simple, but that's good in a way - it made it easy for the kids to read on their own. All in all, for the 3-7 year age range, which is what my group mostly was, this is fine book.