Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for The Queen Bee and Me by Gillian McDunn - Available

The Queen Bee and Me

by Gillian McDunn
Piper Goodeve
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Meg has been best friends with Beatrix forever. Everyone at school wants to be like confident, decisive Beatrix, and Meg has always felt the same. But this year, Meg wants to take a science course instead of dance class. She'd rather do what makes her happy—not what Beatrix wants. When a quirky girl named Hazel moves to town, Meg is partnered with her on a science project about bees. Meg learns a lot about being Queen Bee—in a hive and in middle school. As Beatrix is less than welcoming to Hazel, Meg feels her loyalty fraying. Choosing Hazel could mean ending her oldest friendship—a choice more difficult than Meg ever expected. By turns heartbreaking and empowering, The Queen Bee and Me explores the challenging dynamics of middle-school friendship in a way listeners of any age will appreciate.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    January 2, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781666565690
      • File size: 177786 KB
      • Duration: 06:10:23

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      January 20, 2020
      Meg and Beatrix, 12, have been best friends since kindergarten, but in their hierarchical friendship, anxious Meg is compelled to follow popular Beatrix’s lead or get frozen out. When Meg earns a coveted spot in an advanced science elective and drops the dance class Beatrix had chosen for them both, she’s terrified to tell her friend. McDunn (Caterpillar Summer) deftly sketches Meg’s struggles amid seventh grade’s unspoken social order, highlighting how “Beatrix comes with her own set of rules.” Tensions escalate further when quirky new girl Hazel is paired with Meg for a science project on bees, and the two form a bond that infuriates Beatrix. Told in Meg’s strong voice, McDunn’s narrative includes fieldwork updates on the bee project that effectively echo the story’s human interactions (“How does the worker bee realize it is time to switch to something new?”). Meg’s warm, tight-knit family contrasts with Beatrix’s demanding and judgmental mother, who contextualizes some of the girl’s motivations. Readers will identify with the pitch-perfect middle school dynamics and cheer for Meg as she navigates a toxic friendship. Ages 8–12. Agent: Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt and Zacker Literary.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      With her warm and compassionate voice, narrator Piper Goodeve makes this middle school audiobook resonate. Meg and Beatrix have been best friends since kindergarten, but that all changes when new girl Hazel moves to town and is assigned to work with Meg on a project about honeybees. Playing off the metaphorical parallels between friendships and beehives, the dynamics between Meg and Queen Bee Beatrix start to evolve. Meg must discover her own voice and figure out who she is, and Goodeve's skillful portrayal helps her do that. Both the story and her heartfelt narration are clear and accessible. Her realistic tone and emotional nuances capture a wide range of feelings as Meg muddles through the complexities of changing friendships. E.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading