Beholding Bee
“Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Jennifer Holm, and Polly Horvath will find this an enjoyable and engrossing read.” —School Library Journal
Bee is an orphan who lives with a carnival and sleeps in the back of a truck. Every day she endures taunts for the birthmark on her face, though she prefers to think of it as a precious diamond.
Then one day a scruffy dog shows up, as unwanted as she, and Bee realizes she must find a home for them both. She discovers a cozy house with gingerbread trim that reminds her of frosting, where two mysterious women, Mrs. Swift and Mrs. Potter, take her in. Whoever these women are, they matter. They matter to Bee. And they are helping Bee realize that she, too, matters to the world—if only she will let herself be a part of it.
From the Hardcover edition.
Bee is an orphan who lives with a carnival and sleeps in the back of a truck. Every day she endures taunts for the birthmark on her face, though she prefers to think of it as a precious diamond.
Then one day a scruffy dog shows up, as unwanted as she, and Bee realizes she must find a home for them both. She discovers a cozy house with gingerbread trim that reminds her of frosting, where two mysterious women, Mrs. Swift and Mrs. Potter, take her in. Whoever these women are, they matter. They matter to Bee. And they are helping Bee realize that she, too, matters to the world—if only she will let herself be a part of it.
From the Hardcover edition.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
KIMBERLY NEWTON FUSCO is the author of The Wonder of Charlie Anne and Tending to Grace, both of which received multiple starred reviews.
From School Library Journal:
Gr 4-6-In this blend of magical realism and historical fiction set in 1942 New England, 11-year-old orphan Bee travels with a carnival, assisting her guardian at the hot-dog stand and shielding the diamond-shaped birthmark on her face from stares and taunts. She longs for a real home to share with Pauline, who taught her to read and keeps a notebook about Bee's childhood. When Pauline and her new boyfriend are sent away by the sinister carnival owner to establish another show, Bee runs away with runt pig Cordelia and stray dog Peabody. She comes upon an inviting old house and is welcomed by two elderly women only she can see: Mrs. Potter, whom Bee has "glimpsed" before when in need of comfort, and Mrs. Swift, a prickly suffragette. Settling in, Bee starts school, is placed in a class for the disabled, makes a friend in leg-brace-wearing Ruth Ellen and an enemy in bully Francine, discovers startling secrets about her own family, and gradually develops self-sufficiency even as her old "aunts" begin to fade. While many of the motifs are derivative and the plot is predictable, the elements come together in a satisfying story, narrated in the unique voice of a spunky and endearing heroine. The writing is often lyrical, chapters are short, and details of the time period add interest and texture. Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Jennifer Holm, and Polly Horvath will find this an enjoyable and engrossing read.-Marie Orlando, formerly at Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NYα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherListening Library (Audio)
- Publication date2013
- ISBN 10 0385361270
- ISBN 13 9780385361279
- BindingAudio CD
- Rating
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