Ali's Bees

There is a lot you can learn from bees. They may look aggressive, but they won’t sting you if you keep your cool and make them comfortable around you.

Ali wishes he could feel comfortable in his new home of Los Angeles, California. He loves living with his beekeeper grandfather, but he desperately misses his parents. They were killed in a terrorist attack in Iraq, and Ali was sent halfway across the world to live with his grandfather. In addition to the deep grief Ali faces, he is also struggling with posttraumatic stress disorder from the attack.

Ali’s wise grandfather knows that working with the bees will help. Ali enjoys working with the bees so much that he announces he will do his science project on bees, their place in the world, and the dangers of colony collapse disorder. His work attracts the attention of Lupe, a friendly classmate with problems of her own, and Jenks, an angry bully who cares for his disabled father. The three form an unlikely connection through a funny bee dance and a cherished Mickey Mantle baseball card. Will it be enough to overcome their differences and the challenges each one faces?

Dr. Bruce Olav Solheim has written five books and seven plays. He is a distinguished professor of history at Citrus College in Glendora, California. Solheim founded the Veterans Program at Citrus College and cofounded the Boots to Books transition course, which is the first college course aimed at returning veterans.

Solheim was born in Seattle, Washington, to Norwegian immigrant parents. He served for six years in the US Army as a jail guard and helicopter pilot. Solheim went on to earn his doctorate in history at Bowling Green State University and serve as a Fulbright professor at the University of Tromsø in northern Norway.

Solheim is married to Ginger, a professional helicopter pilot and certified flight instructor. He has four children: Bjorn, Byron, Caitlin, and Leif. Solheim enjoys teaching; spending time at the family home in Åse, Norway; and playing with his grandson, Liam.