One day a happy bumblebee has her world turned upside down when her beloved meadow home is destroyed. But to her delight, a brave child comes to her rescue. Philippa and the homeless bee embark on an exciting adventure together. Where will their journey take them?
Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee offers young readers an important reminder about the beauty, fragility and vulnerability of the natural world around us.
When The Homeless Bumblebee and Me was first published by Friends of the Earth in 2015, David Greaves' and Danielle Callaghan's heartwarming ecological fable quickly established itself as a firm favourite in many homes throughout the UK. Republished now by Stanage Press Ltd. in a new and updated edition, Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee continues to support Friends of the Earth's vital environmental campaigning work: £1 of every copy sold will be donated to Friends of the Earth.
Born in Yorkshire in 1985, David Greaves' kindness and generosity of spirit, and his love of travel and adventure led him to make friends around the world with people from all walks of life. The stamina and strength of character demonstrated by David's achievements as an ultra-marathon runner and Iron Man triathlete were also shown by his determination to complete The Homesick Fox, and a considerable number of other stories for children while living with the cruel limitations imposed by Motor Neurone Disease (ALS), diagnosed shortly after David's thirtieth birthday in June 2015. In September 2015 David married the love of his life, Philippa, soon after which they climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro together, raising over £12,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, then travelled widely in East Africa before settling in Newcastle upon Tyne. As MND progressively deprived David of the use of his hands, and then the power of speech, he finished his collection of children's books using revolutionary computer software which allowed him to communicate by tracking and translating into readable text the movement of his eyes. David Greaves passed away peacefully at home in September 2016. David's wife Philippa and his family intend to honour his outstanding gifts as a children's author by eventually publishing all David's completed works.
Danielle Callaghan is a freelance illustrator based in Edinburgh, working from her home studio overlooking trees and birds. Since graduating from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA (Hons) in Illustration, 2013, she has worked with Edinburgh Zoo, the Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo, Wild in Art and Friends of the Earth. Danielle uses traditional materials including dip pen, watercolour and ink which are combined with digital methods. As well as illustrating for children she has created murals, printed gift wrap and artists' books.
