Davis, Danielle. Zinnia and the
Bees. Capstone Publishers 2017 240p. $19.99 ISBN 978-1-62370-867-2 elem/ms Conflict E-BN
Zinnia, an eighth grader,
is a master knitter. She makes yarn bombs (think tea cozies) for any object.
When she cloaks the school mascot, a rattlesnake sculpture, in a full-length
yarn bomb as a last-day-of-school prank, her punishment makes her feel like her
world is closing in. Her older brother, 18 years old, disappears the next day
without notice. After eating an ice cream to console herself over the loss of
her brother, she attracts a hive of honey bees that take up residence in her
unruly, curly hair without causing her a single sting. Her attempts to deal with this colony of bees
who think her hair is their new hive, trying to find her brother, becoming
friends with a boy visiting his uncle next door, and mending the fractured
friendship with her girl friends keep this novel humming along. Lots of laughs,
plenty of puns about flowers and birds, and even a first-person narrative by
the scout of the bee colony all provide the reader with an enjoyable novel
about friendship, family and growing up. A unique story featuring a girl whose
character changes from being self-centered and angry at her brother and mother
to one who is capable of understanding the fears, needs and wishes of others.
Summary:
Zinnia, an 8th grader, loves to knit. She makes a yarn bomb (like a tea cozy)
for the school mascot statue and gets into trouble. Her older brother goes missing,
she attracts a hive of bees, and her summer is one she will never forget. Gr. 4-8
Friendship,
Bees, Mystery --Lois
McNicol
