Eager,
Lindsay. Hour of the Bees. Candlewick Press 2016 360p. $16.99
ISBN 978-0763-67922-4 elem/ms Realistic Fiction E-BN
A young Hispanic girl travels to the family ranch in the
unusually dry northern desert of New Mexico. Dragged there by her parents to
help move her senile grandfather from the ranch to an elder-care facility, she
learns about her family and more about herself.
Young Carol (whose real name is Carolina) is a wonderfully written ‘tween
who carries this book as its narrator and thinker. Her perspective and
worldview turn what could have been a very “blah” story into one that will
delight the reader. Every character is carefully drawn for the reader, as are
the sometimes tenuous relationships between characters. The conflict often
found in immigrant families –- between blending into the dominant culture and
seeing the need to retain the important elements of the original culture -- is
at the center of this story. A sampling of Grandpa Serge’s memories, written in
italics, provides a contrast with the dialogue among all of the family members,
as heard by Carol. Not unexpectedly, the story has a happy ending, which is
most satisfying in a book like this.
Summary: A young Hispanic girl travels to the family
ranch in the unusually dry northern desert of New Mexico. Dragged there by her
parents to help move her senile grandfather from the ranch to an elder-care
facility, she learns about her family and more about herself.
Families-Fiction, Immigrants-Fiction --Lynn Fisher
