Mr. Bumble

Anyone who's ever fumbled and stumbled while everyone else is gracefully gliding, knows exactly how Mr. Bumble feels. This poor bumblebee can't land on a flower without tumbling head over wings. All the other bees busily gather buckets of pollen for the Queen Bee, but Mr. Bumble comes back empty-handed every time. Fed up, the Queen fusses at him, "Dents are all you seem to gather!" One day, the Queen announces the discovery of a brand-new clover patch, dripping with golden pollen dust. She sends her minions on their way, but Mr. Bumble, as usual, lags behind. What if someone mean lives there, he wonders nervously. And someone does live in the new clover patch, but not anyone Mr. Bumble could have imagined. Charming Mr. Bumble, though different from his peers, shows that even those who have a little more difficulty in life can overcome the obstacles (especially if there's a fairy or two on hand), and "learn to fly". The Kennedy siblings, unlike their winged creation, never bumble. Doug Kennedy's pictures of Her Majesty's hive and lush flower-jungles glow with a golden light. The duo's lesson is clear: work hard and be patient; victory will be sweet as honey. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter


Genre: Children's Fiction