A Hive For The Honeybee

by Soinbhe Lally 

When I first lay hands on this book, I was impressed with the beautiful cover, and the artfully done illustrations heading each chapter. 

This book is quite different from other stories I’ve read.  In fact, I suppose I can call it my first novel about bees.  There is Alfred, a poetic drone who dreams about the virgin queen but gets tongue-tied when facing her; Mo, a radical drone who tries to negotiate peace talk with ants and wasps and introduce the idea of idling to the worker bees; Thora, the first worker bee to have a dream; Belle, always practical and efficient. 

In the beginning I wasn’t too into the story, though I find interesting for all the tidbits of information about the lives in, and the working of, a beehive.   Towards the end, however, I come to like the story, and feel very much for the characters Thora and Mo.  Their presence is much bigger than itsy little bees.

I love Alfred’s poems too:

Life is
A sip of honey
Yesterday