Imagine any movie/book about a mean girl and her vicious mother; they’ve got nothing on the evil characters in this book, Beatrix and Mrs. Bailey. Unfortunately, main character, Meg, finds herself in the crosshairs even though she is (supposed to be) Beatrix’s best friend. As it is with all mean girls, they know no bounds. McDunn manages to capture it perfectly. Along the way, we learn what true friendship really is and how important it is to stand up for yourself and others, whether you’re an adult or a child. We also discover some interesting facts about bees that are important but also delivered in an entertaining way. As a quick, fun read, The Queen Bee and Me will be enjoyed by any tween girl, even a reluctant reader. It would also be a great read-aloud (or mini book club) for a parent with children to open dialogue about how we should treat others.

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  None

Violence/Gore:  Few (6) brief instances including bees might kill the queen; reference to bee stings; reference to bees hurting each other; reference to bees stinging someone then dying; second-hand report of a father beating son who also beats his brother; second-hand report of a dog getting stung by bees.

Sex/Nudity:  Few (3) brief incidents including young girls talking about boys being good looking; young girl flirting; a father kisses a mother.

Mature Subject Matter:

Divorce.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None