THE QUEEN BEE AND ME

With her warm and compassionate voice, narrator Piper Goodeve makes this middle school audiobook resonate. Meg and Beatrix have been best friends since kindergarten, but that all changes when new girl Hazel moves to town and is assigned to work with Meg on a project about honeybees. Playing off the metaphorical parallels between friendships and beehives, the dynamics between Meg and Queen Bee Beatrix start to evolve. Meg must discover her own voice and figure out who she is, and Goodeve's skillful portrayal helps her do that. Both the story and her heartfelt narration are clear and accessible. Her realistic tone and emotional nuances capture a wide range of feelings as Meg muddles through the complexities of changing friendships. E.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2020]