Beholding Bee

By: Kimberly Newton Fusco

Narrated by: Ariadne Meyers

“Fans of Kate DiCamillo, Jennifer Holm, and Polly Horvath will find this an enjoyable and engrossing read.” —School Library Journal

Bee is an orphan who lives with a carnival and sleeps in the back of a truck. Every day she endures taunts for the birthmark on her face, though she prefers to think of it as a precious diamond.

Then one day a scruffy dog shows up, as unwanted as she, and Bee realizes she must find a home for them both. She discovers a cozy house with gingerbread trim that reminds her of frosting, where two mysterious women, Mrs. Swift and Mrs. Potter, take her in. Whoever these women are, they matter. They matter to Bee. And they are helping Bee realize that she, too, matters to the world—if only she will let herself be a part of it.

What did you like about the book

It was a great book I loved how you did not know what was going to happen next!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Heroine steals your heart

Bee is an amazing child/young woman who has a heart of gold and stubborn determination. This book is well written and catches the World War II era at Home very well.

Loved it!

Great story and narrative. Kept me interested throughout the entire book. Would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Loved it!

Ariadne Meyers is a wonderful narrator! She has such a talent for making different voices for each of the characters.

This will seem petty to some. . .

Would you try another book from Kimberly Newton Fusco and/or Ariadne Meyers?

But, I was NOT happy with the use of the word "retard". Yes, sometimes we are just too PC but honestly, you can't go around saying "Oh, that's so gay!" anymore without backlash - so why can you use the word "retard" and everyone is fine with it? I purchased this book for my 21 year old blind, mentally retarded daughter. She loves listening to books and since her nickname is Bee, I thought she might like this book. Instead she is insulted within the first few minutes. She fully understands that people use the word "retard" to mean "stupid". She is not stupid, nor is anyone that is mentally retarded (some parents prefer mentally challenged, I suppose, but I'm not that PC). My point is, a writer can be authentic without perpetuating certain things and this is one of those things. Am I being petty? I honestly don't think so. I think relegating an entire medical condition to also mean stupid is insensitive and to use it in a book that teens are going to read, thinking this is acceptable, is simply irresponsible.

What could Kimberly Newton Fusco have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Made a bold effort to not perpetuate an issue for many people. Instead of leading young girls to think someone that has mental disabilities is stupid, she could have been a little more creative in her writing.

Which scene was your favorite?

None, we turned it off immediately. Sorry but in this case I'm a one-strike-you're-out person.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The narrator was, as always, very good. We like many of her books, which is how we came across this one.

Any additional comments?

Yes, a general comment to writers out there. You wouldn't make a racist comment lightly in your books, or one about the LGBTQ community, either. So why continue to use this word ad keep it alive and well in this form? Our lives are enough of a daily battle with insensitive, careless people, why add to that?