ANNABELLE BEE AND THE BUTTERFLY TREE

A bee and a butterfly make friends in O’Connor’s illustrated children’s book.

Annabelle the bee is gently woken by Queen Mom to start the day. Like every other morning, Annabelle gets up and looks out from the opening to the beehive: “She could see a Butterfly Tree in the distance, where hundreds of butterflies were starting to wake up.” Annabelle admires the beautiful bright orange color of the butterflies stretching and opening their wings in the sunlight. She tries to copy the butterflies with her little wings, but all she can do is buzz. While collecting nectar, Annabelle meets a monarch butterfly named Benjamin and compliments his big orange wings. The two decide to take a flight around the flowers when a couple of kids with nets trap Benjamin. Annabelle leaps to his rescue, frightening the children away, and Benjamin and Annabelle become best friends. One day, Queen Mom makes an announcement: “Today is moving day. There is not enough room here for all of us anymore.” Annabelle is worried she and Benjamin will be separated if she moves too far away and goes to tell him the news. Luckily, Annabelle and Benjamin discover a hole in the back of the Butterfly Tree that would make a great new home for the bees and keep the two friends together. The final page of the book provides seven educational facts about bees. Lomazzo’s whimsical illustrations blend summery watercolor garden settings with intricately drawn characters. Annabelle stands out amongst the sea of bees by dint of her tiny pigtails, impish face, and translucent veined wings. O’Connor’s prose is effortless, distinguished by charming dialogue. The pace of the story is dynamic—moments of peaceful delight amongst the flowers are interspersed with dramatic rescues. By the conclusion of the story, young readers will be fully invested in these unlikely buddies staying together.

A sweet interspecies friendship celebrating curiosity and the courage to reach out.