EMMELINE GRANT AND THE MONSTROUS BEESH

by Janice Phelps Williams ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 16, 2020

In Williams’ middle-grade novel, a bright, resilient girl winds up alone and stranded in an otherworldly place.

Philadelphian Emmeline “Emmy” Grant dreams of one day sharing an adventure with her father, a naturalist and frequent traveler. The 13-year-old finally gets her chance when she and her governess set sail to the Falkland Islands, where Dr. Ethan Grant is already exploring. On the way, Emmy and the deckhand’s teenage son narrowly avoid an attack by pigeon-sized bees. None of the adults onboard witness this (or believe it happened), but they certainly don’t miss a subsequent, harrowing storm, during which Emmy is knocked unconscious. She awakens on a beach teeming with astonishing sights, including a scaly, winged fish flying overhead. Luckily, she’s not lost for long, as she runs into kindhearted tradesperson Binkey Wanoggin, who knows this land better than most other people. Pletonia is a peaceful island country whose inhabitants believe in a form of reincarnation; after a person dies, they assert, their body vanishes, but their spirit lives on in another body. Unfortunately, the aforementioned giant bees, which a local scholar dubs beesh, have apparently followed Emmy there, and their fatal stings give Pletonians the “final death.” Emmy soon heads towards the Pletonian capital, Monarchia, and hears of the country’s most-despised person, Valdrimos Pish, whom she suspects has something to do with the beesh. Although she yearns to make it back to her father, and to scour Pletonia for survivors, she also wants to know if she can somehow thwart the beesh—and wonders why Pish has seemingly targeted her.

The youthful protagonist of Williams’ tale makes a charming adventurer. She quickly adapts to her unusual circumstances and has a keen interest in learning about these new things surrounding her. Pletonia has a rich culture; its citizenry is made up of numerous clans, and each province has its own journey master, a noticeably lanky advisor who helps the clanspeople “with the journey through life.” The island country’s environment is no less fascinating, including such plant life as diamond-bark trees (with diamond patterns like a harlequin’s costume) and creatures that feel both uncanny and familiar; a catmaughmb, for instance, is essentially a multicolored, wispy-furred cat. There’s a lot for Emmy (and readers) to take in; as such, the novel has an unhurried pace and shows no real sense of urgency. Emmy begins on Gambion Island and stays at a local inn, and when she gets word that one of her sailing companions is in Monarchia, she only gradually makes her way there. Williams supplies myriad grayscale illustrations that are detailed and deftly shaded butalso resemble a child’s drawings. This is fitting, as Emmy always carries a sketchbook herself; in some cases, the artwork is exactly what the narrative describes her sketching, from plants and animals inside a greenhouse to colorful, assorted flowers. Although the final act offers some resolution, one notable character’s unknown fate will leave readers craving a sequel—and a return to Pletonia.

An appealing young hero stars in a deliberately paced but ultimately engaging fantasy.

Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2020

ISBN: 9780985587031

Page Count: 300

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2025

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | GENERAL FANTASY | CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S