LEGACY

THE SAGA BEGINS

by Michael Pietrack illustrated by Catrina Odom ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 31, 2022

A courageous bee confronts birds, bats and other monsters in order to save the life of the queen in this beguiling poem for kids.

Pietrack’s verse fable follows the adventures of Abelbee, a denizen of the Primdale Hive, whose anomalous four wings get him teased by other young bees but also make him the fastest insect in the land. When Queen Cimberlee comes down with a mysterious heart ailment, he’s the obvious choice to make an epic journey—confirmed by his victory in a hivewide qualifying race—to get a cure from the apian sage Vallenbee, who lives far off in The Great Wood. Abelbee is eager for the glory of saving queen and hive, but when his father and others apprise him of the dangers along the way, his ardor cools. (“Wa-Wait…go through a cave? What do you mean? / Is there no other way to save the Queen? / For you describe a dingy habitat / that likely teems with vicious vile bats!”) He girds himself nonetheless, plunges into the forest, and runs a gantlet of perils: He’s chased by a green bellbird, buffeted by blustery winds, dunked in a pond, and targeted by a frog’s tongue and a trout’s mouth. There are insidious psychological threats as well, including a cynical, conceited owl who tries to convince Abelbee to give up his quest as a fool’s errand. And there are unexpected allies, like a hideous but kindhearted bat and a squirrel who shelters Abelbee from a rainstorm. Abelbee finally reaches Vallenbee’s abode—but can he get back to the hive with the cure in time to save it from invasion by red wasps?

Pitched at an elementary-grades audience, Pietrack’s fable inserts nuggets of moral edification—face your fears, take responsibility for your actions, don’t judge a book by its cover—into a narrative that combines energetic whimsy with a classic hero’s journey. (Odom’s colorful illustrations make for a stimulating visual accompaniment.) The story unfolds in stanzas of rhyming couplets composed in a steady iambic pentameter that’s well suited for reading aloud; the poetry is elegantly phrased and paced, with a bit of a Shakesperean feel. (“Be noble, comrade. Ry, you lived your creed / and you upheld the code in times of need. / For years-of-years, we’ll speak about your part. / Not even death can stop a noble heart.”) In Pietrack’s hands, this supple verse applies itself well to many registers, including earthy comic aphorisms. (“There is a motto squirrels often say: / ‘It’s only the squished squirrel who goes halfway.’ …/ So, listen here, ‘cuz this applies to you: / the things ya start, ya gotta see’em through.”) There is also hair-raising action. (“The spider seeped her hot and wretched breath; / her rancid odor reeked decay and death….Again, he strained and struggled uselessly / because her legs had pinned him ruthlessly. / Her daggers, venom-drenched and salivating, / now dripped for blood she was anticipating.”) And there are moments of quiet, melancholy wisdom: “The days pass slowly but the years blow by / as if they’re clouds that seem still in the sky. / Upon the glance, they’re frozen, locked in place, / but they’re unstoppable in endless pace.” The result is an entertaining yarn that will captivate kids while sneaking in a life lesson or two.

An imaginative romp with a rich philosophical payoff.

Pub Date: Dec. 31, 2022

ISBN: 9798987099629

Page Count: 244

Publisher: Bard Owl Books

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S POETRY | CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S