Beholding Bee
Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco
Release Date: February 12, 2013
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Hardcover: 336 pages
Summary:
Bee is an orphan who lives with a carnival and sleeps in the back of a tractor trailer. Every day she endures taunts for the birthmark on her face—though her beloved Pauline, the only person who has ever cared for her, tells her it is a precious diamond. When Pauline is sent to work for another carnival, Bee is lost.
Then a scruffy dog shows up, as unwanted as she, and Bee realizes that she must find a home for them both. She runs off to a house with gingerbread trim that reminds her of frosting. There two mysterious women, Mrs. Swift and Mrs. Potter, take her in. They clothe her, though their clothes are strangely out of date. They feed her, though there is nothing in their house to eat. They help her go to school, though they won't enter the building themselves. And, strangely, only Bee seems able to see them.
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.
This tender novel beautifully captures the pain of isolation, the healing power of community, and the strength of the human spirit.
Review:
When I first read the blurb of the book, my first thought was The Secret Life of Bee's, which this book, Beholding Bee, reminds me of just a little.
But I had to get this book because it seem as if this book would be a good read. And it was.
Beholding Bee follows the story of Beatrice "Bee" Hockenberry, who is an orphan that lives and works for a traveling show. Her parents died in a car accident when she was four, and she has since lived with this traveling show and a teenager named Pauline.
Bee's job at the traveling show is making hot dogs with Pauline at a hot dog cart. Even though she doesn't like the job, she has to do it.
But there is something special about Bee. She has a diamond shaped birthmark on her face. She doesn't like having it because people tend to make fun of Bee and her disfigured face, so she always has to hide it from people's sight.
Bee befriends a puppy whom she names Peabody. There was a time where these group of guys came onto Bee and teased her around, protecting the puppy. Saved by the owner of the pig races, Bobby, he teachers her how to run. Besides that, there is a new guy in the traveling show named Arthur and he has his eyes on Pauline.
Despite everything that is happening, Bee continiously see this elderly woman in a orange hat. But no one else can see her, for they say that it's only part of her imagination. But Bee knows that there is something more than that.
I loved all of the characters in Beholding Bee, my favorite of all would have to be Bee's pets, a puppy named Peabody and baby big named Cornedia. Peabody was just an adorable little puppy. He made me laugh at everything he does. While some people don't have pigs as pets, Cornedia was another pet I would like to have.
But I also liked Bobby
The author's writing is okay, but there are times where I felt the writing and Bee's voice felt flat. But I think that it's just me because Bee is just a tween and just between a kid and a teenager. But there are times where Bee is strong and mature that made me adore her even more.
The constant bullying in this book in Beholding Bee had me worried and Bee would never do anything to stop it. She mostly turned away and ignored them (which sometimes is a good thing), but I also felt that Bee could've told someone about her bullying to make them stop-she never did. But there was a time that she stood up for herself--in revenge.
Conclusion:
This book deals with bullying, coming of age, identity, family, World War II, and acceptance.
It's a book for every age group and for everyone, and I would really recommend reading this book.
4.6/5
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