Bruno and the Bees

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is also the
author of The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese Women’s Lives, Kurlek, and
Margaret Laurence: The Long Journey Hom

The protagonist of this amusing picture book is Bruno, a cuddly teddy
bear. The supporting cast includes his mother Clementine, the Queen Bee,
and Clara the badger. Bruno, who of course loves honey, is loose in an
exotic and colorful forest and soon finds some. But he quickly learns
that it is not to be rudely stolen from hard-working bees, that a gift
to the Queen Bee would be a step in the right direction.

Daigneault’s illustrations are exuberant and comic. Images of the
Queen Bee are particularly imaginative, as is the view from inside the
hive, with Bruno outside looking in. Comic details in the full-page
illustrations repay close attention. The animated teddy is a charming,
well-intentioned bumbler whose heart is in the right place. Recommended.