The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebee

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“Three friends went out for a walk by the sea, / the Queen, the Bear
and the Bumblebee. / They were dancing and singing their favorite song,
/ when the bear said, “Farewell, I must travel on. / I have a red ship
that can sail through the air / to the magical land of
Who-Knows-Where.”

This tale told in verse is about three unique friends who meet a
mysterious prince and win a magical crown capable of granting each of
them a single wish. But the prince warns them of two things. First, the
wishes cannot be reversed. Second, a monster named Growliss wants the
crown for himself, and if he gets it, everyone will die. The friends
become so excited about making their wishes that they forget about
Growliss. The Queen wishes for wings and becomes even more flighty than
before. The Bear wants to become human so he can wear nice clothes. The
Bumblebee cannot make up his mind what he wants. While the Queen and
Bear are offering all kinds of hilarious suggestions, Growliss arrives.

This delightful, lighthearted story by daytime television personality
Dini Petty is about learning to be comfortable with who you are.
Petty’s story-line gets a terrific boost from Rose Cowles’s
outstanding illustrations. Recommended.