Kenneth and Queenie

Kenneth and Queenie by Raymond McGrath (Affirm Press) Graphic Paperback RRP AU$14.99 ISBN 9781923046252

Reviewed by Robyn Gillies

Kenneth is a bumble bee and Queenie is the almost queen bee of her hive who delights in reminding Kenneth and his friends of that fact whenever she can.

Kenneth and Queenie are best friends but they have very different approaches to pollinating flowers to save the world. One likes to work precisely with attention to detail, the other just likes to buzz around, have fun, and make a mess along the way. They don’t understand each other’s very different approaches. Will they ever agree? And what will Queenie decide when she decides it’s time to return to her hive – go back or stay with her bestie?

This is a graphic novel of 56 pages divided into three parts designed for ages 4-8 years. Every page is filled with engaging graphic images using a warm palette in the colours of bees and flowers which should appeal to the age group.

The story takes a quirky approach to resolving differences of opinion and includes a gentle message about the importance of pollination by bees and insects. The dad-style-joke humour using word play is very appropriate for the intended audience.

This is a story about big ideas using simple language coupled with lots of imagery that makes it an easy read.

This is the second book in the series of Kenneth and Queenie.

Kenneth and Queenie: Super Friends

Kenneth and Queenie: Super Friends by Raymond McGrath (Affirm Press) PB RRP $14.99 ISBN 781923046252

This debut graphic novel contains three stories, each one featuring a bee known as Queenie. In the first story, ‘Be Nice’, Kenneth and Queenie have just met and they’re already fighting. Queenie has found a fun, new way to pollinate, and Kenneth is not impressed. The question is, can they find a way to be friends? And what is Kenneth? He doesn’t look like a bee: he’s a black and yellow striped figure, the same shape as a bean.

Other characters – Barbara, Dungaree, and Zippo – enter the stories, and like Kenneth, it’s difficult to know what they are. In the second story, ‘Secret Recipe!’, Kenneth is shocked when Queenie shares her top-secret honey-making recipe. Is that truly how honey is made? Then there’s the third story, ‘Super Colony’, where Kenneth and Zippo have a buzz-off contest, but Queenie shows them how it's really done!

There’s lots of energy in this book with the dialogue like that used by children as they disagree and challenge one another, but would child readers (probably about 8 to 11 years), really warm to a book about a bee and flower pollination?

The book is brightly illustrated with clear speech balloons, and lots of white space for easy reading.