Middle Grade Novels

The Summer We Saved the Bees

How do you plan for the future when your own parents don’t believe you have one?

Wolf ’s mother is obsessed with saving the world’s honeybees. He gets that. It’s another thing entirely when she announces that she’s taking her Save the Bees show on the road—family style and complete with mortifying bee costumes. What will it take for Wolf and his sisters to convince her that dragging the family around the province in a beat-up Ford panel van may not be the best idea she ever had?

Available now! You can order directly from the publisher, from your favorite local indie bookstore (always a good idea!) or from the usual online booksellers.

Awards

  • 2016 Red Cedar Award nominee
  • 2016 Chocolate Lily Award nominee
  • 2016 Rocky Mountain Book Award nominee
  • 2016 Victoria Book Prizes- Bolen Book Award nominee
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“Stevenson seamlessly weaves the story of the bees with stepfamily relations, and communication. Wolf, as the narrator, creates a captivating story; the reader will cheer when the kids take a drastic step to make their parents understand how they are feeling.”

~School Library Connection, February 1, 2016

“A beautiful, sometimes painful, and ultimately important book about how to live in a world that frequently doesn’t make sense. I loved every page and know it is one of those stories that will stay with me forever. Bravo Robin Stevenson!”

~Susan Juby, author – March 25, 2015

“Wolf is a terrific narrator, more self-aware than the average 12-year-old but in the end just as ready to rationalize selfishness, however necessary, as his mother is. The twins, Violet, and the unexpectedly helpful Ty emerge as three-dimensional characters…Although Stevenson leaves the family’s future up in the air, she gives Wolf a victory that will resonate with readers.”

~Kirkus Reviews – July 15, 2015

“Well written…Deals with standing up for what you feel is right, when faced with a difficult situation, especially when it may be a person of authority that you need to stand up to…Also deals with current environmental issues that need to be addressed. These topics can all be used for educational discussions.”

~Resource Links. October 1, 2015

“Provides teachers and librarians with an excellent vehicle to foster and develop children’s critical literacy skills. Students might be encouraged to explore the themes of this novel with a critical perspective aimed at revealing both sides of this story. There are many other issues and aspects that will make this book a popular choice for literature circles and science classes. The plight of the bees is a very real one, and children will be encouraged to learn what they can to help prevent colony collapse disorder. They will also be encouraged to discover that, while our planet struggles with many, many issues, we are a species that can usually find hope and a way forward in difficult times.”

~CM Magazine- September 11, 2015

“Wolf’s story is compelling because he longs not for conformity but stability. His struggle for sense is the heart of the book, which turns out to be a page-turner ideal for high/low readers.”

~Booklist – August 13, 2015

“Filled with strong characters and surprising plots…A nice book with a smooth flow that is enjoyable to read.”

~Teen Reviewer, VOYA – August 1, 2015

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