K10: Hour of the Bees

The Kidliterati Ten is an interview series with young readers. We ask them about a favorite book and hope you enjoy the answers.

Tell us a little about yourself: what is your first name, how old are you, and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
My name is Morgan. I’m 13, and vanilla bean ice cream is my favorite.

What book did you read and why did you choose it?
I read HOUR OF THE BEES because my mom read it first and recommended it. 

Can you describe this book in one word?
Bittersweet

What was your favorite part of this story?
My favorite part of the book was Grandpa Serge’s stories. You didn’t quite know if they were true or if he made them up, and I really wanted to find out.

If you had a problem similar to the main character's problem, what would you do?
I would have talked to my parents about it instead of hijacking the car without a license and driving to the nursing home!

What would you say to your best friend to convince them to read this book?
I would say that it is very interesting, very unique, and I didn’t want to put it down.

What do you think about the book's cover?
I think the book is more exciting than the cover.

Would you want to read another book about these characters? Why or why not?
Yes, because I’d like to see what happens to Carol and her family after their experiences with each other. They went through a lot and it would be interesting to see how it changed them as a family.

Can you name another book that reminds you of this one?
RULES FOR STEALING STARS because the main character is dealing with a sick family member and ends up somewhere magical.

If you could ask the author one question about this book what would it be?
How did you come up with the stories Grandpa Serge told?

We asked Lindsay that question, and here's what she told us!
The stories that Grandpa Serge tells Carol were my favorite parts to write in HOUR OF THE BEES! I loved them for three reasons. First, when I was making up the stories, I knew I could be as weird as I wanted, and I really let my imagination stretch far. A magic healing tree, an oasis in the desert, bees who steal a lake.. All of it, weird and fun! 

Second, my own grandpa and father were great lovers of stories, especially myths and tales for children. Writing Serge's stories felt like writing a tribute to them. 

And third, stories are magical. They allow us to believe the impossible, make crazy things seem real, make our hearts thump and our brains spark. HOUR OF THE BEES is a book about stories, real stories and made-up stories. They're all important. 

Thank you, Morgan and Lindsay!

HOUR OF THE BEES

by Lindsay Eagar

Things are only impossible if you stop to think about them. . . .

While her friends are spending their summers having pool parties and sleepovers, twelve-year-old Carolina — Carol — is spending hers in the middle of the New Mexico desert, helping her parents move the grandfather she’s never met into a home for people with dementia. At first, Carol avoids prickly Grandpa Serge. But as the summer wears on and the heat bears down, Carol finds herself drawn to him, fascinated by the crazy stories he tells her about a healing tree, a green-glass lake, and the bees that will bring back the rain and end a hundred years of drought. As the thin line between magic and reality starts to blur, Carol must decide for herself what is possible — and what it means to be true to her roots. Readers who dream that there’s something more out there will be enchanted by this captivating novel of family, renewal, and discovering the wonder of the world.