Lliana Bird’s vibrant and lyrical tale will resonate with any reader who has ever struggled to fit in, or has ever felt different. Baboo, a bee who loves to dance, is shunned by his hive mates for having pink stripes instead of yellow ones. And friendly little Baboo, who tries so hard to make friends, will really tug on your heartstrings with his open vulnerability.
But that is exactly what will lead Baboo to find true friendship with a lovely green ladybird called Lee. The sadder undertones at the beginning of the book make their blossoming friendship all the sweeter and more meaningful.
I love the juxtaposition of Aysha Tengiz’s playful illustrations with the more subdued moments of this story. The gorgeous details that make up the setting and characters are bold and dynamic, and the colourful pages culminate in a glorious nighttime spread that celebrates the underlying message of this book – embrace your quirks, whether you are pink, or green, or just have an extra curly tail!
A brilliant book to encourage empathy and celebrate individuality. There are also some fun facts at the end about bee life and how to help these clever little creatures.
