LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
Created in conjunction with the Royal Ballet and Opera, and enhanced by QR-code activated original music, Rachel Fuller’s Bee celebrates difference and the freeing magic that comes of following your own path, rather than trying to fit in.
In line with its inclusive message, the book was created when its author, composer and writer Rachel Fuller, bonded with illustrator, Emilia Wharfe, while they were both working on another project — Bee was born as a result of their shared experience of ADHD.
While Bee feels happy and flies free with their fairy friend Sprout in their private magical world, back in the real world, they struggle to pay attention in class, and find it hard to join in with other kids’ games.
Thankfully, Sprout is on hand to share valuable insights: “You just see and feel things differently from them, Bee. It’s easy to notice differences like hair colour or height, but it’s harder when differences are on the inside. But that’s okay. Everyone has things they’re good at and things they find tricky… Our differences make us special and unique”.
In addition to discovering the joy of embracing their own differences, Bee finds others who understand them, and makes new friends who are also wonderfully different. As such, Bee will spark valuable conversations around empathy and inclusion, with the author’s original soundtrack — from its uplifting theme, to pieces evoking the playground and Bee’s new adventures — further enhancing its immersive, interactive vibe.
Joanne Owen
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About
Bee Synopsis
Inspired by the ballet, Bee, a co-production with Royal Ballet and Opera and by Rachel Fuller’s personal experience of neurodivergence, BEE the book is an fempowering, highly original interactive celebration of words, illustration and music for children age 6+.
Bee is an incredible child with a beautiful mind. Misunderstood at home and at school, Bee exists in a magical world that others simply cannot see, playing with fairies and making beautiful music with the flowers. But in escaping to this magical world, Bee is often late for school and doesn't always understand the rules of the playground.
Luckily, Bee is not alone and with a bit of help from family, a new teacher, and best fairy friend Sprout, Bee soon finds friends who are just as wonderful and unique as Bee!
Set to an original soundtrack by composer and author Rachel Fuller, Bee is an enchanting story that is sure to inspire compassion and acceptance, and to encourage all those with beautiful minds just like Bee's to find their own magical place in the world.
Emilia and Rachel first met whilst working on another project, bonding over their experiences of living with ADHD, and it was this that led to their collaboration on Bee.
“For every child who feels different, or who struggles to fit in” - Author Rachel Fuller
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781916797291 |
| Publication date: |
6th February 2025 |
| Author: |
Rachel Fuller |
| Illustrator: |
Emilia Wharfe |
| Publisher: |
Extended Play an imprint of Whitefox Publishing Ltd |
| Format: |
Hardback |
| Pagination: |
32 pages |
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Press Reviews
Rachel Fuller Press Reviews
'A wonderfully creative and magical tale . . . You will so enjoy Bee's adventure.' -Dame Darcey Bussell
Author
About Rachel Fuller
Rachel Fuller is a multifaceted artist whose diverse body of work spans media from film and television to ballet and orchestration. A classically trained pianist, she began composing at just ten years old. In her long career, she has collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on projects that include an arrangement of The Who's iconic album, Quadrophenia. The Seeker, the album and accompanying graphic novel of her reimagining of Hermann Hesse's classic novel Siddhartha, featuring her original music and lyrics, will be released in 2024.
Fuller's debut children's novel, Bee, about the incredible talents of a neurodiverse child, is inspired by the ballet she has created and which has been commissioned by The Royal Opera House's educational programme. Fuller's creative journey is deeply intertwined with her personal experiences. Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, she navigated childhood challenges within the confines of mainstream education, emerging with a profound understanding of neurodiversity. Her advocacy for mental health awareness is as integral to her identity as her artistic endeavours.
Outside of her artistic pursuits, Fuller is a devoted animal lover, actively involved with various charities. She shares her home in Oxfordshire with her husband, acclaimed musician Pete Townshend, alongside a menagerie of ponies and five beloved dogs.
More About Rachel Fuller
