Quest for the Golden Orchid is an interesting tale of adventure in a world of bugs . I think that this is a nice story for both adults and children while also highlighting the importance of bees and insects as a part of our ecosystem.
Hermia the Bee is sent to look for the Golden Orchid as a punishment for an indiscretion, and so the adventure begins. There are some lovely illustrations throughout and even a helpful cast list at the start of the story, so you can pick out the characters in the pictures.
A lot of the writing in this book reminds me of Winnie the Pooh, and it is written in a classical style. Each chapter starts with an “In which…” summary as well as an original poem which could be quite fun to read out loud with younger children. Also similarly to Pooh, the author has worked to play around with words to create funny phrases and situations; Desmond is a particular character that could be a source for humour. Phrasing such as “Gertrude counted the cell one way, and then she counted it the other” seemed familiar and comforting to me and endeared me towards the book.
I really enjoyed this book and think it is an entertaining read for both adults and children alike. I think in classrooms this book could help to spark conversations about wildlife and the ecosystem, the role of Bees and insects, as well as making points about perseverance and friendship. A nice adventure story.
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