“Come to your question, Ziggy,” Zenova said.
I swallowed hard and tried not to sound so nervous. “Why do they call me Oddbee?”
The Queen paused for a moment, then said, “There are thousands of different bees in the world. It’s time you met some of them.”
Ziggy is different from the other bees. He likes to explore and to try different things, rather than sticking to one job like the others. But Ziggy doesn’t understand why his hivemates are so mean to him. They don’t like him at all. He really is the Oddbee out. When he leaves the hive to find out why he is different, he discovers that differences can sometimes be an advantage.
Sting is an action packed bee’s-eye view of the world, told from Ziggy’s first person (first bee?) perspective. As well as exploring life inside a bee hive, it also explores the issues of using bees for sniffing explosives and of the worldwide disappearance of bees. Mostly, though, it is an absorbing tale of mystery and action, as Ziggy has adventures, makes new friends, and finds a family.
Sting, by Raymond Huber
Walker Books, 2009
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