Elizabeth R. (esjro) - , reviewed on 10/18/2020 + 909 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

When author Meredith May was very young, her mother left their family home in a fit of rage at her father and relocated Meredith and her younger brother Matthew to California to live with their grandmother and step-grandfather. Her mother is clearly mentally ill, as she holes up in her bedroom and basically stops parenting Meredith and Matthew. Though she cares for them dutifully, Meredith's Granny is not exactly the picture of maternal warmth either.

Meredith's Grandpa is an eccentric plumber and beekeeper. The children and Meredith in particular are drawn to his humor and openness, and he becomes the surrogate parent in their lives. In teaching Meredith to care about bees, her Grandpa teaches her about compassion and gently nudges her life in a better direction.

This is a wonderful book. The details about bees and beekeeping are fascinating. At times my heart ached for young Meredith, as some of the things she went through were truly horrible. The author does an excellent job of conveying what a kind soul her grandfather was, and her story is ultimately uplifting because it shows what a difference one person can make in the life of a child.

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