About the Author

Danielle Davis grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong and now lives in Los Angeles where she reads, writes, and roller skates. She's earned an M.A. in Literature and Creative Writing and her short stories have been published in literary magazines. She's had the privilege of teaching English to middle school and community college students and currently volunteers with literary orgainzations in L.A. Zinnia and the Bees is her first novel. Laura Horton is a freelance illustrator who has always had a passion for family, creativity, and imagination. In 2014 she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration and animation from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. When not working, Laura can be found drinking tea, reading, and game designing. She currently lives in Espoo, Finland, where she's working to obtain a master's degree in game design and development.

Reviews

Davis' debut demands that readers check their disbelief at the door. . . .But she manages to keep it together, embedding readers in Zinnia's believable, often funny perspective with occasional cutaways to the bees, who narrate their side of the misadventure in a wry collective voice that combines snippets of bee biology with fancy (they break dance to "combat despair"). Bee cognoscenti will scoff at the sheer ridiculousness of the premise, but its extreme silliness works its own magic to mitigate this. . . .decidedly offbeat and emotionally true.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

This middle grade novel dabbles in magical realism, as a girl's troubles are made worse when a honeybee hive makes a home in her hair.-- "Publishers Weekly, "Buzzworthy Books About Bees""

Adding a dollop of magic realism, Davis alternates between Zinnia's story and the bees' predicament, both atop their disappointingly pollen-free host and as a species struggling in the world at large. Readers will empathize with Zinnia as she wonders about her missing brother, deals with her mother, and renews fractured friendships. As they follow the bees' activities, they'll learn apian facts and gain insight into what is happening to bees in the U.S. This fascinating and unusual look at family, friendships, and insects is a good match for Robin Stevenson's The Summer We Saved the Bees (2015).-- "Booklist"

Bee-infested hair makes a strange premise, but it works reasonably well, with chapters narrated by Bee providing absurd humor but also speaking to Zinnia's feelings of confusion and powerlessness, feelings that she can't always articulate in her own narration. Her frustration comes through loud and clear, though, until she realizes that it might be her own anger and selfishness that is driving people away. . . .it's pleasing there's a happy ending for Zinnia, and it's an added bonus that the bees relocate to a more fruitful home.-- "Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

Despite the outlandish premise, Davis does an excellent job crafting human characters who are varied in their emotions and grow in awareness. The solution to Zinnia's problems is believable and clever yet still leaves room for change. A good fit for a larger collection looking for unusual books on friendship and growing up.-- "School Library Journal"