Book Review: The Little Bee by Nicola Killen

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The Little Bee  by Nicola Killen  is a children's picture book about a girl name Ollie who follows a bee to a magical, secret garden. But, the next day, the beautiful garden was gone, and the little girl misses her new friends. What will she do? This beautiful book has an expected publication date of May 5, 2026. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Beach Lane Books for approving my request for a digital Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Little Bee . I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review. Nicola Killen wrote such a beautifully worded story that I found myself immersed in the story, and I'm not even the target audience. It's a charming tale that should encourage children to explore nature and make them want to plant their own secret garden.  Equally beautiful were the illustrations. I found myself taking the time to actually look a the pictures as I read. It's a great story to read   at bedtime  with ch...
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Book Review: A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, Retold by Alex Woolf

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A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle and retold by Alex Woolf was adapted for young readers and is the first book in the Sherlock Holmes book series.  The main two characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, meet for the first time and solve their very first mystery.

I'd like to thank Arcturus Publishing and NetGalley for the Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Alex Woolf. 

Not having read the original story written by Arthur Conan Doyle, I have nothing to compare the retelling to, but Alex Woolf does a phenomenal job in rewriting this story for children in a way that they'll understand.  The illustrations are amazing and a great contribution to the story.  I think this retelling will encourage children to read more.  I know I would have loved reading this in elementary school.

It has definitely piqued my interest in reading the series as originally told and compare it to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot series as I definitely see similarities between Holmes and Poirot as well as Watson and Hastings.  I'd also like to compare this retelling to the original work.

Five out of five stars is what I give A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle and retold by Alex Woolf.  If you or your child enjoyed this book, I'd recommend The Secret of the Old Clock (Nancy Drew, #1) by Carolyn Keene.

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