One day a happy bumblebee has her world turned upside down when her beloved meadow home is destroyed. But to her delight, a brave child comes to her rescue. Philippa and the homeless bee embark on an exciting adventure together. Where will their journey take them?

Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee offers young readers an important reminder about the beauty, fragility and vulnerability of the natural world around us.

When The Homeless Bumblebee and Me was first published by Friends of the Earth in 2015,  David Greaves’ and Danielle Callaghan’s heartwarming ecological fable quickly established itself as a firm favourite in many homes throughout the UK. Republished now by Stanage Press Ltd. in a new and updated edition, Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee continues to support Friends of the Earth’s vital environmental campaigning work: £1 of every copy sold will be donated to Friends of the Earth.

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My Review

I chose to read this book after receiving a free copy from the author. All opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee is about a happy bumblebee who suddenly loses her home when humans destroy her meadow. We’re taken on a journey as the bumblebee and her new friend, Philippa, search for a new home. It’s not as easy as it sounds. With humans disturbing so much of the environment, every time they think they’ve found a home, there’s a problem. As it gets dark, they begin to wonder if they’ll ever find a new home for the bumblebee.

This book not only points out the impact that we have on our environment, but it is a great introduction to children about bees. It would be easy to explain the importance of bees after reading about the homeless bumblebee. With the rhyming text and the beautiful illustrations, it will be a favorite.

Philippa and the Homeless Bumblebee is a children’s story that adults would enjoy reading to children, and it has a lesson. What more could you want? I look forward to reading it to my grandchildren.

About the Author

Born in Yorkshire in 1985, David Greaves’ kindness and generosity of spirit, and his love of travel and adventure led David to make friends around the world with people from all walks of life.

The stamina and strength of character demonstrated by David’s achievements as an ultra-marathon runner and Iron Man triathlete were also shown by his determination to complete a wonderful collection of children’s stories in verse, while living with the cruel limitations imposed by Motor Neurone Disease (ALS), diagnosed shortly after David’s thirtieth birthday in June 2015.

In September 2015 David married the love of his life, Philippa. They climbed Mt Kilimanjaro together, raising over £12,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, then travelled widely in East Africa before settling in Newcastle upon Tyne. As MND progressively deprived David of the use of his hands, and then the power of speech, he finished his collection of stories for children’s using revolutionary computer software that allowed him to communicate by tracking and translating into readable text the movement of his eyes. David passed away peacefully at home in September 2016. David’s wife Philippa and his family intend to honour David Greaves’ outstanding gifts as a children’s author by eventually publishing all David’s completed works.