VOYA Ratings: 4Q, 4P

Coming of age for a queen bee is a dangerous proposition as it is their first act after hatching to seek out and kill all other potential queens in the hive. For the worker bees, maturing into an adult is not much better of a proposition as they are virtually indistinguishable from all the others, eternally subservient, and toil endlessly until death.

Though the experiences of bees are far removed from those of humans, Kissing the Bee by Kathe Koja presents the case of Dana, a young woman in her senior year of high school as she stands on the cusp of the rest of her life. Bright and thoughtful, Dana has always been subservient to her best friend Avra. Avra is dynamic, tall, beautiful, and fierce in a demanding way that Dana would never consider being. Until now, Dana has been contented to play second fiddle to Avra, that is until a stirring desire between her and Avra's boyfriend Emil awakens a conflict between the two longtime friends. An ease read that is pleasant, smart, and seamless when crafting true to life and believable characters. ( )

Facts and folklore about bees, part of Dana's senior project, weave together in this story of Dana and her relationship to her supposedly best friend Avra. Koja's masterful use of language builds the tension as the hierarchy of the "hive" changes. I was glad it was short as I could not put it down. ( )

Reviewed by JodiG. for TeensReadToo.com

Dana and Avra are best friends. As good of friends as can be when one person is the queen bee and the other is charged with doing what it takes to keep the queen happy.

Avra is the undisputed queen -- she decides what they do and when they do it. She also has lofty plans for the future. Avra is counting the days until the end of high school. At that time, she plans to escape from her family and town in an attempt to conquer the world. In true, royal fashion she has even determined that one member of her "royal court," her boyfriend, Emil, will accompany her on her journey.

Dana has her own plans. She is heading to college and, in addition to her duties of helping Avra prepare for prom, she is working on her final project for school. Dana has been preparing a project on the lives and habits of bees, which closely mirror the social interactions she and her friends are experiencing. Dana also has a problem that she has managed to keep secret from Avra and Emil. She is in love with her best friend's boyfriend. But does Emil have feelings for Dana, as well?

KISSING THE BEE is an amazingly straight-forward novel that will draw you in and keep you reading from the first page to the last. The main character is as true as she is flawed; a character that anybody who's ever loved can identify with. Kathe Koja has written a story that flows smoothly from beginning to end. There are no distractions within the story; the focus remains on the relationship between three young people, teetering on the edge of change. ( )