SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Pearl's & Ruby's
  • Politics in Practice
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

October 30, 2008 by Travis Jonker

Book Review: Bee-Wigged

October 30, 2008 by Travis Jonker   2 comments


Bee-Wigged
By Cece Bell
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 9780763636142
$16.99
Grades PreK-2
In Stores Nov. 25th

*Recommended*

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Quick, what’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard lately? How about a bee, wearing a toupee, who is mistaken for a child? That makes my recently ridiculous top five for sheezy (I hereby swear to never use that word again on these pages – signed, Your Humble Reviewer). In “Bee-Wigged” Cece Bell (author/illustrator of the “Sock Monkey” titles) provides a fat dollop of silliness sour cream atop a baked potato of truth – that it can be hard to find your niche when you’re different.

Jerry Bee does the opposite of fit in. Not only is he a bee (strike one), but he’s also a giant bee (we’ll skip right to “you’re out!”). We’re talking person-sized insect here. When you’re a giant bee out in public, folks tend to avoid you. Or scream and run. One day Jerry finds a wig on the side of the road and decides to try it on. The results are astounding. The disguise works, and people begin to see Jerry as a normal kid. Well, not just normal – exceptional. Everyone loves Jerry. It turns out that he’s funny and artistic and helpful. Jerry Bee is so beloved that he is asked to grand marshall the annual school parade. When our hero’s wig is blown off by a gust of wind, Jerry quickly realizes that his day in the sun may be over. That is, until his wig starts talking. I mentioned ridiculous, right?

The bright, unfussy ink and acrylic illustrations pair nicely with the storyline. The goofiness of the plot is mirrored in the stubby, neckless (or should I say neck-free) rendering of the characters.

“Bee-Wigged” will check off a number of boxes in your collection:

? Solid read aloud choice

? A good pick for “I’m looking for a funny book” kids

? A “be yourself” book with kid appeal

A trifecta which makes this one a quality selection.

Also reviewed by Original Content.

Find this book at your local library with WorldCat.

Filed under: *Best New Books*, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

A Fuse #8 Production

Throw Wide Those Cemetery Gates: Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio Discuss The Invisible Parade

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Our Mock Newbery List is Up to 52 Titles

by Steven Engelfried

Politics in Practice

When Book Bans are a Form of Discrimination, What is the Path to Justice?

by John Chrastka

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Teen MakerSpace: DIY Stickers, High Tech

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Yarn

How Colby Sharp Celebrates Reading with Students

by Colby Sharp

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

4 Books for the 4th (July 4th, That Is!)

Life During Wartime: 16 Untold World War II Stories | Great Books

More Than 50 Standout Titles! | Starred Reviews, June 2025

SLJ Opens Poll, Asking Readers to Name the Best Books of the Past 25 Years

9 Titles to Learn About Juneteenth

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Bee-Wigged News & Review « Cece Bell says:
    November 24, 2008 at 5:35 pm

    […] Read the whole thing: http://100scopenotes.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/book-review-bee-wigged/ […]

  2. 5 Questions With Cece Bell « 100 Scope Notes says:
    December 5, 2008 at 3:04 am

    […] 5, 2008 in Authors “Bee-Wigged” is at the top of my wonderfully crazy picture books of the year list. About a bee who wears […]

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books 2024
    • 2024 Stars So Far
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Pearls & Rubys
    • Politics in Practice
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • Reasons to Love Libraries
    • 2025 Youth Media Awards
    • Defending the Canon:SLJ & NCTE Review 15 Banned Classics
    • Refreshing the Canon Booklist
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Read Free Poster
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2025


    COPYRIGHT © 2025