Honey

December 22, 2014
In spite of never having known her mother, 10-year-old Melody Bishop leads a pleasant small-town life in Royal, Ind., playing word games with her good-natured father (a humanities teacher) and hanging around with her best friend, Nick Woo. When Melody begins to suspect her father has fallen in love, she determines to find out who it is. Interwoven with Melody's story are two others: that of Bee-Bee Churchill, the owner of the town's new beauty salon, the Bee Hive, and Bee-Bee's 10-year-old French bulldog, Mo, who has his own significant backstory; the three threads eventually intersect in predictable but pleasing ways. Minor intrigue and misunderstandings drive the slender plot, but Weeks (Pie) succeeds in creating an emotionally credible and moving resolution, as well as a small cast of realistic and engaging characters to flesh out the town of Royal. Readers who like words will enjoy the list of 100 nail-polish names Melody creates for the Bee Hive, which concludes this straightforward, affecting read. Ages 8â12. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

It's almost impossible to select narrator Rebecca Soler's best character in this gem for young listeners. Ten-year-old Melody Bishop's mother died when she was a baby. Since then, it's always been just she and her dad--until she hears him call someone "honey" over the phone. Soler is self-assured and bright as Melody, her best friend, Nick, and her kind dad. Other memorable characterizations include those of a bratty six-year-old neighbor named Teeny and Grandpo Bishop, who goes to the garage "to look for a hammer" when he's going for a smoke. The story's rich text is enhanced by Soler's delivery, with verbs and adjectives getting all the necessary verve. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine

June 1, 2015

Gr 3-6-Ten-year-old Melody and her widower father have always been extremely close. So Melody is shocked when she overhears part of a phone conversation where he calls someone "Honey." Melody and her best friend, Nick, are determined to uncover the mystery woman's identity, and information from Melody's annoying six-year-old neighbor, Teeny, leads them to the newest beauty salon in Royal, IN: The Bee Hive. The point of view shifts throughout this story, and at the Bee Hive, listeners hear from its proprietor, Bee Bee Churchill, and her small dog, Mo. Each character's separate story line ultimately connects in a satisfying, if predictable, conclusion. This sweet story is voiced expertly by Rebecca Soler, and she does a wonderful job capturing each character's unique personality. Listeners always know who is talking, and her pacing keeps the story moving forward. VERDICT This title will appeal to middle grade students who enjoy realistic fiction and animal fiction titles.-Anne Bozievich, Friendship Elementary School, Glen Rock, PA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

my225 - In the book Honey, it goes from in the prospective of a young girl named Melody and a dog named Mo.But who is Honey,Melody goes around trying to figure out who this Honey is that her dad talks too late at night. Read the book to find out what happens next .