Sting is a finalist in the 2010 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards!

Winner of the Junior Fiction is announced May 19, 2010.

‘Wonderfully imaginative story’ – Magpies

‘May be the first children’s novel from a bee’s point of view… adventure with a sense of humour and a serious eco message.’– North and South

‘In revealing the the marvelous world of bees, Huber has produced a valuable and exciting”good story”.’ – NZ Books

‘Particularly appealing to that often neglected group of readers – boys. My two loved it, and have re-read and re-read it.’- Vanda Symon

Sting is a children’s novel  (Walker Books, 2009) told from a bee’s viewpoint. Ziggy is rejected by his hive, and kidnapped for a human military experiment. He befriends bumblebees, fights a queen wasp and Killer Bees, and finally discovers the truth about his strange family. For readers aged 7 to 12.

• Blends animal fantasy, sci-fi, and bee biology.
• Environmental and anti-war themes.
• Teachers click here for Classroom ideas – click the pdf to download

Interview

Why did you write Sting?

When I was a child, I was terrified by a swarm of bees that flew over me. Then a few years ago someone gave me a strange birthday present: a beehive — full of thousands of bees. I  became fascinated by them.

I’d always wanted to write the kind of book I loved to read as a kid — mixing thrills, humour, sci-fi, and a very small hero (the Hobbit was the first novel I read).

Where did you get the plot ideas?

I read reports about army scientists training bees for war zones — that made me angry. Then I saw beehives in an isolated valley (photo ) and imagined a bee called Ziggy starting his journey.

When the mysterious disappearance of bees hit the news, it motivated me to keep writing.

Why was it a challenge imagining the world through bees’ eyes.?

At first, because I didn’t want this to be a complete fantasy (where bees drive tiny cars ).  I tried to make the bee behaviour realistic. So bees do navigate brilliantly just as Ziggy does. Sometimes I made the characters do things, then discovered it was possible – like Xola flying through the fan (confirmed when a bee flew though my bike wheel).

Where did you learn about bees?

I talked to beekeepers and scientists who study the secret life of bees. I read fantastic books like A World Without Bees by Alison Benjamin and Sweetness and Light by Hattie Ellis.

Why did you put the quote by Ellis at the start?

It sums up the book – I love her idea that every tiny creature is vital, and everything is connected. I wanted Ziggy to save the world in some way.

Is there a sequel?

Yes,  a ‘beequel’ in the wings. Ziggy is in Japan where he discovers the cause of the vanishing bees, and meets giant hornets. Also, my picture book (Flight of the Honey Bee) is to be published soon by Walker Books.

Brilliant photo of bees coming out of hive by Sarah Anderson:

Review snippets:

‘With wit in dialogue and sympathy for the classic outsider, Huber makes Ziggy delightfully credible. – Diane Hebley, NZ Books

‘… Through the plot is woven a subtle lesson about the biology of bees and the importance of caring for our environment. Huber has given each bee species its own unique character. Boys particularly will relate to the science perspective and any child who likes to collect bugs or watch insects will absolutely love this book.’ -Sandy Fussell, Reading Stack

‘Huber takes the reader on a wonderful journey …The fast paced action would make the story fun to read aloud…It has a strong message of tolerance for difference and an anti-war thread is evident throughout.’– Read Plus

‘I am up to the part when Ziggy is riding on the explosion of the fake person… it is so good that it is hard to stop reading.’ – A child reader

‘…as well as really enjoying the story, and laughing at the jokes, the boys learned a lot about the world of bees. The best endorsement was the fact Mr Seven-year-old grabbed the book the moment I finished reading to them and proceeded to start reading it again for himself.’- Vanda Symon

‘A strong message that says its okay to be different.’  -Sharon Greenaway (Magpies)

‘My 9 year old son had to list his three favourite books at school last week and they were Harry Potter, Garfield and Sting!’ – Annie