Hi all! Apologies for the slightly delayed post; this post was originally supposed to go up this morning, but I ran into unexpected computer problems. (However, the Apple Store is kind of a fun place to hang out, even if it's for multiple hours...) But today, we have Danielle Davis on the blog to talk about Zinnia and the Bees! - C |
Hi Danielle!
Thank you for taking the time to sit down and talk to The Reading Nook Reviews! Congratulations on the book birthday of Zinnia and the Bees!
1) First things first – could you tell us about Zinnia and the Bees? I’m sure that I, like many other readers, haven’t been able to get that cover out of my head. So of course, we’d like to hear straight from the author just what the book is about!
Danielle:
The bees are agricultural bees, now on the hunt for a natural hive of their own. Much to their disappointment, poor inexperienced Bee 641 scouts Zinnia’s hair, which is certainly an improper choice, something Bee 641 never hears the end of. Meanwhile, Zinnia is searching for the feeling of home in herself and others, something most kids can relate to during the topsy-turvy time of adolescence. In Zinnia’s case, not only do bees land on her head her last day of seventh grade, but her marvelous yarn bomb flops, she feels isolated from her mom, Dr. Flossdrop, as well as her group of friends, and her older brother has left her high and dry for the summer. Zinnia goes on a journey to try and find her brother and to try to get the bees to buzz off. In doing so, she begins to trust herself, her new friend Birch, and that everything can be okay no matter how out of sorts it all might seem.
2) As someone who reviews a decent amount of middle grade fiction, I’m always astounded by just how versatile middle grade fiction can be. It seems like every week, I’m reading a new and wildly inventive tale. As a writer who has incorporated magical elements in Zinnia, what are your thoughts on why middle grade fiction is so versatile, and allows for so much exploration?
Danielle:
3) You’ve mentioned in previous interviews, that you tend to work in seasons. Can you elaborate more on that process for novice writers who might also be looking to work at specific points in the year? How do you make the most of your time?
Danielle:
4) If you could have tea with one of your characters, who would you choose and why?
Danielle:
5) Finally, what’s next for you? Rumor has it, you have a chapter book on the horizon? Could you tell us more?
Danielle:
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak to us, Danielle! Now, a little more about Danielle's book:
While Zinnia's classmates are celebrating the last day of seventh grade, she's in the vice principal's office, serving detention. Her offense? Harmlessly yarn-bombing a statue of the school mascot. When Zinnia rushes home to commiserate with her older brother and best friend, Adam, she's devastated to discover that he's gone ― with no explanation. Zinnia’s day surely can't get any worse . . . until a colony of honeybees inhabits her hive-like hair!