This was a charming story written by a celebrity I wasn't familiar with, Chiquis. I loved her story and how it was inspired by her own mother who was a great singer. The narration was beautiful, and the story was inspiring. I highly recommend this for schools and libraries.

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

What a beautiful story about a girl who find her voice and strength singing to the bees.

This cute little story was cowritten by Janney Marín "Chiquis" Rivera is an American singer and television personality. She is the eldest daughter of famed banda singer Jenni Rivera. In the story, she writes about being a young girl living with her grandmother after her mother dies. She finds solace in her grandmother's garden. She longs to become a star like her mother, but is bullied by children at school. The youngster finds inspiration watching a bee and eventually finds her voice. On the surface, although the story lacks focus, it is a moving story about dealing with grief and also an inspirational story about dealing with bullies and finding one's voice. the narration by Chiquis is great and the audiobook was well produced with sound effects and Bamba music. Initially, I would have given this a good rating. Why one star? This was not written as fiction, the story mentions her mother by name. I wondered just how old Chiquis was when her mother died. I found out that she was a 27 year old who was estranged from her mother at the time of the plane crash that ended the singer's life. If she had written the story as fiction, and left out her mothers stardom, the book would have been a sweet picture book.

This book is very sweet. The message to not let others stop you from doing what you love shines through. The narrator's voice on the audiobook is soothing through the difficult topics broached in the story and the background music interspersed gave the story even more life.
The only drawback I felt was the use of a laugh track. It was a moment when there was laughing in the story, but that being the only sound effect outside of the music was a bit jarring and I felt that it drew too much attention to the bullies' behavior rather than the main character in that moment.

The heartfelt story about Janney captivated my children. Losing a mother seems unbearable, so following Janney’s healing journey through her beautiful flower garden and her interaction with one special little bee felt especially meaningful. We truly appreciate you sharing this story with us!

Beautiful audio describing the story of a girl living with her grandmother after her mom's death. Both of them loved to sing to bees in the garden. This is lyrical, emotive and descriptive -- meaningful to both adult and child listeners.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from Net Galley in exchange for a review. The audio production was excellent! Very engaging. It opened up the conversation on bullying with my daughter.

My 5 year old really liked the story. She said “It’s silly to think that someone isn’t pretty and to be mean to them if you don’t like them.” 🩷

This was a beautiful story about grief and connecting with yourself. The audio book had great background music that really Immerses you into the story. The was a great heartfelt story that I think any child would love, especially ones who are dealing with grief.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC.
The Girl Who Sings to Bees by Chiquis Lissette Norman is a very nice audiobook. My kids enjoyed the music at the beginning when the audiobook was being presented, and the story itself was sweet. I will say that even though this audiobook it's categorized as children's fiction, it reads a lot more like nonfiction, since it is based on her journey and it does not read like a typical children's fiction book would. Other than that, it's short and sweet, and the narration is good.

4 Stars ✨

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced audio copy of The Girl Who Sings to Bees by Chiquis, in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl Who Sings to Bees is an emotional story that covers grief, loss, and believing in yourself. We follow a small girl who has moved in with her grandmother after the loss of her mother. Her mother was a beautiful singer, who taught her how to sing to the bees in the garden. I listened to this with my daughter, she really enjoyed it. The audio version was theatrical and used lots of sound effects and Banda music. The length of the audio is about 7 minutes which is perfect for smaller children. The narrator was the books author, and she did a great job of reading the story and engaging the listener. Would recommend.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.
This book just didn't do it for me. While the premise of the book seemed like it would be a cute book, it was just kind of all over the place. We go from talking about singing to bees in the garden, to a short history of the author's mother, to a school scene of bullying, then back to the garden, then the girl's hopes of following into her mother's footsteps. It just kind of skipped around without an actually story-line. This definitely will NOT hold the attention of young children. Sorry, but I cannot recommend this book.

What a sweet book about grief and loss. My daughter said the book was hopeful rather than sad. She thought the bees "were very nice." I would highly recommend this book to kids who are dealing with the loss of a parent.

This was a quick listen and perfect for my little ones who are 6 and 3. The narrator/author did a wonderful job and we loved the banda music, bees and nature sounds and the other added audio effects. It was a sweet story about loss and finding your own voice through the grief. I also loved how the author stressed the elements of bravery, practice and individuality. I am always looking for books that tap into the different cultures and this one was very fitting for my kids as they are also mexican! Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan and Chiquis for the ARC!

This delightful little story is a perfect listening experience for young children, blending nature, music and cultural heritage into a sweet, memorable package. *The Girl Who Sings to Bees* follows a young girl who learns a special song from her abuelita to sing to the bees, creating a beautiful connection between generations and the natural world.

Having author Chiquis narrate her own work makes the story even more special. Her warm, expressive voice carries such obvious love for the traditions she's sharing. The gentle rhythm and musical quality of the narration make this ideal for bedtime or quiet time. At just under [XX] minutes long, it's the perfect length to hold young attention spans while leaving them with a sense of wonder.

What makes this audiobook truly shine is how naturally it celebrates Latino culture while telling a universal story about family bonds and our connection to nature. The musical elements will especially appeal to children who love to sing, and the nature theme will resonate with little explorers.

I give this charming story **5/5 stars** for its heartwarming message, authentic cultural representation, and soothing yet engaging narration. It's a wonderful addition to any child's audiobook collection.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing the ALC for review consideration.*

My 8 y/o and I listened to this tonight. It’s very short, just a few minutes of storytelling with transition music that was pleasing. It is probably better suited for a younger crowd, both of us thought it was fine but we’re hoping for more of a storyline appropriate for a 3rd grader.

My daughter and I listened to this book while taking our dog on a walk. We really enjoyed it. We just lost our other dog to a brain tumor so we were able to relate to the book on some level. I think the story has a great message about overcoming adversity and being brave. Also, Chiquis has the voice of an Angel.

The cultural story of a young girl looking to her family's history and what she will do with what she dreams. The story shows the nature of dreams, focus, and concurring fear.
a multicultural book showing that we need to follow our own dreams, despite what others think.

In a warm and heartfelt ode to her mother, Chiquis tells the tale of a young girl who loved to sing. I loved the narration by the author, accompanied by soft banda music playing in the background. I loved how the story focused on vulnerability and the impact of grief on us. I thought that how it was described would resonate with young readers, and I loved that the young girl in the book could find her voice separate from that of her mother‘s shadow. I’m sure this will appeal to both Chiquis fans and those just discovering the book.

I enjoyed the story and felt the narration only enhanced the experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC.

Chiquis was splendid. This story was so sweet and encouraging. It warmed my cold heart!

The Girl Who Sings to Bees is a short, beautiful listen that encourages young hearts to be brave, kind, and unafraid of standing out. With a short and sweet but tender lesson on grief, bullying, and self-worth, it’s a quiet story that leaves a lasting impact. I feel like I and connected with the author while listening to this. 🌸🐝