The Song of the Bees

by Tim Chapman

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Pub Date May 01 2026 | Archive Date May 10 2026

Thrilling Tales | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

Children's Fiction | Middle Grade | Teens & YA

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Description

After his older brother is arrested, James is sent away from Chicago to rural Wisconsin to live with a grandmother he barely remembers—a reclusive old lady who keeps bees, studies the marsh, and fills her cabin with skulls, plants, and scientific equipment.

With no friends, no phone signal, and no television, James feels like he’s been exiled to boredomville. But as James struggles to adjust, he begins to notice things he never paid attention to before: the quiet rhythm of the creek, the fragile balance of life in the marsh, and the steady, purposeful hum of his grandmother’s bees. With the help of his new friends Rosa and Hank, he uncovers who’s been burning down local beehives—and what’s been hurting his family.

The Song of the Bees is a heartfelt coming-of-age story about resilience, connection, and finding your place in an unfamiliar world.

After his older brother is arrested, James is sent away from Chicago to rural Wisconsin to live with a grandmother he barely remembers—a reclusive old lady who keeps bees, studies the marsh, and...

Advance Praise

Tim Chapman has penned an intense, coming-of-age page turner in The Song of the Bees. Hunkered down in seemingly safe, rural Wisconsin with his kookie grandmother, James must learn hard lessons about friends and family, bees and bullies, and teamwork and treachery. Hand this important book to every middle-schooler you know! —Sherrill Joseph, award-winning author of the Middle-Grade series The Botanic Hill Detectives Mysteries

The Song of the Bees is a heartening story about family and how even the most challenging events can help bring people together. Young readers and adult readers alike will enjoy seeing James grapple with so many big changes in his life happening all at once and appreciate his caring and thoughtful interactions with everyone around him. —Michelle Falkoff, author of How to Pack for the End of the World and Playlist for the Dead

Poignant and genuine, this touching story of resilience will resonate with any child who has ever felt out of place—or searched for where they truly belong. —Valerie Biel, award-winning author of HAVEN and the Circle of Nine series

Available Editions

EDITION	Paperback
ISBN	9798993636511
PRICE	$12.99 (USD)
PAGES	168

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