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Queen Bee
From the talented creator of bestselling comics Blue Monday and Scooter Girl, comes a funny, super-power graphic novel about the middle-school social hive, where only one girl can be the QUEEN BEE!
Haley is smart, funny, nice, and determined to be super-popular in her new middle-school. . . if she can control that problematic little secret power of hers. Enter another new seventh grader, Alexa. She's smart-alecky, definitely not nice, and she's got the power, too. Just like Haley, Alexa is psychokinetic. She can move things with her mind and does, never missing a chance to embarrass someone in the classroom, cafeteria, or gym--especially Haley.
When the two girls meet, there's literally a tornado.
Haley is smart, funny, nice, and determined to be super-popular in her new middle-school. . . if she can control that problematic little secret power of hers. Enter another new seventh grader, Alexa. She's smart-alecky, definitely not nice, and she's got the power, too. Just like Haley, Alexa is psychokinetic. She can move things with her mind and does, never missing a chance to embarrass someone in the classroom, cafeteria, or gym--especially Haley.
When the two girls meet, there's literally a tornado.
112 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2005
18 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
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May 19, 2022finally found you :))
November 21, 2025
needed a break from all the gothic fiction. read this in elementary school :)
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October 13, 2012Queen Bee, by Chynna Clugston- Major, Graphic Novel, Fiction.
This book is based at a middle school. Haley has always been considered as a 'loser'. Suddenly, she realizes that there is something different about her. She can move things with her mind! Her mother has told her that it is a gift, and she should just ignore it, but she can't. Soon, her mother tells Haley that they're moving into the city, which made her extremely happy so she can get a chance to be popular! At her new school, she makes many new friends and fits in with the popular crowd called "The Hive". Soon however, another girl named Alexa arrives, and takes over the spotlight. When they first meet, they both realize they have the same psychokinetic powers. Instead of bringing the two girls closer together, they become enemies. Haley meets a guy named Jasper, who helps her keep calm about Alexa. At a talent show, the two girls go head first proving to the other who's the best.
Haley is adopted, and when she was a little girl her biological mother gave her a necklace. Inside are two pictures, one of her, and one of another girl who she assumes is her sister. Does she ever find out who her sister really is? Read the book to find out!
I have to admit, this is a pretty kiddish book, but I was surprised about the ending. I won't say what it is, but after reading this book I was curious if there was a sequel. I thought the book was just going to be about two girls fighting to be the most popular girl in school, but its more than that.
This book is based at a middle school. Haley has always been considered as a 'loser'. Suddenly, she realizes that there is something different about her. She can move things with her mind! Her mother has told her that it is a gift, and she should just ignore it, but she can't. Soon, her mother tells Haley that they're moving into the city, which made her extremely happy so she can get a chance to be popular! At her new school, she makes many new friends and fits in with the popular crowd called "The Hive". Soon however, another girl named Alexa arrives, and takes over the spotlight. When they first meet, they both realize they have the same psychokinetic powers. Instead of bringing the two girls closer together, they become enemies. Haley meets a guy named Jasper, who helps her keep calm about Alexa. At a talent show, the two girls go head first proving to the other who's the best.
Haley is adopted, and when she was a little girl her biological mother gave her a necklace. Inside are two pictures, one of her, and one of another girl who she assumes is her sister. Does she ever find out who her sister really is? Read the book to find out!
I have to admit, this is a pretty kiddish book, but I was surprised about the ending. I won't say what it is, but after reading this book I was curious if there was a sequel. I thought the book was just going to be about two girls fighting to be the most popular girl in school, but its more than that.
February 12, 2009
Haley Madison, who struggles to control her budding psychokinetic powers, decideds to reinvent herself when she transfers to a new school. She becomes part of a group of popular and mean girls known as "the Hive" and quickly takes over as queen bee. However, another new girl arrives and she and Haley immediately become rivals for the top spot in the hive. Before long, things get nasty, as both girls have the same psychokinetic power. This is not explained, but there are hints that are sure to be addressed in the sequel.
Amusing book that looks at popularity and the power of cliques. Fans of the movie Mean Girls will like this book.
Amusing book that looks at popularity and the power of cliques. Fans of the movie Mean Girls will like this book.
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April 12, 2010Very creative. Just read today! 4/12/10. I wish i had powers. Do you?
April 27, 2022
Similar to “Mean Girls”, this is a story about cliques, popularity, and how nasty girls can be. Haley Madison is moving to a new school and is determined not to be the geek she was in her old middle school. She succeeds in joining the “Bee Hive”, the popular girl group at school, with only minor problems in controlling her special psychokinetic powers. But soon another new girl arrives, coincidentally with the same psychokinetic powers, and then the power struggle begins since there is only room for one new girl in the Bee Hive. The climax of the story occurs during a talent contest reminiscent of “American Idol”. The book ends on a happy note and gives a hint as to why the two girls both have the same powers. A sequel is almost guaranteed. The book is in graphic novel format and reminded me more of the “Archie” comics rather than Japanese manga. The drawings are excellent; the story is full of energy and moves along at a brisk pace. There are numerous references to recent pop culture that readers will recognize. I would recommend this to middle school girls, and to those that like reading books in graphic novel format.
May 6, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book because it was about a girl who thought she wanted to be in the popular group even though at her first school she was really smart but extremely lonely because she was considered a geek. In the book, Haley is determined to be super-popular in her new middle-school, if she can control her little secret power of hers. Psychokinesis powers, as her mother calls them. Haley's mom gets a new job and has decided to move to the city. Her luck has changed, she decides she wants to be the popular girl. With her mom's new fashion writing job, Haley gets into the Hive. A few weeks later a new girl names Alexa comes to their middle school with psychokinesis powers and has a problem with Haley. Only one Queen Bee can rule the middle school Hive now. But with Alexa and Haley in there "battle," making each other look bad while using their powers. Who will win? Only one thing can determine that, the Amer-I-Dream Contest. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about superpowers or kids in middle school, our age.
May 22, 2017
This may be something you have to read in middle school, its intended audience, because the 'want to be popular at all costs' trope is tired and in this case is filled with characters who are very unsympathetic all the way around. There was a sequel suggested at the end which I would be interested in seeing because I have a strong suspicion of the direction its going, but not sure whatever happened to it as it isn't listed anywhere as existing.
October 11, 2020
Rating it as 4 stars because I loved reading this when I was younger and I wanted to have powers because whoa cool. Reading it now, I feel like I matured a lot more than I did back in elementary/junior high. So the whole thing felt childish in some places and I just wished that everyone could be nice to each other and like just be good people. but it was still a fun little story that i loved so much.
4/5
4/5
October 8, 2021
I loved this book as a kid and was very sad that the sequel never came out. Re-read it recently and it's basically Mean Girls: The Graphic Novel, which is fine except that it's just a little too short. It was a fun trip down memory lane.
October 27, 2025
Five stars for the nostalgia. I purchased this book as a child at a scholastic book fair in 2005 and wanted to revisit it. I remembered the book being in full color, but it's black and white which is WILD.
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October 31, 2025Randomly remembered this book I was obsessed with in like third grade. Probably one of the first graphic novels I ever read? I sort of remember thinking there needed to be a sequel (maybe there was even like a “sequel coming soon!” at the end), bummer she never released one.
March 6, 2018
I related to this book on a level that the main character and I share a name: Haley. And that’s it. I was never popular-power hungry. I never cared for that, but I did adore Jasper! He’s a cutie!
March 29, 2019
The story is engaging and kept me reading. Great book for young teens and those appreciative of a decent graphic novel.
April 18, 2022
Found a copy of this, and decided to read it again. I read it as a little girl, twice actually, and loved it lots. It was a cute reread, and I feel very happy to have found it again today!
June 26, 2022
tbh its probably not 5-stars worthy but it holds a place of important nostalgia in my heart so. 5 stars lol
January 16, 2024
I read this book ages ago but I remember reading this over and over again because I loved it so much! Every pre-teen and teen girl should read the this!! ❤️🫶
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January 27, 2025read this to get it off my tbr. definitely am not in the target demographic.
October 4, 2025
I found this in one of my containers and remember being obsessed with it when I was little.
Read through it again and still bummed that it never got a sequel.
4/5 for nostalgia
Read through it again and still bummed that it never got a sequel.
4/5 for nostalgia
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November 19, 2025i remember just liking the graphics a lot, especially the mean girl’s appearance. i don’t remember anything about the story at all but i loved this as a kid.
February 28, 2017
3.0 out of 5 stars
Mean Girls meets super powers.
Mean Girls meets super powers.
June 23, 2013
This is your classic "Popularity War" story among teenage girls....or, is it?!?
Meet Haley Madison, who feels like she has been exiled to Loserville--Population of 1!--at her present school, when all she really wants is to be popular and in charge of the popular crowd.
So, Haley is delighted when her mother gets a job as a fashion editor at a popular teens/tweens magazine in NYC, and they have to move there. It's her opportunity to become the popular girl she knows she should be...at a NEW school where nobody knows about her TOTAL LOSER status held at her old school.
Everything goes exactly as Haley wants for awhile. She even "de-thrones" the present "Queen Bee" at her new school, becoming the leader of the popular crowd. Everyone answers to her about everything at school, and she loves it. But, a change comes about that rocks her world and tears her popular status all apart....and, that change is redhead Alexa.
Alexa comes along--with the same psychokinetic powers as Haley--and turns everything upside-down. Everyone starts answering to the new "Queen Bee", Alexa, and avoids Haley, who seems jealous because of Alexa's silly tricks.
But, a contest comes along, and Haley wins. Around this time, thanks to a wonderfully geeky male pal, Haley realizes that the popular life isn't truly what she wants. She just wants to be herself and have friends that accept her as she truly is. But, Alexa refuses to let bygones be bygones, and brags about her contract for Glo-Glo.
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I assume that this is Vol.1, even though it was not numbered anywhere on the book, since there is a preview for the next book in the back part. I would very much like to continue this series, but have never seen any of the other volumes.
I think that Haley and Alexa are, most likely, sisters. I would like to see if other volumes confirm this theory.
Meet Haley Madison, who feels like she has been exiled to Loserville--Population of 1!--at her present school, when all she really wants is to be popular and in charge of the popular crowd.
So, Haley is delighted when her mother gets a job as a fashion editor at a popular teens/tweens magazine in NYC, and they have to move there. It's her opportunity to become the popular girl she knows she should be...at a NEW school where nobody knows about her TOTAL LOSER status held at her old school.
Everything goes exactly as Haley wants for awhile. She even "de-thrones" the present "Queen Bee" at her new school, becoming the leader of the popular crowd. Everyone answers to her about everything at school, and she loves it. But, a change comes about that rocks her world and tears her popular status all apart....and, that change is redhead Alexa.
Alexa comes along--with the same psychokinetic powers as Haley--and turns everything upside-down. Everyone starts answering to the new "Queen Bee", Alexa, and avoids Haley, who seems jealous because of Alexa's silly tricks.
But, a contest comes along, and Haley wins. Around this time, thanks to a wonderfully geeky male pal, Haley realizes that the popular life isn't truly what she wants. She just wants to be herself and have friends that accept her as she truly is. But, Alexa refuses to let bygones be bygones, and brags about her contract for Glo-Glo.
--------------------
I assume that this is Vol.1, even though it was not numbered anywhere on the book, since there is a preview for the next book in the back part. I would very much like to continue this series, but have never seen any of the other volumes.
I think that Haley and Alexa are, most likely, sisters. I would like to see if other volumes confirm this theory.
August 23, 2010
SUMMARY: Haley Madison is a junior high school loser, a status that only exacerbates once she discovers she has psychokinesis, the power to move objects with her mind. After her mother announces they'll be moving, she leaps on the chance to reinvent herself, determined to become a cool girl in her new middle school. She's introduced to Trini, an outcast, who tries to befriend her. Yet Haley is more interested in becoming part of "The Hive", a group of the four most popular girls in school. Haley starts to gain some control over her power, and catches the attention of The Hive, even taking over the 'queen bee' role for herself. Things are going well for Haley until a new student, Alexa, with the same powers that Haley controls, arrives at school. From there, when she's not busy battling Alexa for popularity, Haley works with her partner Jasper to win the school's talent competition.
EVALUATION: This book felt like a cross between the movie Mean Girls (which is based on a book with a very similar title: Queen Bees and Wannabes) and a teenaged Bewitched. The story is fairly predictable, though that doesn't detract from its charm. Many of the situations depicted in Queen Bee will be familiar to tween girls: the struggle to be liked and/or popular, making friends and making them with the right people, and being more concerned with how you look and appear to others than your schoolwork.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: The setting is dead-on for tweens, and aside from the addition of telekinetic powers, takes the reader through a number of middle-school stereotypes. This is another book that is aimed more for girls, something I feel is important to include in a graphic novel collection.
EVALUATION: This book felt like a cross between the movie Mean Girls (which is based on a book with a very similar title: Queen Bees and Wannabes) and a teenaged Bewitched. The story is fairly predictable, though that doesn't detract from its charm. Many of the situations depicted in Queen Bee will be familiar to tween girls: the struggle to be liked and/or popular, making friends and making them with the right people, and being more concerned with how you look and appear to others than your schoolwork.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: The setting is dead-on for tweens, and aside from the addition of telekinetic powers, takes the reader through a number of middle-school stereotypes. This is another book that is aimed more for girls, something I feel is important to include in a graphic novel collection.
February 28, 2016
I haven't read this one for a long time and I forgot about it! Until I was recently listing up books and comic I read, it came up in my mind. To be honest the last time I read this was in middle school and I really loved it. Somehow you could relate it in your life, wanting to be fit in the group or fantasize of how high school would be and wished it was like these. Not to mention the fact that Haley and Alexa could use psyic powers made it intergreeed for teenagers who loves those stuff. Not only that but there was Haley who would use her powers less and hide. On the contrary Alexa would not hesitate at all using the powers for her own benefits, something Haley wouldn't do. Haley would use her powers only to help others (in the past she admitted using her powers to make her get popular but it didn't work out well).
There was no battles or anything happening at all, other than Haley and Alexa's fight. Not to mention when you find out Haley was adopted, makes you go thinking that Alexa could be her long sister. There was the sequel pages and it really made me wait for the next comic to come out... but it never did. At that time I thought it would be years later and it slipped out of my mind till recently. I just checked on it hoping that they have the sequel because I wouldn't mind purchasing it to read it. That's how much it has me hooked into it.
Lastly the reason why I gave a four despite how much I gave a good reason about this book, was because of the sequel pages. It showed the sequel pages but even until now in my 20's there hasn't been a sequel coming up!
There was no battles or anything happening at all, other than Haley and Alexa's fight. Not to mention when you find out Haley was adopted, makes you go thinking that Alexa could be her long sister. There was the sequel pages and it really made me wait for the next comic to come out... but it never did. At that time I thought it would be years later and it slipped out of my mind till recently. I just checked on it hoping that they have the sequel because I wouldn't mind purchasing it to read it. That's how much it has me hooked into it.
Lastly the reason why I gave a four despite how much I gave a good reason about this book, was because of the sequel pages. It showed the sequel pages but even until now in my 20's there hasn't been a sequel coming up!
May 26, 2016
I can thank my daughter and her lovable love of anime and her psychokinetic ability to strew her various books and detritus in her own miniature tornado that leaves me, her mother and maid, to inevitably stumble across, sit down, and then, read, said books. I then discover a few of what the kids "these days" are into, these "graphic novels"; in my day we called them comics...!! Kids!
Also "in my day" (har har), in Canada, there is no middle school, we have school until grade 7 & then high school from grades 8 to 12. So we SO GET THIS: the middle-school social hive, as I remember, and it is IT: LIKE PROM QUEEN, the most socially popular girl in the highest grade in school, grade 7, it is where only one girl can be the highest girl, the QUEEN BEE! I hated it because I knew I was so not...
Sweet and kind Haley, so wants to be popular at her new school but she also has a funky little secret; she is psychokinetic . Unsweet and unkind Alexa is also new and wants to be a popular little queen and she also has the psychokinetic power, and always uses it to hurt and embarrass, like the nasty little piece of work she is. So, needless to say, a tornado ensues...!
I hope that the kids know that it's not ok to hurt people just to be popular or make yourself feel better; it is never right, and the victims always feel bad. Other than that I am glad to see that Haley had such a supportive group of friends. That is a valuable resource. Great drawing style and humorous!
Also "in my day" (har har), in Canada, there is no middle school, we have school until grade 7 & then high school from grades 8 to 12. So we SO GET THIS: the middle-school social hive, as I remember, and it is IT: LIKE PROM QUEEN, the most socially popular girl in the highest grade in school, grade 7, it is where only one girl can be the highest girl, the QUEEN BEE! I hated it because I knew I was so not...
Sweet and kind Haley, so wants to be popular at her new school but she also has a funky little secret; she is psychokinetic . Unsweet and unkind Alexa is also new and wants to be a popular little queen and she also has the psychokinetic power, and always uses it to hurt and embarrass, like the nasty little piece of work she is. So, needless to say, a tornado ensues...!
I hope that the kids know that it's not ok to hurt people just to be popular or make yourself feel better; it is never right, and the victims always feel bad. Other than that I am glad to see that Haley had such a supportive group of friends. That is a valuable resource. Great drawing style and humorous!
October 26, 2012
This graphic novel about young Haley Madison's attempt to climb up the middle school social ladder is a must-read. It really brings out all of the drama & tension of educations. Haley is a unique, adopted girl who's be labeled as a permanent geek, until she moved to a new intermediate school in the city. Oh yeah . . . She's also psychokinetic, which a feel is a tribute to a classical element of almost all graphic novels (superpowers). Her past infamy was partially due by the accidents caused by the outer-worldly ability. Although, in just a matter weeks, she'd become the new queen bee of the hive (the popular kids that rule the student body colony), the bee analogy is amazing! Everything is smooth sailing until another new girl (Alexa Harmon) arrives & the whole entire school completely falls in love with her. Haley is the only person who can see just how wicked Alexa truly is & she that Alexa is also psychokinetic. Except she plans to use her powers to ruin Haley's life. How ironic! Can Haley beat Alexa & win the crowds back? Even if she can, is being popular really the most important thing to her? The whole part about supposedly discovering that Haley has a long-lost sibling is a little bit cliché (ever seen the Parent Trap?), but I still can't wait to read on. Like the Highlander, only 1 queen bee can rule (middle school). Check it out!
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May 6, 2014Chynna Clugston’s Queen Bee is about two middle school girls, Haley and Alexa, who have psychokinetic powers. Haley is smart, funny, nice, and determined to be a part of the popular group, the Hive, at her new middle school. She joins the Hive after she uses her powers against a bully. All seems to be going well for Haley until Alexa comes to school. Alexa uses her powers to embarrass Haley, which starts a terrible rivalry between the two girls. After Haley wins the school’s talent contest with the help of her new friend Jasper she dethrones Alexa, leaves the Hive, and joins a group of nicer girls.
Queen Bee is considered a graphic novel for several different reasons. This graphic novel has the same format as comic books and is book-length which are characteristics of graphic novels. Additionally, Queen Bee’s pages consist of several graphic novel elements such as: panels, dialog balloons, thought balloons, and sound effects. Furthermore, this graphic novel is a good text to use when teaching students about acceptance, bullying, honor, and school life. Moreover, this graphic novel will help teach students about the importance of friends and friendships. Queen Bee is great for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
Queen Bee is considered a graphic novel for several different reasons. This graphic novel has the same format as comic books and is book-length which are characteristics of graphic novels. Additionally, Queen Bee’s pages consist of several graphic novel elements such as: panels, dialog balloons, thought balloons, and sound effects. Furthermore, this graphic novel is a good text to use when teaching students about acceptance, bullying, honor, and school life. Moreover, this graphic novel will help teach students about the importance of friends and friendships. Queen Bee is great for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders.
June 25, 2013
Nerdy girl Haley Madison thinks she is doomed to be an outcast all her life, not just because she is a little dorky but also for her telekinesis that she cannot control. That is until her mother gets a job with one of the popular teen magazines and they move to a new town. Over the summer Haley reinvents herself, hoping to be in the popular group. As the new school year starts Haley finds the popular group and gets her wish, not only joining The Hive but taking over as Queen Bee. Everything is going great until the only other girl she knows that is telekinetic, Alexa Harmon, shows up and uses her powers to force Haley out and squish her like a bug.
Story is pretty good but there are some holes in the plot. How does Haley know about the powers Alexa? Haley was adopted, which we only find out near the end, and her parents are dead. Knowing nothing other that what she has been told she tries to hold onto her grip of popularity. It seems that Alexa and Haley are more than just rivals but it is not shown in the book, hopefully there will be a follow up that explains a little more.
Story is pretty good but there are some holes in the plot. How does Haley know about the powers Alexa? Haley was adopted, which we only find out near the end, and her parents are dead. Knowing nothing other that what she has been told she tries to hold onto her grip of popularity. It seems that Alexa and Haley are more than just rivals but it is not shown in the book, hopefully there will be a follow up that explains a little more.
November 18, 2009
I’ve never read a graphic novel before, so reading Chynna Clugston’s Queen Bee was an interesting experience. This book is really entertaining, and I can see girls fighting for it at the bookshelf to see who gets to read it next! Haley Madison is a middle school girl who wants to be in the in-crowd, but can’t break into the mold at her school. When she moves to a new school, the opportunity presents itself and she makes it in with the “hive.” This offers her a new perspective, and she is faced with a decision about who her real friends are. Then, a new Queen Bee, Alexa, comes along and creates a new dynamic in the hive- which isn’t so great for Haley. Haley also possesses the superpower of psychokinesis, which proves both a blessing and a burden; but lo and behold, Alexa has the same superpower! Could it be she’s Haley’s long-lost twin sister from birth? You’ll have to read to find out. A great read for the middle school bookshelf.
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