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Honeybees and Frenemies
Twelve-year-old Flor faces a bittersweet summer with a pageant, a frenemy, and a hive full of honey.
It’s the summer before eighth grade and Flor is stuck at home and working at her family’s mattress store, while her best friend goes off to band camp (probably to make new friends). It becomes even worse when she’s asked to compete in the local honey pageant. This means Flor has to spend the summer practicing her talent (recorder) and volunteering (helping a recluse bee-keeper) with Candice, her former friend who’s still bitter about losing the pageant crown to Flor when they were in second grade. And she can’t say no.
Then there’s the possibility that Flor and her family are leaving to move in with her mom’s family in New Jersey. And with how much her mom and dad have been fighting lately, is it possible that her dad may not join them? Flor can’t let that happen. She has a lot of work to do.
It’s the summer before eighth grade and Flor is stuck at home and working at her family’s mattress store, while her best friend goes off to band camp (probably to make new friends). It becomes even worse when she’s asked to compete in the local honey pageant. This means Flor has to spend the summer practicing her talent (recorder) and volunteering (helping a recluse bee-keeper) with Candice, her former friend who’s still bitter about losing the pageant crown to Flor when they were in second grade. And she can’t say no.
Then there’s the possibility that Flor and her family are leaving to move in with her mom’s family in New Jersey. And with how much her mom and dad have been fighting lately, is it possible that her dad may not join them? Flor can’t let that happen. She has a lot of work to do.
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First published June 4, 2019
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May 17, 2019
Flor was so excited for the summer. She had her Kings Island season pass and her best friend, and she was ready to have fun, fun, fun. But, all her plans went to pot, when her bestie went away to band camp, and Flor was stuck in Honeydale. To make matters worse, she was forced to work with her ex-friend, Candice, for the honey festival, her parents were fighting, and the family business was struggling. This became her summer of honeybees and frenemies and a lot of personal growth, and I really enjoyed getting to accompany Flor on her journey.
When I stopped to think about it, there was really a lot going on in this story, but Wientge blended the different story elements together in such a way, that it was very cohesive and never overwhelming. Flor was dealing with a lot that summer, and along the way, she had to do quite a bit of introspection and a bit of growing up too.
A few major themes emerged with respect to trust, friendship, embracing change, and putting someone else's needs before your own. Flor had to step back, quite a few times, to take a look at the big picture. These were times of real growth for her, and I really appreciated that Wientge included these sort of "a-ha" moments in the story, because they are an integral part of growing up.
Other things I loved:
• All the bee facts were fascinating and I liked learning more about them.
• Bee bearding!
• Flor was a girl after my own heart with all that crocheting
• The Valandhingam family was pretty awesome. The parents were supportive, and also showed a lot of respect for their children.
• Small town life - I love it!
• Adventures in healthy eating
• I was really touched by many of the interactions with Mr. Henry
Overall: A very sweet and charming story of friendship, family, and honeybees.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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When I stopped to think about it, there was really a lot going on in this story, but Wientge blended the different story elements together in such a way, that it was very cohesive and never overwhelming. Flor was dealing with a lot that summer, and along the way, she had to do quite a bit of introspection and a bit of growing up too.
A few major themes emerged with respect to trust, friendship, embracing change, and putting someone else's needs before your own. Flor had to step back, quite a few times, to take a look at the big picture. These were times of real growth for her, and I really appreciated that Wientge included these sort of "a-ha" moments in the story, because they are an integral part of growing up.
Other things I loved:
• All the bee facts were fascinating and I liked learning more about them.
• Bee bearding!
• Flor was a girl after my own heart with all that crocheting
• The Valandhingam family was pretty awesome. The parents were supportive, and also showed a lot of respect for their children.
• Small town life - I love it!
• Adventures in healthy eating
• I was really touched by many of the interactions with Mr. Henry
Overall: A very sweet and charming story of friendship, family, and honeybees.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
May 24, 2019
This new middle grade novel gets high marks from me for its summertime slice of life vibe. Flor is dismayed to be stuck in her hometown of Honeydale, OH, for the summer while her bestie Brooke is off to camp. Then Flor gets the news that she is expected to defend her 3rd grade win in the local honey pageant. When Flor waffles on participating, her frenemy Candice is offered the spot. The two end up being partners and the daring duo comes up with a talent that is a showstopper. Bee facts are highlighted at the beginning of each chapter. With the growing awareness of the dangers to our bee population on the minds of many, this book is timely. In addition to the honey pageant drama, there are business and family dynamics as well as racist undertones from the past. Flor is recruited to wear a mattress costume to promote her father's store and that visual still makes me smile.
A big thank you to Simon & Schuster for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A big thank you to Simon & Schuster for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 28, 2019
Interest Level: 5-8
Imagine it is the summer before your eight grade year. It should be a time for sun and fun, right? Well not for Flor! Her best friend is going off to band camp where she will probably meet a new best friend, she has to work at her dad's mattress store, and to top it all off she finds out she has to participate in the Little Miss Honeybee pageant. Flor hates the Little Miss Honeybee pageant because when she won first place in third grade it caused her to lose you previous best friend, Candice. Now the pageant is hosting its 50th Honey Festival and all previous winners have to participate. At first Flor refuses to participate which allows the runner up, Candice, to be in it. Flor realizes this is a mistake because she wants to beat Candice again so when she agrees to join in, her and Candice have to work as a team. So many things are going wrong for Flor during this summer she is having a hard time processing it all. Her parents are fighting because the family mattress business is not doing well and money is tight, she doesn't have her own phone so she can't talk or text with Brooke at band camp, and now her and Candice have a strict schedule of volunteer work leading up to the festival. When they find out they have to go help the old recluse man that live on the hill, they are both terrified. Rumor is he keeps Girl Scouts who've climbed his driveway in the freezer next to their boxes of cookies. As if things couldn't get any worse for Flor, her mom applies for a job in another state and if she gets it they could be moving away from Honeydale. Flor is now determined to win the Little Miss Honeybee pageant for the prize money to help her dad's store. Will Flor be able to work with her frenemy, Candice, to win the prize money? Will Flor's mom get and accept the job in New Jersey? Will Flor's best friend come back and diss her just like Candice did in third grade? Read this charming 2019 book to find out the answers!
This is a great book to show how kids deal when they see their parents fighting. Flor tries to solve her parents problems even though deep down she knows her solution won't help. It also shows that even though we may be afraid of change, change is not always a bad thing. Don't miss this touching story about family issues, friendship troubles, and accepting change even though it's difficult.
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Imagine it is the summer before your eight grade year. It should be a time for sun and fun, right? Well not for Flor! Her best friend is going off to band camp where she will probably meet a new best friend, she has to work at her dad's mattress store, and to top it all off she finds out she has to participate in the Little Miss Honeybee pageant. Flor hates the Little Miss Honeybee pageant because when she won first place in third grade it caused her to lose you previous best friend, Candice. Now the pageant is hosting its 50th Honey Festival and all previous winners have to participate. At first Flor refuses to participate which allows the runner up, Candice, to be in it. Flor realizes this is a mistake because she wants to beat Candice again so when she agrees to join in, her and Candice have to work as a team. So many things are going wrong for Flor during this summer she is having a hard time processing it all. Her parents are fighting because the family mattress business is not doing well and money is tight, she doesn't have her own phone so she can't talk or text with Brooke at band camp, and now her and Candice have a strict schedule of volunteer work leading up to the festival. When they find out they have to go help the old recluse man that live on the hill, they are both terrified. Rumor is he keeps Girl Scouts who've climbed his driveway in the freezer next to their boxes of cookies. As if things couldn't get any worse for Flor, her mom applies for a job in another state and if she gets it they could be moving away from Honeydale. Flor is now determined to win the Little Miss Honeybee pageant for the prize money to help her dad's store. Will Flor be able to work with her frenemy, Candice, to win the prize money? Will Flor's mom get and accept the job in New Jersey? Will Flor's best friend come back and diss her just like Candice did in third grade? Read this charming 2019 book to find out the answers!
This is a great book to show how kids deal when they see their parents fighting. Flor tries to solve her parents problems even though deep down she knows her solution won't help. It also shows that even though we may be afraid of change, change is not always a bad thing. Don't miss this touching story about family issues, friendship troubles, and accepting change even though it's difficult.
Follow me:
Blog - Blazer Tales - https://blazertales.com/
Facebook - Laurie’s Library Place - https://www.facebook.com/LauriesLibra...
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July 3, 2019
🐝 HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES is such a great new middle grade story from @kristiwientge !! I loved her book KARMA KHULLAR’S MUSTACHE and found this one just as delightful.
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HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES is a story about two rising 8th graders and a talent competition and family and money worries and friendship and community involvement and HONEYBEES! The girls decide to learn how to bee beard (go look it up!) and between that and the messages about honeybee preservation and honeybee facts in each chapter header, I’m officially adding this one to my 7th grade Environmental Topics lit circle list 🍯 🐝
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I think the sweet spot for this book is grades 4-7 and can’t wait to add it to both of my libraries.
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HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES is a story about two rising 8th graders and a talent competition and family and money worries and friendship and community involvement and HONEYBEES! The girls decide to learn how to bee beard (go look it up!) and between that and the messages about honeybee preservation and honeybee facts in each chapter header, I’m officially adding this one to my 7th grade Environmental Topics lit circle list 🍯 🐝
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I think the sweet spot for this book is grades 4-7 and can’t wait to add it to both of my libraries.
Want to read
August 26, 2022Honeybees and Frenemies is a warm, humorous, and relatable middle grade book about bees, family, and frenemies. This is a captivating story also zooms in on friendships, the assumptions we make about others, and an inter-generational friendship. Bonus points for a related bee fun fact at the start of every new chapter!
November 20, 2023
This was a very cute book and I love the cover
March 18, 2019
It’s the summer before eighth grade, and Flor’s got plenty of reasons to be unhappy. She’s stuck in Honeydale, Ohio working at her family’s mattress store wearing a mattress costume outside in the heat and being pestered by her older sister. Even more troubling, the store’s not making much money, causing her parents to argue a lot. Just when it seems things can’t get any worse, her BFF heads to band camp AND Flor is asked to compete in the 50th Anniversary Honey Festival reunion pageant. Flor was crowned Little Miss Honeybee back in third grade, and her former friend, Candice, was runner-up and has held a forever grudge ever since.
If Flor can win the reunion pageant, the prize money might be enough to keep the mattress store running so they won’t have to move to New Jersey where her grandparents live. But then, the pageant director decides Flor and Candice should work together as a team. When they’re asked to help the cantankerous Mr. Henry as part of their community service, Flor gets a grand idea to use his bees for the talent competition. Can these two arch enemies find a way to work together and soften the world’s grumpiest man so they can win the pageant?
Hair seems to be a theme in Kristi Wientge’s books. In her debut, KARMA KHULLAR’S MUSTACHE, Karma is desperate to get rid of the 17 hairs growing above her upper lip. In HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES, Flor wants to grow a beard! I’ll leave it for you to read to find out what kind!
Verdict: HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES has an authentic middle-grade voice, full of funny one-liners and heartfelt whispers that will speak to readers. With the push and pull of friendships and family struggles, the story reminds me of my favorite Judy Blume books. Tweens will definitely relate to the tough issues Flor faces, dealing with grumpy sisters, frenemies, and worries about parents fighting over money and having to move. Loved the chapter headings with fun facts about bees and great information throughout about beekeeping and the medical applications or bees/honey!
If Flor can win the reunion pageant, the prize money might be enough to keep the mattress store running so they won’t have to move to New Jersey where her grandparents live. But then, the pageant director decides Flor and Candice should work together as a team. When they’re asked to help the cantankerous Mr. Henry as part of their community service, Flor gets a grand idea to use his bees for the talent competition. Can these two arch enemies find a way to work together and soften the world’s grumpiest man so they can win the pageant?
Hair seems to be a theme in Kristi Wientge’s books. In her debut, KARMA KHULLAR’S MUSTACHE, Karma is desperate to get rid of the 17 hairs growing above her upper lip. In HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES, Flor wants to grow a beard! I’ll leave it for you to read to find out what kind!
Verdict: HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES has an authentic middle-grade voice, full of funny one-liners and heartfelt whispers that will speak to readers. With the push and pull of friendships and family struggles, the story reminds me of my favorite Judy Blume books. Tweens will definitely relate to the tough issues Flor faces, dealing with grumpy sisters, frenemies, and worries about parents fighting over money and having to move. Loved the chapter headings with fun facts about bees and great information throughout about beekeeping and the medical applications or bees/honey!
June 17, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 for HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES by @kristiwientge
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Summer is not turning out the way Flor wanted it to. Her best friend, Brooke, is off to summer camp for a month and her parents won't stop fighting about finances related to the family's mattress store. Now she has to compete in the local honey pageant with her former best friend and current frenemy, Candice. They're tasked with volunteering at local grump Mr. Henry's house. When Flor learns that her family might have to move away for a new job opportunity for her mom, she's determined to win the pageant and the $2000 prize so she can help her family. First she'll have to find a way to get along with Candice and they'll have to find a talent they can do together that's sure to wow the judges. When Candice and Flor discover that Mr. Henry is into beekeeping, they come up with an unusual talent that is sure to get attention. Flor's mother is Indian American and her father is white.
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This lovely middle grade novel explores friendship dynamics, economic instability, racism, family problems and environmental problems. Every chapter starts with an unusual bee fact in bold print. My favorite is that bees can carry "122 times their weight -- while flying." !! The fact that bee populations are decreasing is introduced and explored in an age appropriate way through the girls' relationship with Mr. Henry. Although things end in a way that isn't ideal for Flor and her family, the ending is realistic and satisfying.
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#librariansofinstagram #librariesofinstagram #honeybeesandfrenemies #kristiwientge #mglit #mgbooks #ilovemg #bookstagram #amreading
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🐝
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Summer is not turning out the way Flor wanted it to. Her best friend, Brooke, is off to summer camp for a month and her parents won't stop fighting about finances related to the family's mattress store. Now she has to compete in the local honey pageant with her former best friend and current frenemy, Candice. They're tasked with volunteering at local grump Mr. Henry's house. When Flor learns that her family might have to move away for a new job opportunity for her mom, she's determined to win the pageant and the $2000 prize so she can help her family. First she'll have to find a way to get along with Candice and they'll have to find a talent they can do together that's sure to wow the judges. When Candice and Flor discover that Mr. Henry is into beekeeping, they come up with an unusual talent that is sure to get attention. Flor's mother is Indian American and her father is white.
.
🐝
🐝
This lovely middle grade novel explores friendship dynamics, economic instability, racism, family problems and environmental problems. Every chapter starts with an unusual bee fact in bold print. My favorite is that bees can carry "122 times their weight -- while flying." !! The fact that bee populations are decreasing is introduced and explored in an age appropriate way through the girls' relationship with Mr. Henry. Although things end in a way that isn't ideal for Flor and her family, the ending is realistic and satisfying.
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🐝
🐝
#librariansofinstagram #librariesofinstagram #honeybeesandfrenemies #kristiwientge #mglit #mgbooks #ilovemg #bookstagram #amreading
August 11, 2019
I must own this for the cover art alone! And to lend it to as many people as possible.
The story is paced just like the small town it is set in. It is real all the way through. Racism is real. How it is played out seems to be very subtle sometimes. I think the author was intentional about how she wrote this. It would have been easy to spend a lot more of the story on how this affects the characters, but she doesn’t, and her audience has the chance to see a few of the layers of those who inflict it and those who are impacted.
For the most part this book is a snapshot of growing up. I really liked that no one was perfect, some things take time and working together is one of the best ways to genuinely start to understand someone. It seems like the best thing in the world for kids to grow up in a town that has festivals and a Mrs. Thornton and Mr. Henry. Reading this was not like watching Pollyanna though.
I really enjoyed the honeybee facts.
The story is paced just like the small town it is set in. It is real all the way through. Racism is real. How it is played out seems to be very subtle sometimes. I think the author was intentional about how she wrote this. It would have been easy to spend a lot more of the story on how this affects the characters, but she doesn’t, and her audience has the chance to see a few of the layers of those who inflict it and those who are impacted.
For the most part this book is a snapshot of growing up. I really liked that no one was perfect, some things take time and working together is one of the best ways to genuinely start to understand someone. It seems like the best thing in the world for kids to grow up in a town that has festivals and a Mrs. Thornton and Mr. Henry. Reading this was not like watching Pollyanna though.
I really enjoyed the honeybee facts.
July 9, 2019
Well, it was more of a 3.5 stars. I found the plot very interesting at some points, and I thought that the facts about bees were interesting, like how bees so not pollinate red flowers, due to the fact that it looks black to them.
Anyway, the basic plot was a girl (Flor) and and Candice were best friends, until the pageant happened and Flor won. Then they were enemies, until they had to be in the same team for the 50th pageant that Flor has to compete in.
During their time together, they become friends again.
I thought that this is unrealistic. Do frenemies really do this in real life? I doubt it.
Anyway, the basic plot was a girl (Flor) and and Candice were best friends, until the pageant happened and Flor won. Then they were enemies, until they had to be in the same team for the 50th pageant that Flor has to compete in.
During their time together, they become friends again.
I thought that this is unrealistic. Do frenemies really do this in real life? I doubt it.
March 5, 2019
Bees seem to make a fairly frequent appearance in literature. Rearing their winged little bodies yet again, honeybees play a central role in Kristi Wientge's middle grade novel. Set in Honeydale, Ohio, a town known for, you guessed it, honey, this is the story of two arch enemies competing in the 50th Anniversary Honey Festival pageant. Tasked with helping out the town curmudgeon, Mr. Henry, the pair must figure out a talent to showcase for the festival in order to win the prize money they both feel is desperately needed to help their families.
For a large portion of this book I was underwhelmed and quite frankly, a little bored. However, it definitely improved as the story moved along and I was pleased with the ending. Though the novel follows common literary tropes, I do think young girls will relate to the push/pull feelings of adolescent friendships and enjoy the overall theme.
For a large portion of this book I was underwhelmed and quite frankly, a little bored. However, it definitely improved as the story moved along and I was pleased with the ending. Though the novel follows common literary tropes, I do think young girls will relate to the push/pull feelings of adolescent friendships and enjoy the overall theme.
September 8, 2019
Seventh graders Flor and Candice used to be best friends, but that all changed. Now Flor is looking forward to spending the summer with her new bestie, Brooke. But when Brooke heads off to music camp, Flor is very disappointed. But when she ends up having to work together on a volunteer project with Candice, the two girls need to figure out how to get along. I thought this was a well written novel and an interesting look at learning to be open and honest with friends.
August 17, 2019
Loved this sweet friendship story, Wientge’s sophomore effort. It has so many hooks for readers: forced reunions with soured friendships, moving, financial hardship, pageants, sisters, and environmentalism.
May 10, 2020
Authentic friendship and family drama contemporary for those lovely eager tween readers. Subtle integration about bee sustainability.
March 22, 2025
I loved this! Girls, bees, bee facts?!? Perfect.
Read
September 26, 2019Honeybees and Frenemies is a cute story about friendship and family. But more importantly, it’s a realistic story about friendship and family. Kristi Weintge captures the tween experience in a heartfelt and relatable way. Flor is a wonderful protagonist—she’s funny and stubborn and creative. She doesn’t hold back her thoughts or emotions, even if that lands her in a few sticky situations, but she also holds to what she believes and does what she believes is best. I love the honeybee aspects as well. I don’t know much about honeybees, but the random facts before each chapter along with the focus on bee conservation and its uses as medicine were a perfect balance to the other conflicts of the story.
From the setting—Ohio!—to the relationship dynamics, Honeybees and Frenemies is a sweet and heartwarming story for any age group. Even as an adult, I related to Flor and her troubles, so I can definitely recommend this anyone someone looking for a fun contemporary.
Full review here: https://booksandwafflesblog.wordpress...
~Thank you for the publisher for providing an e-arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!~
From the setting—Ohio!—to the relationship dynamics, Honeybees and Frenemies is a sweet and heartwarming story for any age group. Even as an adult, I related to Flor and her troubles, so I can definitely recommend this anyone someone looking for a fun contemporary.
Full review here: https://booksandwafflesblog.wordpress...
~Thank you for the publisher for providing an e-arc through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!~
March 13, 2019
I learned so much about bees as I read this cute novel about friendship, family, love, and loss. I think there's some really deep discussion of what the potential of moving across the country does to a kid and I love love loved the family dynamics and the growth of friendship throughout.
June 12, 2022
Got to page 40 and I was just so. Bored. I want to see the evolution of the girls’ friendship but it feels like nothing is happening and all the characters are paper thin.
May 23, 2019
I really enjoyed Kristi Wientge’s debut, Karma Khullar’s Mustache, so I definitely wanted to get my hands on her latest, Honeybees and Frenemies. Thank you NetGalley for the review copy!
It’s the start of summer and Flor’s plans to spend time at King’s Island with her best friend, Brooke, are scratched when Brooke announces that she’s going to band camp. Adding insult to injury, former friend Candice approaches and informs them that it’s the 50th Anniversary of the Honey Festival and it’s going to be an all-star event - one that will include former winners from the past 10 years which includes Flor when she won the crown in third grade. You’ll find out quickly that Candice is the frenemy as their friendship hasn’t been the same since she finished as the runner-up that year. Flor feels betrayed by Candice as she made some bold statements about Candice, making third grade tough and their relationship strained ever since. Flor is not looking forward to her new summer plans and even considers not participating in the festival at all, but it turns out that she will…alongside Candice!
In a relatable, quirky voice, Flor narrates the happenings leading up to the big festival and the tension at home between her parents who always seem to be arguing lately about the state of the family mattress store. As expected, it’s not so easy being in close proximity to Candice with a full calendar of required events. They are assigned to assist Mr. Henry, the old man on the hill who is the subject of some strange rumors in town, as part of the volunteer requirement.
I found this story to be humorous at times especially when the girls initially set out to practice their talent portion of the festival—a recorder and piano duet! They also try to one-up each other throughout which leads to an unfortunate event in a nursing home.
It also touches on some more serious issues of family finances and the prospect of moving from her beloved Ohio. Flor thinks that the family’s troubles will be solved by winning the pageant’s $2,000 prize. Middle grade readers will be enticed to see who will actually win as the girls run into some trouble executing their new, unapproved act. They’ll identify with the characters and their family dynamics, and might even share their hobbies like crocheting or experimenting in the kitchen. Readers will learn about forgiveness, and willingness to accept change. I will be recommending this sweet novel to my students and know that they will be pleased with the conclusion.
It’s the start of summer and Flor’s plans to spend time at King’s Island with her best friend, Brooke, are scratched when Brooke announces that she’s going to band camp. Adding insult to injury, former friend Candice approaches and informs them that it’s the 50th Anniversary of the Honey Festival and it’s going to be an all-star event - one that will include former winners from the past 10 years which includes Flor when she won the crown in third grade. You’ll find out quickly that Candice is the frenemy as their friendship hasn’t been the same since she finished as the runner-up that year. Flor feels betrayed by Candice as she made some bold statements about Candice, making third grade tough and their relationship strained ever since. Flor is not looking forward to her new summer plans and even considers not participating in the festival at all, but it turns out that she will…alongside Candice!
In a relatable, quirky voice, Flor narrates the happenings leading up to the big festival and the tension at home between her parents who always seem to be arguing lately about the state of the family mattress store. As expected, it’s not so easy being in close proximity to Candice with a full calendar of required events. They are assigned to assist Mr. Henry, the old man on the hill who is the subject of some strange rumors in town, as part of the volunteer requirement.
I found this story to be humorous at times especially when the girls initially set out to practice their talent portion of the festival—a recorder and piano duet! They also try to one-up each other throughout which leads to an unfortunate event in a nursing home.
It also touches on some more serious issues of family finances and the prospect of moving from her beloved Ohio. Flor thinks that the family’s troubles will be solved by winning the pageant’s $2,000 prize. Middle grade readers will be enticed to see who will actually win as the girls run into some trouble executing their new, unapproved act. They’ll identify with the characters and their family dynamics, and might even share their hobbies like crocheting or experimenting in the kitchen. Readers will learn about forgiveness, and willingness to accept change. I will be recommending this sweet novel to my students and know that they will be pleased with the conclusion.
July 11, 2019
Honeybees And Frenemies was a really cute read, and I'm glad I read it. I ended up really liking it!
This book was really cute, and I really felt for Flor, who is teaming up with a former friend to win the summer pageant. Something about all of the festivals mentioned made me think of Gilmore Girls, where they have random festivals and town events throughout the years.
It was interesting to see them team up, but I'll admit to wanting more of why Candice was horrible to Flor. I mean, I get being bitter about losing the pageant crown...but they were seven, and I kind of think it would have made more sense had they been older. But this is also middle grade, so I guess it had to happen earlier?
Anyway, I liked seeing them work together. They both realize they have their reasons for wanting to win, and even though their talent gets them into trouble, it was still pretty cool, and I'm glad it didn't get them disqualified. Saving the bees is pretty important to Candice too, and she would be a great bee ambassador. Plus, winning helps Candice a lot more than it helps Flor, but I think things will work out for Flor. I know she had a lot going on, but the book ended on a hopeful note. I really felt like things were going to be just fine for everyone.
I also liked the facts about bees at the beginning of each chapter. That was a really cute tie-in, and it makes me want to learn more about bees. I wasn't paying enough attention to see if the facts actually tied into what happened in each chapter, but either way it was cool.
I did think helping out at her family's mattress store and her best friend going away to summer camp would be more of a thing than it really was. Maybe that's just me, thinking things mentioned in the summary are going to be more important than they really are. We do get a little bit of it, though we get bits and pieces of the family stuff throughout the book while the best friend stuff is pretty much towards the end of the book.
I also wanted a little more to the ending, and while things are pretty wrapped up, I still wanted to go a little past where the book actually ended. Still, it's a pretty good ending point, so I'm not going to complain too much about it. I think it's just wistful thinking on my part.
My Rating: 4 stars. I really liked Honeybees And Frenemies! It's a super cute middle grade and worth checking out.
This book was really cute, and I really felt for Flor, who is teaming up with a former friend to win the summer pageant. Something about all of the festivals mentioned made me think of Gilmore Girls, where they have random festivals and town events throughout the years.
It was interesting to see them team up, but I'll admit to wanting more of why Candice was horrible to Flor. I mean, I get being bitter about losing the pageant crown...but they were seven, and I kind of think it would have made more sense had they been older. But this is also middle grade, so I guess it had to happen earlier?
Anyway, I liked seeing them work together. They both realize they have their reasons for wanting to win, and even though their talent gets them into trouble, it was still pretty cool, and I'm glad it didn't get them disqualified. Saving the bees is pretty important to Candice too, and she would be a great bee ambassador. Plus, winning helps Candice a lot more than it helps Flor, but I think things will work out for Flor. I know she had a lot going on, but the book ended on a hopeful note. I really felt like things were going to be just fine for everyone.
I also liked the facts about bees at the beginning of each chapter. That was a really cute tie-in, and it makes me want to learn more about bees. I wasn't paying enough attention to see if the facts actually tied into what happened in each chapter, but either way it was cool.
I did think helping out at her family's mattress store and her best friend going away to summer camp would be more of a thing than it really was. Maybe that's just me, thinking things mentioned in the summary are going to be more important than they really are. We do get a little bit of it, though we get bits and pieces of the family stuff throughout the book while the best friend stuff is pretty much towards the end of the book.
I also wanted a little more to the ending, and while things are pretty wrapped up, I still wanted to go a little past where the book actually ended. Still, it's a pretty good ending point, so I'm not going to complain too much about it. I think it's just wistful thinking on my part.
My Rating: 4 stars. I really liked Honeybees And Frenemies! It's a super cute middle grade and worth checking out.
April 10, 2019
Thank you to the author and @kidlitexchange for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
It’s the summer before eighth grade. It is the first summer Flor and her best friend, Brooke, will be allowed to go to the pool, the mall, the bookstore and even the amusement park by themselves. It’s supposed to be a perfect summer, but then suddenly Flor learns Brooke is off to band camp (where she’ll undoubtably make new friends) leaving Flor behind to work in her family’s mattress store. She knows it will be EXTREMELY boring and not to mention REALLY tense, because her mom and dad can’t stop fighting about money both at the store and at home. But then, amazingly her life is even worse; she learns she has to compete in the local Honey Festival, just because she was Queen Bee in third grade. And not only does she have to spend her summer preparing a talent for the pageant and doing ENDLESS hours of community service, but she has to do it with Candice, who is her sworn frenemie ever since Flor beat her out in that long ago Honey Pageant.
This is a great book that will really appeal to middle grade readers. They’ll identify with so many of Flor’s struggles; her relationship with her frenemie, missing her best friend, her fears about her parents’ arguments and her changing relationship with her older sister, Fran. Tweens will find comfort that they are not alone, when they read about the almost overnight change in Flor’s relationship with Fran when Fran started high school. They’ll feel hope when they read about the moments when Fran is there for Flor and they’re still loving sisters. They’ll feel encouragement that maybe they can work out their differences with a frenemie when they read about Flor and her frenemie’s cooperative work to win the pageant, and the forgiveness and understanding they found along the way. Finally, they’ll feel hope that even if their parents struggle to get along, they both love their kids and want what’s best for them.
This book is a good choice for both elementary and middle school libraries. It will released 6.4.19.
It’s the summer before eighth grade. It is the first summer Flor and her best friend, Brooke, will be allowed to go to the pool, the mall, the bookstore and even the amusement park by themselves. It’s supposed to be a perfect summer, but then suddenly Flor learns Brooke is off to band camp (where she’ll undoubtably make new friends) leaving Flor behind to work in her family’s mattress store. She knows it will be EXTREMELY boring and not to mention REALLY tense, because her mom and dad can’t stop fighting about money both at the store and at home. But then, amazingly her life is even worse; she learns she has to compete in the local Honey Festival, just because she was Queen Bee in third grade. And not only does she have to spend her summer preparing a talent for the pageant and doing ENDLESS hours of community service, but she has to do it with Candice, who is her sworn frenemie ever since Flor beat her out in that long ago Honey Pageant.
This is a great book that will really appeal to middle grade readers. They’ll identify with so many of Flor’s struggles; her relationship with her frenemie, missing her best friend, her fears about her parents’ arguments and her changing relationship with her older sister, Fran. Tweens will find comfort that they are not alone, when they read about the almost overnight change in Flor’s relationship with Fran when Fran started high school. They’ll feel hope when they read about the moments when Fran is there for Flor and they’re still loving sisters. They’ll feel encouragement that maybe they can work out their differences with a frenemie when they read about Flor and her frenemie’s cooperative work to win the pageant, and the forgiveness and understanding they found along the way. Finally, they’ll feel hope that even if their parents struggle to get along, they both love their kids and want what’s best for them.
This book is a good choice for both elementary and middle school libraries. It will released 6.4.19.
June 27, 2019
Although at times I felt that this book didn't quite deliver on all the plot points it brought up, I still found it to be a sweet story, full of important lessons for adolescents.
"Honeybees and Frenemies" tries to perhaps fit too many plot points into one novel. Too many issues are brought up, such as prejudice, minority issues, homelessness/poverty, environmentalism, illness, moving, friendship problems, parental fighting, businesses that fail, economies... etc. I think it was just a little ambitious to bring up so many things, since most of them weren't really resolved. I totally get that real life is like that. Not everything has a tidy ending. But in this case, it sort of felt like there were too many promises undelivered. Too many moments brought up that were just left out there with nothing really to tie it all in at the end.
Despite some issues with an inconsistent plot, I loved so much about this book. I loved that certain issues were touched upon (even if I wish fewer had been focused on), such as feeling out of place as somebody of mixed heritage. Flor's story was mercifully not too stressful, because nobody was super-unkind, but the issues were at least touched upon enough for it to become a talking point for young children. I also wish the environmental aspects of the plot had been expanded more, because it was really interesting and I think that in and of itself could have driven a lot of the plot.
Overall, I found this book to be really cute, really fun, and although a little hectic, worth reading.
"Honeybees and Frenemies" tries to perhaps fit too many plot points into one novel. Too many issues are brought up, such as prejudice, minority issues, homelessness/poverty, environmentalism, illness, moving, friendship problems, parental fighting, businesses that fail, economies... etc. I think it was just a little ambitious to bring up so many things, since most of them weren't really resolved. I totally get that real life is like that. Not everything has a tidy ending. But in this case, it sort of felt like there were too many promises undelivered. Too many moments brought up that were just left out there with nothing really to tie it all in at the end.
Despite some issues with an inconsistent plot, I loved so much about this book. I loved that certain issues were touched upon (even if I wish fewer had been focused on), such as feeling out of place as somebody of mixed heritage. Flor's story was mercifully not too stressful, because nobody was super-unkind, but the issues were at least touched upon enough for it to become a talking point for young children. I also wish the environmental aspects of the plot had been expanded more, because it was really interesting and I think that in and of itself could have driven a lot of the plot.
Overall, I found this book to be really cute, really fun, and although a little hectic, worth reading.
February 18, 2020
**I received Honeybees and Frenemies through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review**
I received 'Honeybees and Frenemies' a few months ago, and I'm excited to finally have the chance to talk about this book! It covers the tale of two middle school girls, Flor and Candace, learning to work together after their friendship falls apart years earlier. Along with navigating the shaky ground of 'fair-weather' friendships, Flor is also enduring the fear of relocating due to a breakdown of family communication. These issues can be very stressful for any young person to handle, especially during summer vacation, when stress should be at an extreme low. I loved the constant 'back and forth' between Flor and Candace, how a foolish comment or action can change the landscape of a bond.
'Honeybees and Frenemies' also carries plenty of knowledge about bees and their vital role in keeping agriculture thriving. There are many fun facts pertaining to bees throughout the book, and also learning about the fragile state of bee colonies in the present day. Flor and Candace encounters someone who shares extensive knowledge about bee handling, and this creates a possible gateway in Flor's quest in finding a solution to her troubles.
Children will enjoy 'Honeybees and Frenemies', as it speaks about the strength of teamwork and friendship!
Cathleen (WovenFromWords)
http://wovenfromwords.com
Review posted on Feb. 17
https://wovenfromwords.com/2020/02/18...
I received 'Honeybees and Frenemies' a few months ago, and I'm excited to finally have the chance to talk about this book! It covers the tale of two middle school girls, Flor and Candace, learning to work together after their friendship falls apart years earlier. Along with navigating the shaky ground of 'fair-weather' friendships, Flor is also enduring the fear of relocating due to a breakdown of family communication. These issues can be very stressful for any young person to handle, especially during summer vacation, when stress should be at an extreme low. I loved the constant 'back and forth' between Flor and Candace, how a foolish comment or action can change the landscape of a bond.
'Honeybees and Frenemies' also carries plenty of knowledge about bees and their vital role in keeping agriculture thriving. There are many fun facts pertaining to bees throughout the book, and also learning about the fragile state of bee colonies in the present day. Flor and Candace encounters someone who shares extensive knowledge about bee handling, and this creates a possible gateway in Flor's quest in finding a solution to her troubles.
Children will enjoy 'Honeybees and Frenemies', as it speaks about the strength of teamwork and friendship!
Cathleen (WovenFromWords)
http://wovenfromwords.com
Review posted on Feb. 17
https://wovenfromwords.com/2020/02/18...
May 25, 2019
Disclaimer: I received an eARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Before eighth grade begins, Flor plans for a summer with her best friend. However, her best friend Brooke suddenly tells Flor that she is going off to a band camp for the summer. Suddenly, Flor is facing a summer without her best friend.
To make matters worse, the town is having a special 50th anniversary of the Little Miss Honeybee pageant. All the past winners from the past 10 years are required to participate in a new special pageant. While Flor did win Little Miss Honeybee when she was 8, it brought about an unintended consequence: racism from a former best friend Candice. Because of these bad memories, Flor wants to decline her invite until she finds out that the invite would then go to Candice.
But she speaks up too late, and now not only is her best friend gone for the summer, she’s now forced to spend a lot of time working with Candice, her former best friend and now enemy.
Now, on top of all that, her parents’ store is having financial trouble, and suddenly, winning the pageant seems like the best way to try to save her parents’ store.
Honeybees and Frenemies is a solid middle grade novel with a look at friendships, family, and complicated former friendships. A quick delightful read.
Before eighth grade begins, Flor plans for a summer with her best friend. However, her best friend Brooke suddenly tells Flor that she is going off to a band camp for the summer. Suddenly, Flor is facing a summer without her best friend.
To make matters worse, the town is having a special 50th anniversary of the Little Miss Honeybee pageant. All the past winners from the past 10 years are required to participate in a new special pageant. While Flor did win Little Miss Honeybee when she was 8, it brought about an unintended consequence: racism from a former best friend Candice. Because of these bad memories, Flor wants to decline her invite until she finds out that the invite would then go to Candice.
But she speaks up too late, and now not only is her best friend gone for the summer, she’s now forced to spend a lot of time working with Candice, her former best friend and now enemy.
Now, on top of all that, her parents’ store is having financial trouble, and suddenly, winning the pageant seems like the best way to try to save her parents’ store.
Honeybees and Frenemies is a solid middle grade novel with a look at friendships, family, and complicated former friendships. A quick delightful read.
September 2, 2021
⏱ Sixty second, no spoiler summary
Confession: I picked up this book because of the cute cover, and I’m glad I did. Endearing middle grade book about friendship. Flor was a honey pageant winner when she was in third grade, narrowly beating out her then friend, Candice. This year is the 50th year for the pageant and they’re having all prior winners compete. Flor and Candice end up having to compete together which is tough, since they’re no longer friends. They work together to come up with a talent that is sure to help them win, or so Flor hopes, since her family could use the money to keep their shop open.
👍🏻Turn Ons
I loved Flor. I could relate to her and her relationship with her friends. I love that she crocheted and then ended up out of her comfort zone. And I love that it mentioned King’s Island because I’ve been there before 😊
👎🏻 Turn Offs
The ending was fast. I wish we had some more to the story.
👵🏻 Safe to talk about with Grandma?
Yes! There is no bad language, no violence, no gore. This is a cute story and perfect for those middle grades.
⭐Rating ⭐
Title & Author: Honeybees and Frenemies by Kristi Wiengte
Format: Hardback
Read: 8/18/21-8/31/21
Rating: Four stars
Confession: I picked up this book because of the cute cover, and I’m glad I did. Endearing middle grade book about friendship. Flor was a honey pageant winner when she was in third grade, narrowly beating out her then friend, Candice. This year is the 50th year for the pageant and they’re having all prior winners compete. Flor and Candice end up having to compete together which is tough, since they’re no longer friends. They work together to come up with a talent that is sure to help them win, or so Flor hopes, since her family could use the money to keep their shop open.
👍🏻Turn Ons
I loved Flor. I could relate to her and her relationship with her friends. I love that she crocheted and then ended up out of her comfort zone. And I love that it mentioned King’s Island because I’ve been there before 😊
👎🏻 Turn Offs
The ending was fast. I wish we had some more to the story.
👵🏻 Safe to talk about with Grandma?
Yes! There is no bad language, no violence, no gore. This is a cute story and perfect for those middle grades.
⭐Rating ⭐
Title & Author: Honeybees and Frenemies by Kristi Wiengte
Format: Hardback
Read: 8/18/21-8/31/21
Rating: Four stars
September 12, 2019
@kidlitexchange #partner “Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the
review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.”
Honeybees and Frenemies by Kristi Wientge is a feel good easy read with a significant message if you take the time to reflect on it. Wientge cleverly tells a story of small town living, friendship, and family struggles that most middle grade students can identify with. Flor and Candace have to renew their friendship while servicing their community all under the guise of promoting the honey festival and competing in the pageant. But they’ve been ex-friends since Flor won the honey pageant in third grade and Candace was the runner-up. But this time, Flor has more to prove - mostly that she isn’t afraid of Candace AND that she can win!!
A very realistic community-building story that shows the beauty of living in a small town, establishing relationships in unsuspecting ways through volunteerism, and paying attention to the environment with bees taking center stage! Lovely yarn!
review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.”
Honeybees and Frenemies by Kristi Wientge is a feel good easy read with a significant message if you take the time to reflect on it. Wientge cleverly tells a story of small town living, friendship, and family struggles that most middle grade students can identify with. Flor and Candace have to renew their friendship while servicing their community all under the guise of promoting the honey festival and competing in the pageant. But they’ve been ex-friends since Flor won the honey pageant in third grade and Candace was the runner-up. But this time, Flor has more to prove - mostly that she isn’t afraid of Candace AND that she can win!!
A very realistic community-building story that shows the beauty of living in a small town, establishing relationships in unsuspecting ways through volunteerism, and paying attention to the environment with bees taking center stage! Lovely yarn!
September 18, 2019
This is a very typical "realistic fiction" story of a type I've read many times. Flor(and Flor is short for Florence, she is not Latina, but she is half Indian) is bummed because her best friend is going away for the summer, her father's mattress store is failing, her mom is looking for a job in New Jersey (and as a native NYer, that would depress me too), and things are tense between her parents anyway. And then she is roped into participating in a special 50th anniversary celebration of the town's honey festival. In 3rd grade she beat out her (now)former friend Candace as "Little Miss Honeybee." Guess whom she ends up having to enter that year's contest with? Guess what happens.
The one thing that makes this different from any other similar novel is the honeybees, who feature prominently in the plot, and there's lot of good info about honeybees. The writing is fine, the characters are believable, there's just nothing that is the equivalent of banging on a beehive with a stick to make all the bees rush out excitedly. Nice, average book.
The one thing that makes this different from any other similar novel is the honeybees, who feature prominently in the plot, and there's lot of good info about honeybees. The writing is fine, the characters are believable, there's just nothing that is the equivalent of banging on a beehive with a stick to make all the bees rush out excitedly. Nice, average book.
May 31, 2019
When you agree to be part of a "beauty" or "talent" contest, you never know what you're in for. That's what happens to Flor and Candice, former Honeybee Queen and Attendant respectively, when they were in third grade. Flor and Candice are going into eighth grade and it's the fiftieth anniversary of the award and these former BFF's must work together on their "talent." At the same time, they are helping out local honey bee owner Mr. Henry. Oh, you can guess where this story goes.
It's full of ups, downs, and a little tension as the girls learn all about bees, each other, and about things in life you cannot control.
I won't spoil the ending, I'll just say it was a fun contest for all!
Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
It's full of ups, downs, and a little tension as the girls learn all about bees, each other, and about things in life you cannot control.
I won't spoil the ending, I'll just say it was a fun contest for all!
Thanks to the BookLoft of German Village (Columbus, OH) http://www.bookloft.com for an ARC to read and review.
June 3, 2019
Honeybees and Frenemies is chock full of authentic middle-grade voice and emotion. As your awesome summer is about to start, what could be worse than finding out that your best friend will be heading to her dream band camp rather than hanging out with you? To add insult to injury, the pageant that ruined Flor's life 3 years ago is celebrating its 50th anniversary with an all-star reunion--winners from the past 10 years competing for the crown. Flor's looking for her way out but not finding it.
Could anything possibly make this summer any worse? Unfortunately, Flor's about to find out that the answer is yes.
Middle-school summers come with growing freedom but also bigger problems. With fully 3-dimensional characters, heartbreak and lessons learned, Kristi Wientge helps 4th-6th-grade girls feel understood as they navigate their summers. A perfect vacation read!
Highly recommended!
At TheWingedPen.com we have dozens of reviews of middle-grade, young-adult and #ownvoice books. Check out our reviews at:
thewingedpen.com/category/books/
or just click on Book Recommendations on our home page where you can search by category!
Could anything possibly make this summer any worse? Unfortunately, Flor's about to find out that the answer is yes.
Middle-school summers come with growing freedom but also bigger problems. With fully 3-dimensional characters, heartbreak and lessons learned, Kristi Wientge helps 4th-6th-grade girls feel understood as they navigate their summers. A perfect vacation read!
Highly recommended!
At TheWingedPen.com we have dozens of reviews of middle-grade, young-adult and #ownvoice books. Check out our reviews at:
thewingedpen.com/category/books/
or just click on Book Recommendations on our home page where you can search by category!
December 6, 2019
I unabashedly picked this book up because of the pretty cover, but it turned out to be a pretty good read inside as well. It took me a little while to get into, but it was a nice story about former friends trying to get to know each other under new terms and life not going as we planned.
The main character, Flor, is unhappy because her best friend, Brooke, is away for the summer, and she has to work with a former best friend, Candice, for their town's annual Honey Festival. Even worse, her dad's store isn't doing well, her parents are always fighting, and her mom is interested in a job in New Jersey (they live in Ohio).
I particularly enjoyed the bee facts sprinkled through (and our ecology club students might also like this), and the fact that Flor likes to crochet.
The main character, Flor, is unhappy because her best friend, Brooke, is away for the summer, and she has to work with a former best friend, Candice, for their town's annual Honey Festival. Even worse, her dad's store isn't doing well, her parents are always fighting, and her mom is interested in a job in New Jersey (they live in Ohio).
I particularly enjoyed the bee facts sprinkled through (and our ecology club students might also like this), and the fact that Flor likes to crochet.
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