Secret Life of Bees

Kidd, S. M. (2001). The Secret Life of Bees. (Unabridged, 8 discs) HighBridge.

ISBN: 1565115392

Classification: audio book, fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Level: 11th-12th grade

Subjects: adult crossover, audiobook, coming of age, family, fiction, friends, identity, movie, prejudice

Reader's Annotation: Fourteen year old Lily Owens sets off on a search for information about her mother following the only clues she has to her past.

Summary: Lily Owens isn't sure exactly how her mother died, but she is fairly sure that she killed her. She remembers an argument and a gun going off, but the details are hazy. She was young when it happened. At 14 years old, she's more intrigued about the picture of the Black Madonna with the words "Tiburon, South Carolina" than ever. When her friend Rosaleen gets attacked after registering to vote, Lily decides they should head to Tiburon. The picture leads them to Black Madonna Honey in Tiburon, the home of May, June, and August Boatwright. The Boatwright sisters offer to take Lily and Rosaleen in, but it is the summer of 1964, so there is bound to be trouble for Lily, who is white, while living in a house with four black women.

Reviews / Awards:

Allreaders.com Review

Author Info:
Sue Monk Kidd's Website

Potential Hotspots:

violence, parental violence, racial tensions

Readalikes:

• To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  
• Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks
  

Why it belongs in a YA collection: This book has recently been made into a film with several actors teens may know well, such as Dakota Fanning and Jennifer Hudson. After seeing the film they may want to check out the book. Additionally, as the book is set in the 60's, it may be relevant to their studies.

Other:

The audiobook version of this story was quite enjoyable.

Evaluation:

4 stars