Super Sweet! (Kenneth & Queenie #1) (Raymond McGrath, Affirm)

The first book in Raymond McGrath’s whimsical new junior graphic novel series, Kenneth & Queenie: Super Sweet! lives up to its name and includes three stories in one volume. Kenneth, a bumblebee lumbering about with his satchel collecting pollen, contrasts delightfully with Queenie, an ‘almost-a-queen’ bee who gracefully dances through honey-making while asking plenty of questions. Together, Kenneth and Queenie navigate the art of compromise, fairness and friendship, as they work through small but pertinent issues, such as name-calling, cooperation and achieving goals. Laughs begin on the first page with a shocked flower’s perspective of a bee’s bottom, setting the humorous tone for the book. McGrath’s artwork delights, with yellows and blues dominating, complemented by pastel blushes in the foreground flowers, while the insects brim with personality and charm, brought to life by a modern and appealing drawing style. Some minor drawbacks include the subplot of the male insects competing in a macho fashion, which I found to be a questionable stereotype; and the too-subtle reference to the importance of insects in maintaining our food chain lacked impact. However, the book offers more hits than misses, and hopefully, future books in the series will expand on the environmental theme. Kenneth & Queenie: Super Sweet! is for readers aged 4–8, especially those learning to read independently or who enjoy Remy Lai’s entertaining Surviving the Wild series.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Marissa Kyriakopoulos lives in Naarm and is a bookseller and reviewer. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews