The Bees
Bee-trix Bee is Bee-utful
The first in the Bee series and my first ever children's book, Bee-trix Bee is Bee-utiful is my attempt, as an Autistic person, to make a difference in my community. The word "Autism" is never mentioned because this book is not about labeling children. When Bee-trix finally meets a bee who is "like her," they are still very different. I hope that this book can help kids, regardless of ability and disability, see that they are never alone. There is always someone out there who will see what makes you amazing.
Bee-trix and Beethoven Make A New Friend
When I wrote the first book in this series, I wasn't planning on writing a series at all, but then I realized that I had so much more to say. Autism cannot be described in two characters so I added a third. In reality, I could write a whole hive of characters and not truly encompass the variety in the Autistic community. My main goal in writing this book was to show children that there are always new adventures out there and, when you take them on with your friends, you will have an amazing time. As soon as I finished this book, I wanted to write another.
Bee-trix and Bee-verly Are Two Different Bees
I must admit, this book in the Bee series is my favorite because Bee-verly is the bee that I based most closely on myself and my own experience with Autism. I wasn't diagnosed until my senior year of high school. As a hyper-verbal, hyper-social Autistic girl, people often have a hard time seeing how much I struggle, but my sensory sensitivities, including my severe sound sensitivity, and social difficulties make things difficult sometimes. In this book, Bee-trix's confusion over Bee-verly's diagnosis is very close to what I have experienced both within the Autistic community and in the world in general.
The Bee-st Sister
I will never know what it's like to be the neurotypical sibling of an Autistic child, but I know it can't be easy. Some of the most patient, considerate people I've ever met (including my own brother) have been the siblings of individuals with disabilities. This book is for those siblings. It can be hard to have a sibling who will always need more care than you do. Even though parents may seem more involved in the disabled sibling's life, they love both equally. Having written three books focused on Autistic bees, this book is for the siblings who may sometimes feel forgotten.
The Bee Picnic
Along with Autism often comes some unusual eating habits. I know from personal experience that this can lead to some odd looks in the lunch room. In this book, each bee has slightly different eating habits and dietary restrictions. Although they may never eat each other's lunches, they can treat each other with kindness and understanding, just like we all hope people will treat us. I hope people reading this book will see that eating goes beyond the plate. Like every book in the bee series, this one does not deal in labels and jargon.
Don't Call Me Flappy!
This book highlights something everyone in the Autism community is familiar with: stimming. While stimming is different for everyone, Bee-trix stims by flapping her wings as hard as she can. When the other bees in her class notice, they don't know if they should be concerned. When we don't know what's going on, sometimes we don't react kindly. Bee-trix and her friends must teach their classmates about stimming and why it is important to let everyone be themselves, no matter what that looks like.
