Description

A flying boy and seven bees are chased by fleas, but an unexpected friendship forms.

Bryce McFee is an ordinary boy bored with washing the flea-ridden family dog. So, he escapes to his imagination and flies across the backyard with a dandelion and seven bees. Trouble strikes when a swarm of pesky fleas gives chase, threatening to ruin his adventure. Ultimately, an unlikely friendship is formed between the flying boy and the fleas. A fun rhyming story that exercises the imagination.

• A boy who needs to give his dog a bath will do anything to get out of the chore in this picture book – including teaming up with fleas for his escape.
• Short but effective sentences and monorhyme make for a punchy and engaging read.
• Shows readers how to use their imaginations to ‘escape’ when boredom strikes, though the job is finished in the end, too.
• Colourful illustrations with stylish hand lettering, and an imaginative backyard tale.

About the Author-illustrator

Australian children’s book author and illustrator Dave Petzold is interested in the little things that go unnoticed, the things we take for granted. “My stories are born out of a love of nature, adventure, and a desire to show that, if you look a little closer, there is more to life than what you see on the surface,” he says. His writing invites the reader on a journey of discovery in the hope they will discover something about themselves, too. Graphite pencil, screen-printing techniques, and digital collage are used in creating his illustrations.

Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Levels

Guided Reading Level: L

Grade Level Equivalent: 2

Educational Description

Picture book, Story elements: setting; yard, plot and character development, main character, Bryce McFee, first person point of view, rhythm and rhyme, poetry, Illustrations enhance meaning and tone, Comprehension strategies: identify cause and effect relationships and changes from beginning to end of the story. Themes: creative imagination, dogs, fleas.

Shortlisted, The CBCA Award for New Illustrator 2021