How to Bee is a wonderfully gripping narrative set in a dystopian future where there are no bees and children work on farms to pollinate fruit trees by hand. Fruit has become a luxury afforded only by the rich people living in big houses in the city. Out on a rural farm, nine-year-old Peony lives in poverty but is incredibly well loved by her sister and grandfather. Peony dreams of becoming one of the farm’s best ‘bees’ and tries to prove herself to the Foreman by showing him just how quickly she can run and climb, pollinating the trees by hand with her feather wand. One day Peony’s world is turned upside down when her Ma turns up at the farm and demands that Peony come to the city to work with her. It soon becomes clear that living in a wealthy house in the city is not as idyllic as some people might think. Peony is a steely and determined protagonist and she sets about on a mission to return home to her family as soon as possible. Along the way, Peony encounters some disturbing mental and physical difficulties faced by different characters and she demonstrates heartfelt compassion and courage in trying to help other people despite her determination to escape the city as soon as possible. This is a beautiful book that is intelligently written and incredibly moving. We highly recommend this story about family bonds, the power of hope and the importance of not losing sight of things that matter and it would make an excellent class novel for Year 5 or 6.