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by Kathe Koja
About to graduate from high school, quivering on the edge of adulthood, Dana, Avra, and Emil are locked in an intricate dance of commitment, desire, and promises. Dana, investigating the enigmatic world of bees, is ready to pursue her education as a science writer. Avra is longing to bolt for freedom. And Emil… well, Emil is keeping his own counsel.
No one doubts that Avra is the queen of this tiny hive. But queens can be demanding, and when royalty oversteps its bounds, a revolution may occur. For when the lines of love and loyalty cross, they make a point as sharp as a sting.
Praised by Publisher’s Weekly for its “spare and haunting” prose (starred review) and lauded by Booklist for capturing “first love’s exquisite, earth-shattering joy” (starred review) Kissing the Bee mixes honey with venom in this grippingly romantic recording.
| Author | Kathe Koja |
| Narrator | Chelsea Mixon |
| Length | 3 hrs and 26 mins |
| © Copyright | 2007 Kathe Koja |
| ℗ Audio Copyright | 2008 Full Cast Audio |
Reviews:
“Kathe Koja’s young adult novels are masterpieces of subtlety, understatement, and the sneaky, skillful use of everyday situations to illustrate large, difficult emotional truths about growing up. Full Cast Audio — you may know them from their great adaptation of Heinlein’s Have Space Suit, Will Travel — have brought in as talented a team of voice actors as I’ve heard, and their narration does great things for an already strong narrative.” — BoingBoing – Cory Doctorow July 16, 2009
“The excellent full-cast narration is perfectly paced. Sarah Gorman as Dana, especially, is able to convey wonder, the delicacy of first love, passion, hesitancy, anger, and alienation. There is elegantly haunting music that plays between chapters which enhances the mood of the whole experience.” — School Library Journal April, 2009
“A supershort, full-cast recording to hook both reluctant and eager listeners. The story is a realistic, intelligent take on a teen-angst love triangle. . . . Narrators Sarah Gorman (Dana), Adam George (Emil), and Kathleen Wrinn (Avra) provide authentic teen voices that reflect the pain and passion of life in the high-school hive. The actors portraying more minor characters reflect an accurate mix of age and gender, allowing the elegant language to shine through. . . . Give this to listeners seeking a ‘good romance.'” — Booklist March 15, 2009
“The bee theme and research are a metaphorical backdrop to the simmering romance and dissolving friendship between queen bee Avra, her boyfriend, Emil, and her best friend, Dana. Kathleen Wrinn does the bossy, petulant Avra annoyingly well. Sarah Gorman’s more easygoing Dana is a pleasure to follow even as she copes with the fallout from her realization that romance trumps friendship.” — Audiofile 2009
Listen to samples from this audiobook:
- Dana's mother asks her about Avra and Emil. (1:52) Kathe Koja 1:52
- Dana turns in her project late. (2:21) Kathe Koja 2:21
Meet the Cast: |
|
| Daniel Bostick | Avra’s Dad |
| Leonard Fonte | Mr. Davis |
| Adam George | Emil |
| Sarah Gorman | Dana |
| Laura Gualtieri | Young Dana |
| Moe Harrington | Avra’s Mom |
| Andrea Leonard | Emil’s Mom |
| Bianca Lupi | Dorie Huber |
| Chelsea Mixon | Kyra Worth |
| Tamora Pierce | Dana’s Grandmother |
| Brian Pringle | Mitch |
| Alaina Sawyer | Kellie Ballister |
| Carmen Viviano-Crafts | Shira |
| Karis Wiggins | Dana’s Mom |
| Kathleen Wrinn | Avra |
| Directed by: | Daniel Bostick |