The Little Bee

My Little Animal Friend (Ollie) #7

by Nicola Killen

From beloved author-illustrator Nicola Killen comes a sweet-as-can-be story about discovering a secret garden full of bumbling new friends, tenderly told and illustrated in limited color.

When Ollie hears a loud Bzzzzzzzzz! outside the window, she follows a buzzing bee to a bustling, bug-filled secret garden. But the next morning when Ollie goes in search of the magical garden, it’s nowhere to be found. And Ollie misses her new insect friends. Can she find a way to create a secret garden of her own?

Genres: Picture Books

24 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable book about a girl who always wears a bee suit (even to bed) and who loves bees (and other insects). She discovers something magical and then tries to recreate it. It was super cute and I loved how much the girl loved these little critters. The art was very cute as well and I loved the shimmers/shiny bits!

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book!

Ollie loves bees and bugs! One day, a little bee takes Ollie on an adventure and teaches Ollie how to do amazing things in her own backyard AND to be a good steward to the earth and its inhabitants around her.

Filled with delightful illustrations and a simple but fun [and powerful] story, I really loved this one and will be giving it as gift in the future.

A perfect "quiet" book, your little ones will love this story and perhaps will be inspired themselves, just as Ollie was.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicola Killen, and Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Beach Lane Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kara Rutledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Bee by Nicola Killen is a children's picture book about a girl name Ollie who follows a bee to a magical, secret garden. But, the next day, the beautiful garden was gone, and the little girl misses her new friends. What will she do? This beautiful book has an expected publication date of May 5, 2026. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, and Beach Lane Books for approving my request for a digital Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of The Little Bee. I received a copy for free in exchange for my honest review.
Nicola Killen wrote such a beautifully worded story that I found myself immersed in the story, and I'm not even the target audience. It's a charming tale that should encourage children to explore nature and make them want to plant their own secret garden. Equally beautiful were the illustrations. I found myself taking the time to actually look a the pictures as I read.

It's a great story to read at bedtime with children between the ages of three and five, and the next day, a great activity to do with your child would be to create your own garden, even if it's just planting seeds in a few flower pots to put on a balcony or patio.

Five out of five stars is what I gave The Little Bee by Nicola Killen. I'll definitely be recommending it to friends and families with little ones.

[One Enchanted Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, whimsical book! I liked how the illustrations dragged your attention to specific areas by only having those specific items\ in color while everything else was in black and white.

Little Ollie follows a bee to a secret garden. After she could not find the garden the next day, she decided to create her own in her own yard. This is a great book to teach about bees, pollinators, environment and gardening to young children.

I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. Thank you to the Author and Publisher to review this book.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Little Bee" follows Ollie as she's led to a whimsical garden by a friendly, little bee. This was a sweet, heartfelt story that I would recommend for children approximately 3-5 years old. It's perfect for a child in your life who loves exploring the natural world such as investigating insects and their habitats. The illustrations were well done, and I enjoyed that they were black and white with only yellow being accentuated.
Thank you, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a tiny but persistent bee leads Ollie to a magically lush, beautiful secret garden, she can't wait to come back the next day. But when she tries, it's nowhere to be found. Where will all those bugs and bees go if the garden isn't there anymore? Luckily, she knows just what to do and sets out to make a magical garden of her own.

This is a sweet, magical story with adorable illustrations, perfect for capturing a child's imagination and teaching them about nature. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!

This read was so cute and wholesome! I loved the message about showing kindness towards insects and the girl going out of her way to create a beautiful environment for them right in her backyard. I could definitely see myself reading this to my son while we build a garden. I also really enjoyed the artwork, simple but cozy!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A super cute wonderfully illustrated picture book. It follows a child dressed like a bee as the bee plays outside and sees many fun and intriguing things. Many flowers with little bees and butterflies, the bee watering seedlings, playing at home and in the garden.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. I will be buying this book for my niece as soon as it comes out.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story, with gorgeous illustrations, and a great message. Grow your own garden, where everyone is welcome. Create from your imagination and let your mind wander. Welcome everyone, and be curious about your world.

4/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Nicola Killen, and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the ARC!

[Grandma Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ollie is a charming little girl who loves nature. She is led by a bee to a magical garden, but can’t ever find it again. So, she decides to make her own garden for the insects, etc. Heartwarming illustrations. Just joyful as was the story. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC. Thank you, NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased. Enjoy!

[A M “VegasBookDragon” Van Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shared this book with my first grade students and paired it with a bee song. They loved it! The elements of preservation and care within the story are important to our current ecological situation. Please read and share this book with others.

[Liz Benbow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful colors. Could have been even better by including information in the back about how to create your own simple flower garden (types of plants that attract pollinators, etc).

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Britney Ireland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC read of this children's book in return for my honest review.

I enjoyed #TheLittleBee story. It was hopeful and the illustration was super cute. I would recommend this book to parents for their kids.

[Élise Massé · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'adore cette collection ! Un bel album sur la cohabitation avec les insectes. 🥰

[Rita Piovan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Molto carino🐝💕

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about bees and secret gardens.