In a little meadow, where the sun shone all day, there lived a tiny bee named Beatrice.

:)

Beatrice spent most days buzzing around the meadow, making honey, and eating snacks.

call me Bea!

Beatrice had a big family. They all lived in a hive in the meadow. 

Beatrice's parents loved her very much. They showed her how to make honey and took care of her when she was sick. 

When Beatrice was a baby bee, her parents told her all about the hive. When Beatrice grew up, they said, she would join the hive and start making honey too!

Beatrice was so excited to start making honey with her friends and her family. She couldn't wait to grow up and get bigger!

i want to get big!

be patient, Bea!

When Beatrice's wings got big enough to fly up to the hive, she started making honey! Her whole hive taught her the ropes.

finally!!

Beatrice thought she would love making honey. It's what she had been looking forward to her whole life, after all!

hmm.. making honey is hard!

But Beatrice didn't love being in the hive as much as she thought she would. It was tiring, and her mind wandered all over the place as she worked.

zzz.....

Beatrice was worried. Why wasn't she happy?

She kept thinking about how she'd rather be doing something else. 

what's wrong with me?!

That day after hive time, she really thought about what she enjoyed doing. Before she was old enough for hive time, she did a lot of baking...

I do love baking!!! Hmm..

She always used the honey from her family's hive to make sweet treats, and give them out to her hive after they worked hard.

Here, have a honey cupcake! I made it myself!

thanks, Bea! yum!

Maybe she could be a baker instead of working in the hive all day! She decided to ask her parents what they thought.

I can make cupcakes all day!

Bea's parents were not happy.

"Bea, you have to work in the hive. That's what you were born to do," they told her.

bees are meant to be in a hive! 

not in a bakery! don't be silly!

Bea was nothing if not stubborn.

"I'll show them!" she thought. "I'll bake them the best treats in the world!"

I'll change their minds! I want to be a baker!

She put on her little bee-sized chef's hat and got to work.

First she had to get some honey from the hive to bake with. She enlisted her best friend Buzz's help; she promised him a honey croissant.

Buzz, I need your help!

what's in it for me?

Once Buzz knew Bea would bake him a honey croissant, he immediately got the honey for her.

"Here's your honey! I'll be waiting for my croissant!"

here's a honeycomb!

thanks, Buzz! You're the best!

Beatrice got to work! She had no time to waste! 

She got her trusty whisk and started baking.

Beatrice worked day and night. She had to bake enough treats for the whole entire hive!

She whisked, stirred, measured, and tasted.

While she was baking, she felt so happy. She knew she was at home in the kitchen, not in the hive.

I am so content!

When she was done, she had honey cookies, honey cupcakes, honey croissants, and even a tasty honey cake with honey frosting! She was proud of herself.

She decided to take her treats up to the hive and feed all her friends and family. She couldn't wait to see their faces when they tried her baking!

All of her bee friends scarfed down her treats.
"These are the best honey cookies in the world, Beatrice!" they all said.

yum!!

Then Beatrice saw her parents. They didn't look mad, just uncertain. 

"I want to bake, not be in the hive," Bea told them.

Bea, what are you doing?

"Everyone loves my treats! Baking is when I'm happiest," she explained. "Plus, I'm good at it! Try one of my honey cupcakes. You'll see."

They took a nibble apprehensively.

"WOW!" Bea's mom buzzed. "This is the best honey cupcake I've ever had!"

              . 

"We can see how hard you've worked. And how talented you are. We want you to be in the hive, but we understand you won't be happy there," she said.

I'm so glad you like them!