"The Flight of the Bumblebee: An Inspirational Tale of Hope and Repair", by Catherine Neish

​   This novella, “The Flight of the Bumblebee”, by Catherine Neish is a narrative story based on the author’s lived experience with a severe mental illness, Bipolar Disorder.

   What makes this story unique, from many of the others that I have read, is the imagery.  The setting of this story takes place in a bees’ nest.  The main character, Liluya, a bee, lives in this nest with her friends and co-workers.  This bee represents Catherine Neish.

   From beginning to end we journey with Liluya from when she was a buoyant, cheerful little worker bee and then how after she hit “the wall” how her life suddenly changes with the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder.

   In my opinion, I believe this novella could have used one more chapter at the end with the final conversations with her friends as she returns to the nest.

   What I did like was that the author has posed thought provoking questions at the end of the chapters.

   I found “The Flight of the Bumblebee” to bee an easy read and believe it will make for an early introduction of mental illness for older children and adults with cognitive impairments, as there isn’t any confusing medical terminology.