Ever daydream? You know, like that ultimate fantasy where you run off to some magical foreign destination, a place filled with glamour and culture? Where you can leave your responsibilities behind for a while and just have fun? Yeah, me too.
We’re in good company – meet Queen Bee. She’s kind of bored with her every day routine, and dreams about Paris (where’s there’s dancing!). Her drone friends just keep, well, droning on, but Queen Bee knows she’s destined for greatness. So off she flies, taking the scenic route to get to the City of Lights.
Along the way she checks out the Alps, but it’s a little chilly there for her. The Cote d’Azur is sunny and a bit warmer, but it still doesn’t feel right. Through movie theaters, vineyards, lily ponds, and caves, Queen Bee explores France, learning about the history but always with Paris in mind.
Just when Queen Bee loses hope, she arrives in Paris to find that stripes are en vogue and the croissants are heavenly. Eventually she follows the music to Moulin Rouge, and I don’t want to give any spoilers away but there MAY be dancing involved.
Queen Bee in Paris is such an artful way to introduce a new culture to young learners. The app chock-full of French historical facts present in ways that are engaging and fun for kiddos, and the visual elements are stunning. Other features include a French- or English-narrated version of the story, as well as maps and historical timelines.
This is the second in a travel series of kids’ travel guide apps from the Kirkus Award-winning husband-wife team Donna and Josh Wilson at The Happy Dandelion (check out Little Lamb in Amsterdam). Inspired by an actual Wilson family vacation, Queen Bee encourages multi-cultural learning and reminds us all that dancing in Paris is the ultimate dream.
