In Spite of Killer Bees

by Julie Johnston

I n Spite of Killer Bees is a novel about not giving in and not giving up. Aggie and her two sisters have had to move to the small village that had been their father’s childhood home. Their mother is long gone, and their father – who’d been in and out of prison – has died. Although the village holds little charm for the girls, they have hopes. It seems that their late grandfather has made them heiresses.

In the small, judgmental village, Aggie must fight to keep her diminishing family together. By refusing to abandon those she loves and comes to love, she risks more than her happiness.

Genres: Young Adult

264 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2001

About the author

Julie Johnston grew up in a small town in eastern Ontario, then went to the University of Toronto to study physio and occupational therapy. After university she and her husband, whom she met while in Toronto, worked for over a year at the Ontario Hospital School for physically and mentally handicapped children in Smith Falls, then travelled for four months in Europe, moved to Kingston, then Toronto and, finally, settled in Peterborough where she raised four daughters. Over the years, she published many short stories in several magazines, but not until an encouraging interview with a writer-in-residence at Trent University, did she begin work on a novel. Hero of Lesser Causes was completed (the first time) in 1986. After many re-writes and several publishing delays, it was published to great acclaim in 1992, winning the Governor General's Literary Award / Children's Literature (for English text) that year. Julie Johnston's second novel, Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me, was also honoured with the Governor General's Literary Award, making her the first author to win the award for both her first and second books.

Awards

1992 Governor General's Literary Award / Children's Literature (for best English text) for Hero of Lesser Causes.

1993 National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award for Hero of Lesser Causes.

1994 Governor General's Literary Award / Children's Literature (for best English text) for Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me.

1995 Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award (Young Adult/Middle Reader Category) for Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me.

1995 Young Adult Canadian Book Award (Canadian Library Association) for Adam and Eve and Pinch-Me.

Reviews

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three sisters, Helen (20), Jeannie(18), & Aggie(14) inherit their grandfathers home in a small Canadian town. They seem like outcasts & the town won't let them forget the sins of their father who died in Jail. Acceptance, forgiveness. Good

[Madi Badger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this book was on the boring side. I kept waiting for something to happen and I was left feeling like I was still waiting by the end of the book. I'm happy with how it ended, but everything up until that point was rather dull.

[CanadianReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written character-driven novel. I'm afraid not enough goes on to actually interest the target age group. However, I think many "grown-up" females would enjoy this book.