Queen Bee (graphic novel)
Encyclopedia
Queen Bee is a graphic novel
aimed at middle-schoolers about cliques and popularity, written by Chynna Clugston
, an American graphic artist, who has written several other comics for an older age group.
powers which tend to manifest themselves whenever she becomes excited or angry. When her foster mother decides for them to move to a new home so that she can take a job for a teen magazine, Haley is thrilled and quickly plans on how to become cool in her new middle school.
On her first day there, she is shown around by Trini Turner. Haley, however, is far more interested in gaining the attention of the "Hive", a group of ultra-popular, but very nasty girls. After she uses her powers to teach a bully a lesson, and help a girl regain her shoe, the Hive decides to include Haley with them. She is thrilled and soon becomes the leader of the group, since she is able to beat the former leader, Angelica, at everything. She also breaks off her friendship with Trini after a Hive member says that Trini and Angelica were friends when they were younger, but Trini was possessive and jealous of Angelica's new friends and wanted Angelica all for herself.
Haley's popular status, however, is seriously threatened when Alexa Harmon comes to the school. Seemingly cute, sweet, and lovable, Alexa is actually very competitive and mean. She also has psychokinetic powers and recognizes that Haley has them as well. Soon, Alexa joins the Hive and begins to dethrone Haley. One day, during a test, Haley notices that Alexa is cheating by looking at answers on a small piece of paper. She uses her powers to make the paper fly into the thrash can by teacher's desk. Alexa retaliates by accusing Haley for cheating during their next test (she uses her powers to move a piece of paper out of Haley's bag, making it look like Haley was using it for answers). Haley then sends Alexa a text message about their other teacher. Later everyone finds out it was her because she's the only one who could really be threatened by Alexa.
Meanwhile Haley receives a failing grade on the test she was accused of cheating on and is told that her only option to save her grade is to ace an upcoming project. She is partnered with Jasper Reines, the quietest boy in the class. Although he is rude to Haley at first, he apologizes and they become friends. They go to work on a project together and while taking a break to see Jasper's music room, Haley's locket appears. Jasper sees it and says "Wow, where'd you get that? It looks old." Haley notices her locket is showing and replies, "Eh, it doesn't go with any of my clothes. I can't stand taking it off though... It's a family heirloom." Meanwhile, desperate to regain her popular status, Haley decides to enter a talent contest that Alexa is also entering. Unfortunately, Alexa spies on Haley and continues to copy her dance moves and songs, forcing Haley to constantly change her routine.
Jasper discovers that the girls have psychokinetic powers and how Alexa is abusing hers and decides to help Haley by playing live drums during her performance. He also provides her with an 80s song. During the contest, Alexa uses her powers to ruin other competition, despite Haley's attempts to stop it. Alexa wows the audience with her song and dance routine and then Haley and Jasper go onstage. They give an even better performance and manage to make it through to the end, even though Alexa tries to drop a ceiling light on Jasper's drum set. Haley wins by one point. She thanks Jasper and shows him her locket, which has a picture in it of her as an infant, along with another baby who Haley assumes is her sister (Haley was abandoned and never knew her real family).
The next day, Haley restarts her friendship with Trini (after finding out from Jasper that the story the Hive member told Haley was false. Angelica actually ditched Trini meanly because Trini wasn't cool enough) and they eat lunch together. Alexa comes to gloat, telling Haley that a talent scout chose her to be a make-up model for a company called Glo-Glo Gloss. She also flirts with Jasper. Haley retaliates by making Alexa slip and fall in a lot of food.
Later, in the sneak peek of the next book, the group goes to the mall and sees a poster of Alexa as the model. Jette notices Haley looks a little like Alexa. Paige agrees by saying, "Yeah, look! If you took away the red hair and freckles, they could be related! That's a drag." Haley pauses to graffiti the poster, but notices that Alexa seems to be wearing a locket similar to her own. It is likely that Alexa is the other baby from the locket pictures and that they are sisters.
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
aimed at middle-schoolers about cliques and popularity, written by Chynna Clugston
Chynna Clugston
Chynna Clugston is an American comic book creator known for her manga-influenced teen comedy series Blue Monday.-Early life:Clugston grew up in Fresno, California and attended the Roosevelt School of the Arts...
, an American graphic artist, who has written several other comics for an older age group.
Style
The style is much like that of a manga. Manga is a Japanese style of art, probably better known as "Japanese comic books" which is highly stylistic and allows for a wider range of expressions, while keeping up with a more realistic tone than most western cartoons aim for. The book's pictures are black and white, and follow the rhythm typical of movie scenes. When there is a new setting, it shows the outside of what the place looks like, so that readers will better understand the location and the fact that it's changed.Synopsis
Haley Madison is a quiet, unpopular girl at her middle school. Although she tries to join the in crowds, she finds this difficult when she learns that she has psychokineticPsychokinesis
The term psychokinesis , also referred to as telekinesis with respect to strictly describing movement of matter, sometimes abbreviated PK and TK respectively, is a term...
powers which tend to manifest themselves whenever she becomes excited or angry. When her foster mother decides for them to move to a new home so that she can take a job for a teen magazine, Haley is thrilled and quickly plans on how to become cool in her new middle school.
On her first day there, she is shown around by Trini Turner. Haley, however, is far more interested in gaining the attention of the "Hive", a group of ultra-popular, but very nasty girls. After she uses her powers to teach a bully a lesson, and help a girl regain her shoe, the Hive decides to include Haley with them. She is thrilled and soon becomes the leader of the group, since she is able to beat the former leader, Angelica, at everything. She also breaks off her friendship with Trini after a Hive member says that Trini and Angelica were friends when they were younger, but Trini was possessive and jealous of Angelica's new friends and wanted Angelica all for herself.
Haley's popular status, however, is seriously threatened when Alexa Harmon comes to the school. Seemingly cute, sweet, and lovable, Alexa is actually very competitive and mean. She also has psychokinetic powers and recognizes that Haley has them as well. Soon, Alexa joins the Hive and begins to dethrone Haley. One day, during a test, Haley notices that Alexa is cheating by looking at answers on a small piece of paper. She uses her powers to make the paper fly into the thrash can by teacher's desk. Alexa retaliates by accusing Haley for cheating during their next test (she uses her powers to move a piece of paper out of Haley's bag, making it look like Haley was using it for answers). Haley then sends Alexa a text message about their other teacher. Later everyone finds out it was her because she's the only one who could really be threatened by Alexa.
Meanwhile Haley receives a failing grade on the test she was accused of cheating on and is told that her only option to save her grade is to ace an upcoming project. She is partnered with Jasper Reines, the quietest boy in the class. Although he is rude to Haley at first, he apologizes and they become friends. They go to work on a project together and while taking a break to see Jasper's music room, Haley's locket appears. Jasper sees it and says "Wow, where'd you get that? It looks old." Haley notices her locket is showing and replies, "Eh, it doesn't go with any of my clothes. I can't stand taking it off though... It's a family heirloom." Meanwhile, desperate to regain her popular status, Haley decides to enter a talent contest that Alexa is also entering. Unfortunately, Alexa spies on Haley and continues to copy her dance moves and songs, forcing Haley to constantly change her routine.
Jasper discovers that the girls have psychokinetic powers and how Alexa is abusing hers and decides to help Haley by playing live drums during her performance. He also provides her with an 80s song. During the contest, Alexa uses her powers to ruin other competition, despite Haley's attempts to stop it. Alexa wows the audience with her song and dance routine and then Haley and Jasper go onstage. They give an even better performance and manage to make it through to the end, even though Alexa tries to drop a ceiling light on Jasper's drum set. Haley wins by one point. She thanks Jasper and shows him her locket, which has a picture in it of her as an infant, along with another baby who Haley assumes is her sister (Haley was abandoned and never knew her real family).
The next day, Haley restarts her friendship with Trini (after finding out from Jasper that the story the Hive member told Haley was false. Angelica actually ditched Trini meanly because Trini wasn't cool enough) and they eat lunch together. Alexa comes to gloat, telling Haley that a talent scout chose her to be a make-up model for a company called Glo-Glo Gloss. She also flirts with Jasper. Haley retaliates by making Alexa slip and fall in a lot of food.
Later, in the sneak peek of the next book, the group goes to the mall and sees a poster of Alexa as the model. Jette notices Haley looks a little like Alexa. Paige agrees by saying, "Yeah, look! If you took away the red hair and freckles, they could be related! That's a drag." Haley pauses to graffiti the poster, but notices that Alexa seems to be wearing a locket similar to her own. It is likely that Alexa is the other baby from the locket pictures and that they are sisters.
Main
- Haley Madison - main character. A former unpopular girl, Haley quickly becomes Queen Bee in her new school. She has psychokinetic powers that allow her to move things with her mind. She is quickly dethroned, however, by Alexa Harmon.
- Alexa Harmon - is the bad girl of the novel. She also has psychokinetic powers, but instead of using them for good, Alexa tends to use them to cheat or help herself in other malicious ways.
- Jasper Reines - is the only other person that knows about Alexa and Haley's powers. It is hinted that Haley and Jasper are interested in each other romantically.
- Trini Turner - is a kind girl not particularly interested in what other people think. She shows Haley around the school on Haley's first day, and tries to be her friend, but Haley ditches her after hearing a false rumor about her.
Minor
- Haley's Mom - She is not Haley's real mom but her foster mom. She got a job in the city as a writer for a fashion magazine which gave Haley a second chance to become popular.
- Becky - The popular girl at Haley's old school. Haley said she liked her dress and with her powers ended up getting food all over her.
- Paige - When Trini introduces Haley to all of her friends, she is the first person you meet. She loves music and listed how Haley and Alexa could be related.
- Rachel - She's very well educated. She is the class President and a natural-born leader. She is very political and hopes to be the first woman President or a lawyer.
- Jette- She's a sweet girl who is paranoid with germs. Trini says that she bathes in hand sanitizer. She's also very nervous about anything.
- Angelica - The former head of the Hive. She and Haley had competed for almost a week before Haley became the queen bee. She was the one to decide to kick Haley out of the Hive after Alexa ruined her life.
- Keiko - She was the girl who told Haley the rumor about Trini. She is very into fashion and believes "retired spice girl" is not this year trend.
Publication history
- Queen BeeQueen BeeA queen bee is an insect.Queen bee may also refer to:* Queen bee , an unmanned aircraft used in World War II* Queen Bee , the name of four different DC Comics supervillains* Queen Bee , a 1955 film starring Joan Crawford...
, a middle schoolMiddle schoolMiddle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
drama. graphix / Scholastic PressScholastic PressScholastic is a global book publishing company known for publishing educational materials for schools, teachers, and parents, and selling and distributing them by mail order and via book clubs and book fairs. It also has the exclusive United States' publishing rights to the Harry Potter book...
(2005), ISBN 0-439-70987-3.