Bumblebuzz, Rosalie K. Fry’s first in a long illustrious line of children's titles, is a 20-page picture book about an anthropomorphic bumble bee
who meets some new friends and gains a roommate. Simple enough, but as a Fry
fan, I was fascinated to see in this little book a few seeds of Fry’s
future work, especially her crème de la crème, The Secret
of Ron Mor Skerry, published in 1957, nineteen years after Bumblebuzz.
Bumblebuzz lives in the roots of a tree and is befriended by
two beetles, a snail, and a ladybird. All of Fry's books prominently feature some aspect of nature (not surprising considering Fry's bucolic childhood) .
This is magically true in Ron Mor Skerry where the protagonist, Fiona, discovers
a selkie in her family tree and learns that nature has powerfully impacted her
immediate family as well.
Colorized Rosalie K. Fry Sketch. From The Secret of Ron Mor Skerry
After setting up the premise—Bumblebuzz is busy but lonely—Fry
introduces the other tiny creatures who knock on Bumblebuzz’s door and ask if they can
build a house on her field. When their new thatched roof house is demolished in
a rain storm, Bumblebuzz suggests they rehab a deserted house around
the corner from her, in the roots of the same tree. This activity winds up solving two problems: the homeless insects (and the crustacean) have a home and, as one of them moves in with Bumblebuzz, she is no longer lonely.
Most of Fry’s books feature children solving problems by joining forces in a very similar way. In Ron Mor Skerry. Fiona, the protagonist, and her cousin, Rory, take it upon themselves to restore their family's abandoned, decaying cottages on Ron Mor Skerry to their original coziness, a prerequisite action for the story’s magical denouement.
From The Secret of Ron Mor Skerry
Bumblebuzz is a charming look at the first attempt of a
beloved children’s author and a fascinating window into her future work.
