My kids really enjoyed this.

I had mixed feelings.

The characters are one dimensional - the villain literally has a twirly mustache and dopey sidekicks. The main character, Agnes, has been orphaned. Why is there such a strong trope that child characters can only do great things if their parents are dead? She could have easily pursued her SPEARS career in memory of a missing uncle rather than dead parents.

I didn't love the one dimensional characters but I loved the bee. He really stole the show.

I didn't like that Attie recruited Agnes to SPEARS by breaking into her bedroom and coercing her into going with him (by invoking the memory of her dead parents); I did like that Agnes at least asked questions of Attie rather than going off with him blindly.

I liked all the nature facts included in the story, like that you shouldn't feed ducks bread. I loathed the bit at the back trying to get kids to save the planet. Telling children to discuss deforestation with their friends and pester their parents to buy certified sustainable bananas and coffee is, at best, counter-productive. At worst, it is likely to distress and upset. They are children, who have exactly no power over mass forest clearing and illegal logging on another continent. Why are you telling them that there are terrible things in the world that they have no control over and can have no impact on? What *possible* good could you expect to result from that? It would have been infinitely better to say that part proceeds of the book are going to aid an appropriate charity, or that the book is printed with some kind of eco-friendly dyes, or tell the story of a real life rescue and suggest the kids draw a picture of the amazing rescue.

The illustrations are really lovely.

Spoiler

Though, the picture at the end when she was snuggling Attie was uncomfortably weird-- yes he's a shrew, but he's also anthropomorphised as an older English gentleman who says things like 'don't dwardle girl', not a pet.