A review by mat_tobin
The Bee-Man of Orn by Frank R. Stockton

5.0

Written at the turn of the 20th century, The Bee-Man of Orn shurgs off the didactic noose which threatened a lot of children's literature at the time and, instead, seems to honour the themes and ideas prevalent in the earlier traditional tales in which it feels like it has been based. Here we encounter greed and arrogance that comes with wealth as well as the wonderful Bee-Man himself who comes across as simple, yet happy with his lot. This is a story with a wonderful moral and very easy to read. The language is rich and although it may be a product of its time, linguistically, it is nevertheless a creative and well-crafted story. Children, I suppose, would especially like the Bee-Man's journey into the caves of evil goblins and monsters as he goes on his quest to find out who he truly is.
All this aside, it is Sendak's beautiful illustrations which help take this book to a level of deep joy and a sense of time and place. From his characters to his landscape, every page was an absolute pleasure to turn and explore.