REGARDING THE BEES

Showing no signs of fatigue, the Regarding series hums into its fifth episode amid the usual bustle of angst-ridden subplots, crossed purposes, shady goings-on and painless pedagogy. The busy seventh graders of Geyser Creek Middle School face two sticky challenges before first semester break: the statewide, Show-Me Spelling Bee and the Basic Education Evaluation test (BEE), failure in which entails demotion to fifth grade. Fortunately, their teacher is none other than queen bee Florence Waters. Unfortunately, she’s teaching in absentia, mailing in assignments, advice and the occasional buzzing box as she flits around the world. This premise suits the epistolary format (supplemented by pen-and-ink vignettes, a sign-language alphabet and teacher’s desk tableaus) bee-utifully, while making for plenty of misunderstandings and comical complications. Meanwhile, waxy buildup has come between substitute Principal Sam N. and his expecting wife Goldie Fish-N., the traditional seventh-grade New Year’s Eve Dance may be cancelled and is there some c-h-e-a-t-i-n-g going on with the reigning spelling champs of rival teacher Polly Nader? Yes, as it turns out, but the Klises ultimately dish out just deserts all round, along with sweet dollops of bee lore and life coaching. (Fiction. 8-10)