As a parent, stumbling upon a children's book that not only entertains but also imparts valuable lessons is like finding a hidden treasure. "Rufus & Bea" by Lisa Tucker Cummins and Ryan Cummins, illustrated by the talented Hannah Pascoe, is one such gem that promises to captivate both children and adults alike.

In this enchanting tale, we meet Rufus, a young songbird who is struggling to find his voice and muster the courage to leave his nest. Enter Bea, a kind-hearted honeybee with a curious spirit and a willingness to help her feathered friend overcome his fears. Together, they embark on a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and friendship.

One of the most remarkable aspects of "Rufus & Bea" is its ability to weave together a heartwarming narrative with important themes of overcoming challenges and the power of friendship. Through Rufus and Bea's adventures, children learn the value of empathy, encouragement, and stepping out of their comfort zones.

The illustrations by Hannah Pascoe are simply delightful, bringing the characters and their vibrant world to life with every turn of the page. Each watercolor illustration is infused with warmth, whimsy, and attention to detail, making it a visual treat for both children and adults.

One of our favorite passages from the book beautifully captures the essence of Rufus and Bea's journey:

"Have you ever wished for a thing to come true, but making it happen seemed too hard to do? Then perhaps you'll relate to our young feathered friend, whose grand songbird dreams have him at his wit's end. Or so he thinks, with hopes locked in suspension. And that's when a strange buzz catches his attention."

Moreover, the inclusion of a special song, "I Can Play Kazoo" by Tiny Prime, adds an interactive element to the reading experience, allowing children to further immerse themselves in Rufus and Bea's world through music.

My daughter Violet adored Bea, describing her as "so cute and fuzzy," and was thrilled to discover that we could listen to the bee song on Spotify. As a parent, witnessing her enthusiasm for both the story and the accompanying song was truly heartwarming.

In conclusion, "Rufus & Bea" earns a well-deserved five-star rating for its beautifully calming yet engaging illustrations, its heartfelt storyline of helping one another overcome challenges, and its valuable lessons on friendship and courage. This book is a must-have addition to any family's library and is sure to be cherished for years to come.

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read the advance copy of "Rufus & Bea". This heartwarming tale of friendship and courage has left a lasting impression on both Violet and myself, and we are truly grateful for the chance to experience it before its official publication on June 25, 2024. Thank you for enriching our lives with such a delightful story, and we eagerly await sharing Rufus and Bea's adventures with others when the book is released to the wider audience.

This book had potential, and I thought the artwork was very cute, but my kids were not super engaged with it. While they weren't able to express this, the impression I got was that there was an odd lack of balance, like there was too much time/depth spent on backstory and then suddenly the conflict (minor though it was) resolved itself almost too quickly.

Right away I fell in love with the gorgeous illustrations. I really like how they help to enhance the storytelling and how expressive the characters are. The story and its intended messages are not only beautiful, but also well-executed.

I adore the friendship between Rufus and Bea, and hope the author expands this charming read into a series with the same beloved leads.

Rufus & Bea
by Lisa Tucker Cummins and Ryan Cummins

A sweet and inspirational book for young readers! It brings out the message of importance of friendship.

We follow the journey of Rufus the bird and Bea the bee! The way Bea helps and encourages Rufus to fly and sing.

I love the water painting illustration style. The message is encouraging and inspirational for young readers. This will be a great book to read alone for kid or with parents. I look forward to their book 2! Let wait to see what adventure they will have.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Jun 25, 2024

Oh wow what a fun read. Rufus and Bea was such a heartwarming tale of friendship. I never thought children’s books could be this captivating.
Let’s start with how beautiful the writing was and the illustrations - my God beautiful.
“ DON’T IMPRESS JUST EXPRESS “
Kudos to the authors for incorporating such a powerful message in such an engaging way.
This book creatively talks about self doubt, people pleasing and how to conquer it. It teaches the importance of good influence and friendship.
After reading this book you feel not only thoroughly enthused but you also feel seen.
Highly recommend

This is a cute story of Rufus the nightingale and Bea the bee and their friendship. This illustrations are simple and eye catching and they reminded me of Charlotte's Web, a illustrated copy I had read somewhere, it stayed with me.

This story is simple but I feel that if sentences are shorter they are more easy to understand for younger kids.

Thank you Netgalley and flashpoint for ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

The illustrations were adorable and the message is great! We loved this book about friendship and working together to overcome fears.

Rufus is a songbird who hasn't found his song and cannot fly yet. After hearing a flurry of bees Rufus is so intrigued he drops his hat from his nest and a kind Bee named Bea returns it to him. Bea is kind and finds excitement in the fact that Rufus has not learned to sing or fly yet and decides to teach him.
This is a story that celebrates all of the things we have not learned yet and that sometimes it's more fun to learn with friends by our side.

Thank you Flashpoint for allowing me to read and review Rufus & Bea on NetGalley.

Published: 06/25/24

Stars: 5

Beautiful inside and out. The illustrations are lovely. I imagine picking up the physical book, flipping through and being compelled to read it. The artist has a true talent.

The story is charming. I wanted to continue reading and was torn between looking at the pictures longer or turning the page. In the end, the cohesiveness of art and writing is second to none. Given the intended audience I hope this book is equal to an infinite amount of stories and not the exception.

The book can be enjoyed in a group setting seamlessly, as well as appreciated singularly.

In addition to kids independently, I would gift this to nursery schools, church nurseries, etc.

Did I mention there is displaying good manners, kindness, earning a friend, and singing? Yes, singing. No worries the words are included.

This was a sweet book to read with my 4 year-old (soon to be 5, as he will quickly remind you). It is the story of a bird who has yet to learn his song or to fly and through his new-found friendship with a bee he discovers his song.
So the positives first-My son like the story and isn't that all that matters? I like the message of the book; more specifically the idea of asking for help to learn new things. Illustrations were very simple and pleasing to the eye; I could focus on the story and point out things without it becoming a distraction.
The cons? Okay the cadence of the word choice was odd-Sometimes it would be rhyming then switch to regular prose. I am sure this was intentional but to read this out-loud it was hard to switch it up. I also wished that the story focused more on the singing. The flying seemed to be thrown in at the last moment.
All in all-decent choice

The story is about a songbird named, Rufus. Rufus does not know how to fly or sing yet. He has not quite found his song. One day he hears some bees singing and he really wants to sing with them but is too shy. He meets a friendly bee named Bea. Bea helps Rufus find his voice and also helps him learn to fly.

Perfect read with a little one.

Thank you NetGalley and Flashpoint for sending me an ARC in exchange of an honest review of the book received.

An adorable story about a bird and a bee and how the bee teaches the bird. The pictures add to the story. Fun read for children

Poor Rufus can neither fly nor sing at the start of this charming picture book. What an embarrassment for an alleged songbird! But thanks to kindly Bea the bee, Rufus will gain the confidence to be a proper songbird.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley and Flashpoint in exchange for an honest review.

What an adorable story of a bird and a bee and their journey to discovering their voices! I adored this story and the beautiful illustrations that pulled me in. This will be definitely be one that i purchase to use in my future classroom.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

ARC reader for NetGalley

Rufus cannot fly and he cannot sing until he meets a new friend that helps him be all he can be. A story of unlikely friendships and a bit of you can do anything if you put your mind to when you are willing to learn. My little thought this was the cutest of stories.

I read this book with my toddler & we both enjoyed it. The depictions & the storyline kept my toddler intrigued until the last page. He enjoyed it so much we’ve read it twice already.


It’s so sweet reading about Rufus & Bea. Rufus was about to find his voice & confidence through his new found friendship with Bea. The giggles from my toddler, while reading and seeing the expressions on the faces of Bea & Rufus - as he mimicked those faces and Rufus’s singing.

We thoroughly enjoyed this book.

We volunteered for an ARC of this book through NetGalley

The story of a songbird who can neither fly nor sing who makes friend with a bee. The bee says she’ll help him do both and of course she does.
The illustrations are done well. The story has a nice moral to it as well.
The text switches back and forth from rhyming to prose. It took away from the story for me a bit. My mind tends to have issues with that sort of shift.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Rufus & Bea (Hardcover)
by Ryan Cummins


A story of not over thinking and just being yourself. The power of song, friendship and self belief. The pictures are sweet and intriguing.

A cute little book about believing in yourself and helping others. With cute illustrations. Would absolutely recommend.

What a sweet book about friendship and helping. I think its a bit too long for story time but I will suggest this to parents.

Young Rufus cannot sing or fly.....YET! He meets Bea the Bee who helps him learn how to do the things he wants to do but cant yet figure out.

Sometimes you need to take things slowly and one step at a time to learn and Bea the Bee helps Rufus the Bird learn that.