"The Great Big Buzz-off" starts with the premise: life isn't fair, and family isn't all it's cracked up to be. When Johnny's bigger, older brother hogs the spotlight, he feels smothered. At the age of eleven, he determines he must find a way out of the shadow of his brother Tommy.
With help he designs a contest like no other, "The Great Big Buzz-off." It's a contest where he believes he can whoop his older brother in front of the neighborhood kids because it builds on his strength- the knowledge of insects. It's a test of courage between siblings where each must hold a pear with bees on it for ten seconds. Different species of bees and wasps are assigned different sting values which affects the scoring.
While practicing, Johnny is stung by a fearsome Queen Bee Hornet. He preserves her in a life-like pose and then must decide can she help him win the contest?
With laugh-out-loud dialogue, the dilemma is explored through family and friend interactions, through childhood musings on morality, and with basic facts on the natural history of insects and scientific experimentation.
The day of the Great Big Buzz-off is a gathering of the neighborhood kids, both Big and small, with a carnival-like atmosphere. As each boy hoists their respective pears the crowds of kids cheer and gasp. The contest climax includes a dramatic turn-about that leaves Johnny broken.
Afterwards, families gather to share what they've grown during their annual Neighborhood Produce Bowl. While playing a game of touch football, some pesky insects intervene causing mayhem and need for a courageous act. The brothers then find reconciliation from the outcome of the contest lurking within the venom of a yellow jacket's sting.
About the Author :
John Connors earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in forestry and wildlife biology from North Carolina State University. For 34 years, John worked as an interpretive naturalist, working in camps, parks, and museums, providing programs for students and families. His work with middle school students and fond memories from his childhood in Long Island, New York, inspired his writing in "The Great Big Buzz-off." Along with his newest work, John has numerous publications in scientific journals and popular magazines, including "Observing Flat Birds," "Science Activities: If Only Critters Could Talk," "National Interpreter's Workshop: Butterflies in Your Backyard," "North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension: Desperately Seeking Salamanders," and "Wildlife in North Carolina."
For over a decade, John was the master of ceremonies for the City of Raleigh's Groundhog Day event, hoisting Sir Walter Wally as he whispered the prospects of spring to the city's mayor. Additionally, he taught classes as an adjnct professor in the parks, recreation, and tourism management curriculum at North Carolina State for 25 years. Currently, John is retired and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, 3 adult children, and handful of grandchildren.
