✦ A picture book for ages 4–8

Home doesn't have to look like everyone else's.

Name: Bella the Staging Bee: The Different Shape of Home
Availability: InStock
Author: Lilly Adams
ISBN: 9798986417738

Meet Bella, the little bee who rebuilds her storm-damaged hive into something the other bees have never seen — and discovers that different can still mean home. Bella the Staging Bee: The Different Shape of Home, by Lilly Adams & illustrated by Sophia Teresiak.

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24-page hardcoverFull color7.5" x 7.5"

Illustration of Bella the bee building an organic honeycomb home

The Story

When the storm passed, Bella's hive was gone.

All the other bees rebuild their cells in tidy, familiar hexagons. But Bella can't stop noticing the curves in fallen leaves, the swoop of a broken branch, the soft round shape of a puddle. When she starts building her new home in shapes nobody has tried before, the hive isn't sure what to think — until they see what Bella's different design can do.

A warm, richly illustrated picture book about creativity, resilience, and the courage to build a home that's truly your own shape.

Peek Inside the Book

A few pages from Bella's hive

Real full-color interior illustrations by Sophia Teresiak, straight from the 24-page hardcover edition.

Interior illustration: the hive community, including royal and knight bees, gathered together

Interior illustration: bees flying over a storm-touched forest landscape at dusk

Interior illustration: two bees sharing a quiet moment in a honeycomb doorway at sunset

Interior illustration: the hive family and friends busy at work and play inside the honeycomb

Interior illustration: a bee resting near leaves and a ladybug beside the honeycomb

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Listen In

Hear from the hive

Say Hi to Bella

A quick hello from Bella herself.

The Hive Journal — Audio Edition

Listen to the latest audio update from the hive.

Why Families & Educators Love It

Big themes, told small.

Creative Problem-Solving

Bella looks at a broken hive and sees possibility, modeling curiosity and imaginative thinking for young readers.

Sustainable Design

Rebuilding with what's on hand — fallen twigs, leaves, and reshaped wax — introduces early ideas about reuse and resourcefulness.

Community & Belonging

The hive learns to embrace a home that looks different from their own, a gentle lesson in acceptance and togetherness.

Self-Reliance & Confidence

Bella trusts her own instincts even when her design doesn't match everyone else's — and it pays off.

Illustration of a community of bees working together to rebuild their hive

“A home built differently is still a home worth loving.”

Book Details

Everything you need to know before you buy.

Author: Lilly Adams
Illustrator: Sophia Teresiak
Age Range: Ages 4–8
Pages: 24 pages
Binding: Hardcover (Case Wrap)
Dimensions: 7.5" x 7.5" (Small Square)
Published: December 15, 2025
ISBN: 9798986417738

Buy the Hardcover on Lulu →

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions parents & teachers ask

Bella the Staging Bee is a picture book about a young bee named Bella who discovers her talent for design after a storm damages her hive. Instead of rebuilding the same way, she creates organic, unusually shaped honeycomb cells — and learns that a home doesn't have to look like everyone else's to be beautiful, safe, and loved.

The book was written by Lilly Adams and illustrated by Sophia Teresiak. It was published on December 15, 2025.

Bella the Staging Bee is best suited for children ages 4–8, and works well as a read-aloud picture book for preschool and early elementary classrooms.

The story teaches creative problem-solving, self-reliance, conflict resolution, sustainable design, recycling, and community rebuilding — with a gentle message that being different can be a strength, not a flaw.

Yes. The central message — that Bella's oddly shaped home is still a real home, worthy of pride — makes the book especially resonant for children navigating change, nontraditional families, moves, or feeling like they don't fit a 'standard' mold.

Bella the Staging Bee is currently available as a 24-page hardcover, case-wrap picture book with full-color interior pages, sized 7.5" x 7.5" (ISBN 9798986417738).

Bella the Staging Bee can be purchased directly through its Lulu bookstore listing. Use the 'Buy the Book' button on this site to go straight to checkout.

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