Overview
Betty the Bee is a children's picture book by Alexander Paterson Brown, originally written to entertain his own three daughters and now published by Fulton Books for a wider generation of readers. It's a children's book about a curious little bee who doesn't quite know how to tie her shoelaces — and would rather avoid the problem than learn.
One day, heading out to play with her laces left untied, Betty gets herself into a spot of real trouble. What follows is a gentle but genuinely tense children's story about a bee who has to face the very thing she was avoiding, find her way out of the jam she's created, and finally learn to tie her own laces. It's a story about a small, relatable childhood challenge — the kind every parent recognizes — and the honest consequences of avoiding it.
Brown wrote it this way on purpose. As he's said of the book, learning to tie shoelaces is one of the first real challenges in a child's life, and it can feel daunting enough that kids look for ways around it, just like Betty does.
Why Parents and Kids Both Enjoy It
- A relatable, everyday stake — shoelaces, not an abstract lesson, so kids see themselves in Betty immediately
- Real consequences, gently handled — Betty's choices lead somewhere, and she has to work her way out
- Colorful, vibrant artwork — illustrated throughout to bring Betty's adventure to life
- A satisfying, repeatable read — short enough for a single bedtime sitting, structured enough that kids ask for it again
Best suited to the picture-book age range (roughly ages 3–7) — right around when shoelace-tying becomes a real, live issue in a child's own life, which is exactly what makes the story land.
Sample Excerpt
Betty had never liked tying her laces. They were fiddly, and she never seemed to get the loops quite right — so most mornings, she simply didn't bother. Today, though, was the day that decision was going to catch up with her...
About the Author
Alexander Paterson Brown spent his early years navigating boats along the Fraser River and later worked as a commercial salmon fisherman, a life defined by nature's unpredictability. Betty the Bee comes from an entirely different, quieter chapter — the years he spent telling stories to his own three daughters, long before any of it was written down. Now based in Statesville, North Carolina, he continues writing father-written children's stories that carry the same warmth those bedtime tellings had.
Read the full author story →Reader Reviews
Reader reviews for Betty the Bee are being collected as the book reaches more families. If you've read it, share your experience — your review helps other parents evaluate this children's book about a curious bee.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a children's story about a bee named Betty who avoids learning to tie her shoelaces — until leaving them untied lands her in a genuine spot of trouble, and she has to find her way out.
Betty the Bee is by Alexander Paterson Brown, published by Fulton Books, written originally as a bedtime story for his three daughters.
It works best as a read-aloud for ages 3–7 — right around the age when children are learning to tie their own shoelaces, which is what makes Betty's story resonate.
Yes — Betty the Bee features colorful, vibrant artwork throughout and is available now as an ebook on Amazon.
Yes — it's short enough for a single bedtime sitting, with a real (if gentle) sense of stakes that keeps kids asking to read it again.
Publication Details
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For inquiries, reader messages, or collaborations, feel free to reach out.
Email: info@alexanderpatersonbrown.com
ADDRESS
ADDRESS: 2506 salisbury highway statesville NC 28677