Happy Bee
The hero of our story
“Even the smallest wings can find the biggest meadow.”
And the whole busy meadow she calls home — friends, flowers, and the little story that started it all.
Happy Bee began as a bedtime story whispered to a little girl who couldn't sleep. Years later, after hundreds of retellings, it became a book — illustrated entirely by hand and written for every child who ever felt small in a big meadow.
Years went by. The story got retold, embellished, twisted, and retold again — sometimes shorter, sometimes longer, always with a bee named Happy and a butterfly named Petal and an old oak tree who had seen a thousand sunrises.
Then one quiet Sunday, with a sketchpad and a cup of tea, it became a book. Hand-drawn, hand-coloured, every page worked on for weeks. No AI, no shortcuts, no hurry.
“Even small wings can find the biggest meadow. They just have to start.”
Adrien Francis
Writer, illustrator, and amateur bee-watcher. Lives in London with too many sketchpads and one very patient dog. Happy Bee is the first book of three.
Lives in
London, UK
Books planned
Three (so far)
Coffee or tea
Tea, with honey
Favourite bee
Happy, obviously
Every story needs a meadow full of friends. Tap a card to hear their favourite line.
The hero of our story
“Even the smallest wings can find the biggest meadow.”
Best friend, brave butterfly
“If you're scared, I'll go first. That's just what friends do.”
The wise tree by the meadow
“I've watched a thousand sunrises. Every one was different.”
A grumpy but kind ladybird
“I'm not grumpy. I'm just thinking very hard.”
A tiny hummingbird with big dreams
“I move fast because there's so much world to see.”
You'll meet our last little friend on page 27. We won't spoil the surprise.
32
Pages of Adventure
40+
Hand-Drawn Illustrations
12,000+
Tiny Readers (and Counting)
4.9★
Average Bedtime Rating
Hardback first edition. Cloth-bound, foil-stamped, ribbon-bookmarked. Free signed bookplate with every order.