BUZZ, a young adult novel
Indigo Tree Publishing, 2011
Available in print through Amazon https://tinyurl.com/y5wzw92f
and as an e-book through Amazon https://tinyurl.com/y2y95r23
also available in Chinese e-book (contact the author)
Synopsis
. Matt is in serious danger on the streets of Chicago after he makes a bad decision. His mom sends him away to Aunt LeeNell, but South Texas is the last place Matt wants to be for the summer. He has to survive the local toughs while he somehow finds a way to get back home. Things begin to look up when he meets Maria. That only leads to more trouble, as her brothers do not trust Anglos. Matt does his best to dodge trouble and get to know Maria. He meets an eccentric beekeeper, who lives out in the mesquite brush and gets his first job helping out the old man. Matt is about to learn far more about life than he imagines in a summer that changes him forever.
Reviews
“Brilliant Storytelling” –
Independent Publisher Book Awards 2012, which rated BUZZ in the top 20
“This story has all the elements of a great teen book – classic arc to the plot, characters with depth and important themes for teens.” –
Midwest Independent Publishers Association Awards, 2012
Review by a top literary agent. Thank you for letting me consider BUZZ. You are a talented writer. There is much to be admired in these pages. I found this novel deftly written, funny and poignant in all the right places. (Posted on 12/17/11)
The book had great descriptions of the characters and it would not just cut off after every chapter – the plot transitioned nicely from one chapter to the next. Plus, every character had meaning. All of the characters were significant to the plot. There are some great action-packed parts of the book as well as parts of the book that were really touching. (Posted on 2/19/13, Mark Nichols)
New Insight! Through BUZZ you have given me insight into a way of life that I never would have encountered myself. Thank you! (Posted on 12/17/11, Simone in Switzerland)
Very Well Written. I picked out this book hoping to read about a romance story like in the Simone Elkeles books. After all there’s a Latino and a white:) However, there should not be any comparison between them, because BUZZ is unique in it’s own way. Judge a book by its cover. I have to admit, the first thing that attracted me to this book is its adorable cover and the cute name. Then after a friend of mine put in a great word for it, I wanted to read it so bad, hoping to (like I mentioned before) get a dose of teen romance. Matt never fit in much back in Chicago, he was a troubled teen who got involved in the gang and was quite distant with his mom at home. After a drug deal gone wrong, he was sent to stay with his Aunt LeeNell in South Texas (in the middle of nowhere). Matt had a tough time adapting to the desert, and his situation did not improved when he made a cowboy enemy just as he arrived. But there he met Maria and who knew an eccentric beekeeper could change his life forever? What is BUZZ? Buzz is a walking philosopher, a life changer, an angel sent in a form of a beekeeper. Okay, I’m exaggerating. Truth to be told, I rarely feel close to a character whose age is beyond 40, but hell, I like Buzz a lot, and I always looked forward to what he has to say. On the other hand, Matt is a character that most teenagers could relate to, and by reading BUZZ we learned and saw how Matt grown throughout the story. He met Maria, whose brothers’ hated Anglos and her people was discriminated against. Yet they fell in love and went through all the obstacles thrown in front of them. I liked Matt’s maturity.
“I loved this book. Still think about it, months after reading it.” – Sue Wenlund
Your book its really good. I really enjoyed it. The book Buzz was very inspirational. I really loved your book. When Matt gets into a lot of trouble and gets sent to his aunt. He runs into a cowboy who is a bully on his first day there. Matt actually met a girl there and them being together was bad. They went through a lot of things together. Your book was funny, sad and even really interesting. I couldn’t put your book down. It was so interesting. I wish there was a sequel with this book. The title was so great it was different than any title that I have seen. You are an amazing writer and I am excited to read more of your books that you have written. I even recommended it to all my friends and told them to write reviews. (Posted on 9/22/14, Katrina Rietveld)
More Reviews for BUZZ
The story was very well written, although in my opinion there are parts of the story which I hope will be elaborated more, however I laughed at the jokes, giggled at their reactions, touched by the warmth between family and friends and angered at the unfairness of it all. And that was all it takes for me to love it. (Posted on 10/10/11, Natasha Anne in Malaysia. Dreamland: A Teenage Fantasy http://dreamlandteenfantasy.blogspot.com/)
This is a good read. A lot of tension and layers of character development that kept the story moving forward and me engaged. And the novel addresses some serious issues individuals and society are facing. Yet it really is a love story or maybe more a story about love as a solution. I liked it a lot and want to see more like this. This is why I like indie press books. (Posted on 7/10/11, Terry R.)
Buy the Book
5.0 out of 5 stars BUZZ Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2024
BUZZ, a book by Steve Chicoine, is a beautiful story about a 17-year-old boy in great trouble in the streets of Chicago. After his brother is killed in a drug deal gone bad, his mother sends him to rural South Texas.
According to the author, this novel is for young adults, but I beg to differ. It is a beautiful book for the young and the old. The boy is coming of age and finds the culture of the gang life of Chicago far different from the culture in rural south Texas, where there is a vast difference in cultures, especially between the Hispanics and the White population.
Matt, the boy, meets a young Hispanic girl whom he learns to admire. At the same time, he meets the son of a local rich rancher who is a bully. The two clash. During one violent clash, a stranger rescues Matt, and, in time, Matt meets Buzz, a tough hombre who has, over the years, learned to be an apiary—a beekeeper. Matt and Buzz form a bond over time, and Buzz befriends the boy.
The book is well-researched in terms of the conflict between the cultural conflicts, the art of producing honey, love, and a lad coming of age.
It is the story of a young boy coming of age in a world of many conflicts of culture, love, and profession and adapting to a radically changing family and environment.
This is an excellent book, and I urge you to find it for your children and adults. The boy makes an extraordinary transition in life with the help of his Mentor, Buzz. Find it; you will not regret it.
Texas Vietnam Vet, Latino
BUZZ Reviews
Steve said he wrote it for young adults and that is all well and good. However, I will be 85 years young in a couple of months and I found it to be an excellent story with good messages for any age group. True, it is a story about a 17 year old young man living in ghetto conditions in a northern big city, ripe with all the social and economic issues that come from that. But when the well-known substance hits the fan, his mother sends him from harm's way to her sister in South Texas. That is when Matt's education begins. The first is culture shock, then some of the residents don't accept that. Indeed, he has to fight for his very survival. His aunt becomes an anchor for him, he needs very badly. And he meets Buzz, an old Vietnam Vet/philosopher/beekeeper/mentor. And Matt's education begins. He meets new people from very different walks of life, some who don't show their best side to him, one of them, the beautiful Maria, gives him reason to try and to learn and to accept new things and ideas and concepts. Those are things every young man needs to place his feet on solid ground. The book is filled with examples of American and Texas life. Some of it is not pretty and some of it is beautiful. There is a dog that steal’s Matt’s heart, as dogs are capable of doing. I don’t intend to get into detail. You need to reed BUZZ. I did and I was amazed at the new things I learned about many things I thought I knew a lot about. The book is timely with the conditions at our border. It gives one insight into the lives of those who try to immigrate to the United States and the problems they face, some of which are shameful for them to have to face. I give the book a 5-star and a big thumbs up! Steve Chicoine batted a winning game with this great book.
Larry in Texas, Vietnam combat veteran