The story begins with a four-year-old who believes
she can love a dried-out bee back to life.
To the beautiful dreamers.
Ray and the Quest
for the First Hive
Ray is now 11 years old, and she embarks on an adventure to save the pollinators. After discovering the importance of bees to the environment, Ray seeks to warn the Queen of the Queen bees about the dangers they face. With the help of Zhabbo, an old !Kung San friend of her father’s, and the eventual support of her mother, Ray travels to Africa to fulfill her mission.
The journey is filled with challenges and revelations, as Ray must confront a web of deception and come to terms with the realities of the natural world and human impact on it.
The central themes of Ray’s journey are the value of being on a "Quest," adventure, compassion, environmental conservation, indigenous wisdom keepers, personal growth and loving ourselves and each other back to life.
The Butterfly Bard
“The Butterfly Bard” by Verity Jenkins is a young adult novel that follows the adventures of Ray, a 15-year-old girl who embarks on a journey alongside the Monarch butterflies’ migration. After a devastating storm damages the butterflies’ wings, Ray and her friend Becky work tirelessly to save them. The story takes a turn when Becky passes away from cancer, leading Ray into a deep depression. Eventually, Ray finds solace in nature and decides to follow the Monarchs on their migration to Mexico, hoping to uncover clues about her father’s last known whereabouts.
Ray’s journey is filled with both wonder and danger as she and her co-pilot, Jordi, navigate real-world challenges, including narcotics trafficking. They encounter good people who risk everything to make the world a better place. The narrative reaches a climax when Ray and Jordi discover a nuclear missile test launch that threatens to cause an ecocide of the Monarchs. They must use their wits and the power of advocacy to prevent disaster.
The book is a tale of adventure, environmental activism, and personal growth, showing how individuals can make a difference in the world.
Shambhala and the Caregiving Heart of the World
In this riveting tale, a now 16-year-old Ray faces the challenge of her grandmother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Determined to fight the disease, Ray embarks on a sacred Quest to find the Elixir of Immortality in the hidden kingdom of Shambhala, guided by stories and clues left by her missing father.
The adventure takes Ray and her mother to Nepal during a tumultuous time in the country’s history. Amidst political chaos and a royal massacre, Ray’s mother is abducted, leading Ray to enlist the help of Devi, a protector of Shambhala, and a Gurkha pilot. They embark on a daring rescue mission, navigating ancient worlds and discovering the powers of breath and mind.
The story is a blend of magical realism and realistic fiction, offering insights into natural sciences and regional politics while presenting a compelling narrative.
It’s also a coming-of-age story where Ray learns that Shambhala is not a physical place but a state revealed to those who see with the heart. The book celebrates the beauty of nature and the power within us to love each other back to life.
The Ray Adventure Series Omnibus (Books 1,2 & 3)
The “Ray Adventure Series Omnibus” by Verity Jenkins is a collection of three thrilling adventures that follow the protagonist, Ray, on her quest to find her lost father and save the world from environmental destruction. Here’s a brief overview of each book in the series:
Ray 1 - Quest for the First Hive: Ray, a 12-year-old girl, embarks on a mission to save pollinators from a plot to alter their genetic code. Her journey takes her to the heart of Africa, where she must use deception and find magical allies, like a praying mantis, a meerkat, and a honey badger, to warn the Queen of the Queen bees.
Ray 2 - Butterfly Bard: After a storm devastates the Monarch butterflies, Ray and her friend Becky work tirelessly to save thousands of them. Ray and her co-pilot Jordi fly with the Monarchs in their ultralight aircraft, the Qbee, down North America to their overwintering place in Mexico, encountering real-world dangers and meeting people who are also trying to mend a broken world.
Ray 3 — Shambhala and the Caregiving Heart of the World: In her darkest and most exciting adventure yet, Ray delves into deception and misdirection to embark on a perilous journey to Western Nepal. She seeks to solve the riddle of Alzheimer’s Dementia and bring her grandmother back to life.
The series is praised for its educational value, inter-generational appeal, and enlightened perspective on our planet. It’s a blend of indigenous traditions, ecological values, and a lively romp through diverse landscapes, all seen through the eyes of the wise and mischievous young Ray.