Maya the Bee facts for kids

Maya the Bee (German: Die Biene Maja) is the main character from a famous German book called The Adventures of Maya the Bee. Waldemar Bonsels wrote this book, and it was first published in 1912. Since then, it has been translated into many languages and turned into TV shows, movies, and even video games!

The stories are all about a brave little bee named Maya. She goes on adventures with her friends, like Willy the bee and Flip the grasshopper. Her teacher, Mrs. Cassandra, also helps her learn about the world. The books show how Maya grows from a curious young bee into a responsible adult bee.

Maya's Big Adventure

Bonsels' original book is less than 200 pages long. It focuses on Maya's exciting journey and the many things she learns.

Maya is born in a busy bee hive during a time when the hive is splitting into two new groups. Her teacher, Mrs. Cassandra, raises her. Even though Mrs. Cassandra warns her, Maya really wants to explore the world outside the hive. She makes a big mistake by leaving, which is usually not allowed for bees.

While she is away from the hive, Maya becomes friends with other insects. She faces many dangers with them. The most exciting part of the book is when Maya is captured by hornets, who are the bees' enemies.

While she is a prisoner, Maya finds out that the hornets are planning to attack her home hive. Maya has a tough choice to make. Should she go back to the hive and face punishment, but save everyone? Or should she keep herself safe and let her hive be destroyed?

After thinking very hard, Maya decides to go back. She tells her hive about the coming attack. Everyone is surprised when she is pardoned, meaning she is forgiven for leaving. Because they were warned, the bees win the fight against the hornets. Maya becomes a hero! She then becomes a teacher, just like Mrs. Cassandra, and shares her wisdom with the younger bees.

Meet the Characters

• Maya – The main character, a bee. She loves being free and living in the meadow. She is kind, fair, happy, and always ready to help.
• Willy – Another bee. He is a bit lazy, clumsy, and sometimes scared. But he is usually good-natured. Willy wasn't in the first book, but he is a big part of all the TV shows and movies. He is Maya's best friend.
• Flip – A wise grasshopper who is a friend to Maya and Willy. He first appeared in the animated TV series.
• Miss Cassandra – A bee who is Maya's teacher at the Bee-School.

Maya on Screen

Maya the Bee has been adapted into many different TV shows and movies over the years.

The First Film (1924)

A German director named Wolfram Junghans made a silent film in 1924. It was special because it "starred" real insects! For a long time, the film was lost. But in 2005, the only original copy was found in Finland. It was fixed up and released on DVD in 2012 with new music.

The Famous Anime (1975)

One of the most popular versions is the Japanese anime series, Maya the Honey Bee. It first aired in Japan in 1975. This show became super popular and was dubbed into 42 languages! It was shown in many countries around the world. The catchy theme song was composed by Karel Svoboda.

The CGI TV Series (2012)

In 2012, Studio 100 Animation created a new TV series called Maya the Bee. This version used 3D computer animation. There were 78 episodes in the first season, and a second season with 52 episodes came out in 2017.

The Movie Series

A movie based on the 2012 TV series was released in 2014. Then, a sequel called Maya the Bee: The Honey Games came out in 2018. A third movie, Maya the Bee: The Golden Orb, was released in 2021.

Maya on Stage

Maya the Bee has also been performed live!

Children's Opera

A Croatian composer named Bruno Bjelinski wrote a children's opera based on Maya the Bee in 1963. In 2008, it was performed in Villach, Austria. What was special about this performance was that children played the "bees" instead of professional opera singers.

Puppet Musical

Singer-songwriter Nancy Harrow created a jazz musical version of the story. It was called The Adventures of Maya the Bee and featured puppets. This show was performed in New York City in 2000 and again in 2012.

Live Musical

In 2016, Studio 100, the company that owns the series now, created a live stage musical in Belgium. It was called "Maya en de Pollenbollen." People dressed up as the characters from the 2012 TV show. The musical had songs from the show and new ones made just for the stage. It was about Maya, Flip, and Beatrice celebrating Willy's birthday.

Video Games

You can also play as Maya in several video games!

• Maya the Bee & Her Friends (for Game Boy Color – 1999)
• Maya the Bee – Garden Adventures (for Game Boy Color – 2000)
• Maya the Bee and Friends (for mobile phones – 2006)
• Maya the Bee: The Great Adventure (for Game Boy Advance – 2002)
• Maya the Bee: Sweet Gold (for Game Boy Advance – 2005)
• The Bee Game (for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS – 2007)
• Maya (for Nintendo DS – 2013)
• Maya the Bee: The Nutty Race (for iOS and Android phones – 2019)

Maya Merchandise

Many companies have made products featuring Maya the Bee. These include clothes, dishes, books, comics, and games. A French artist named André Roche drew many of these designs between 1976 and 1986. You might have even seen Maya on Kinder Surprise Eggs!