In this article, the coeditors of "Voices from the Middle" present an interview with James Maguire, author of "The American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds." During the interview, Maguire talked about his experiences with the National Spelling Bee to provide some insight to middle-level teachers and students. Maguire also talked about what got him interested in the National Spelling Bee, spelling strategies that the students have used, and the history of the National Spelling Bee.