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Un-BEE-lievable! Olivia roche

To bee or not to bee...

The purpose of this book bag is to introduce children to the world of bees. It is not uncommon for young children (and even adults) to be fearful of these six-legged insects. Through this collection of books, children and their caregivers will become acquainted with the roles of bees in our every day lives, as well as the biological processes which allow bees to be the master pollinators that they are. Although this text set is likely appealing to a variety of age groups, it is specifically recommended for children in preschool, kindergarten, or early primary school.

Start with Flight of the Honeybee, and follow the arrows around the chart to read these stories in their intended order!
Flight of the Honey Bee

With the addition of Brian Lovelock's colorful watercolor illustrations, Raymond Huber's tale of Scout the honeybee and her search for food comes to life. The story is a perfect combination of scientific facts and a lovable narrative. Included in the text are footnotes which provide further information on the lives of bees for curious readers, presented in a lyrical manner. This book will interest even the youngest of readers in the various jobs of the honeybee, and encourage children to love, rather than fear, our buzzing neighbors.

Honey in a Hive

In this non-fiction book, written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by S.D. Schindler, readers are exposed to the process of honey creation and the roles of different bees in the hive. This story is a fun and engaging way to get children interested in the behaviors of bees and their purpose in our world. The informational and scientifically-based prose is perfectly accompanied by the highly detailed and colorful sketches of bees in action. This is an introductory text which touches on the complex hierarchical society of bees and explains the process of honey production in a way children are able to understand and appreciate.

Beekeepers

This story, written by Linda Oatman High and illustrated by Doug Chayka, follows a grandfather and his granddaughter as they tend to his bees. This story provides an introductory lesson to children on the proper attire for beekeeping and the process of collecting honey from hives. The text employs various forms of figurative language to further a child's understanding of the visuals which accompany collecting honey. for some individuals this text will introduce a completely new hobby, while for others this will reflect a pastime with which they are familiar. In either case, the combination of beautiful language and colorful painted illustrations are sure to keep the attention of all children.

Bea's Bees

This story follows a young girl, Beatrix, as she discovers and develops an interest in a hive of bees in her neighborhood. Her desire to save the bees encourages readers to consider the importance of conservation and environmental protection. It also provides insight into what bees need in order to survive. Most importantly, Bea's story presents potential directions to move in when seeking to protect bees in one's own community. This book is especially important to include because it provides diversity in comparison to other stories in this text set, as it features a young Black girl as the protagonist. The simple and direct language is wonderfully combined with colorful illustrations which emphasize the steps Bea, and the reader, can take to protect bees.

Bees

In this non-fiction discovery book, readers are introduced to the up-close lives of bees. Illustrations by Ute Fuhr and Raoul Sautai are highly detailed and accurately depict the various body parts and functions of bees, as well as the purposes of each of these body parts. The facts provided, along with being accurate, are interesting, thought-provoking, and engaging. The use of transparent pages and double-page spreads allow the reader to gain a deeper visual understanding of the life of bees and provides a sense of motion for the reader.

The Beeman

This story, written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Melissa Iwai provides a second explanation of beekeeping. Readers learn about the appropriate gear for beekeeping, along with the tools and processes used to collect honey from hives. Iwai's use of acrylic paint brings life to both the bees and the humans alike. Information is woven in with amusing anecdotes, easily creating a subliminal learning environment. Importantly, there is also no mention of bee stings in this text, which would likely encourage children to overcome their fear of bees, if they have one.

References

Huber, R. (2013). Flight of the honey bee (B. Lovelock, Illus.). Candlewick Press.

Jeunesse, G. (1992). Bees (U. Fuhr & R. Sautai, Illus.). Scholastic Inc.

Krebs, L. (2002). The beeman (M. Iwai, Illus.). National Geographic Society.

Oatman High, L. (1998). Beekeepers (D. Chayka, Illus.). Boyds Mill Press.

Pryor, K. (2019). Bea's bees (E. Peterson, Illus.). Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

Rockwell, A. (2005). Honey in a hive (S.D. Schindler, Illus.). HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

Credits:

Created with images by Jason Leung - "untitled image" • sebastien rosset - "untitled image"