The King of Bees, written by Lester L. Laminack and illustrated by Jim LaMarche. Peachtree, Penguin Random House. 2024. $12.49 ages 6 and up

 

"Henry could hardly wait to help with the bees. 
He waited eagerly at the door of the shed as Aunt 
Lilla stepped into her bee suit and put on the hat that
protected her face. She let Henry carry the smoker 
she used to calm the bees. 

"A bee won't sting you unless you get in the way of 
what she's doing," Aunt Lilla told him as they made 
their way to the hives."

This is but one of the books you might want to share with children to help them learn about bees in nature. It is a lovely introduction to the importance of bees and to the life of a beekeeper. Henry and Aunt Lilla live on a small farm in South Carolina where they have a garden, a henhouse and Henry's favorite beehives. 

Aching to help with the bees, Henry accompanies Aunt Lilla whenever she works with them. At present it is his job to sit and observe. Henry watches as his aunt speaks softly to the bees while she works, and patiently answers the questions he asks. On his own one day, he explores their woodshed and longs to have a bee suit for himself. He just wants to help. 

One day, as the bees are preparing to swarm, Aunt Lilla rushes to set up another box that will keep them close to home. Wanting to make a difference, Henry gets the bee suit and accidently spills some bee drops on himself. After dancing in the field to encourage the bees to stay, he trudges back to the house. He doesn't notice the bees are following him. They follow him onto the porch. It's Aunt Lilla to the rescue with her smoker - just to be safe! Henry is definitely learning the lessons his aunt is teaching; perhaps he will be a beekeeper, too. 

Jim LaMarche used ink and watercolor to create visually appealing artwork sure to inspire readers to wish for a visit to the farm. The pastoral beauty, the beekeeping process, the patience exhibited as his aunt helps Henry learn bring warmth and attention to every spread. 

Once you have shared this book, find others to help the learning grow and to underscore the importance of bees to life on earth. A thorough author’s note with information about bees and bee conservation adds to the appeal of the story told.  

“Did you know that one third of the food you consume is available on the earth only because of the pollination of bees? That if we were to lose all of the bees that we have, then one-third of our available food source would dissipate in a matter of 10 years,” That is a sobering thought. 

Honeybee Rescue: A Backyard Drama. Written by Loree Griffin Burns and photographed by Ellen Harasimowicz. Charlesbridge, Penguin Random House. 2022. $19.99 ages 8 and up

"The moment Mr. Connery saw bees 
building a hive in the garage, he knew 
what had happened: one of his colonies
had outgrown its home."

Indeed, the colony had gotten too big. When that happens, the bees know just what to do. They swarm, and find another place to settle permanently. The old queen leaves with some of the bees from the first hive, while another queen develops in the original space. 

The swarm in Mr. Connery's barn were already making honeycomb. They were settled; Mr. Connery know the barn was not a safe place for the colony as there would be no winter protection. Luckily, he knew the right man to call. 

Mr. Jon Nelson is also a beekeeper, who removes bees from dangerous places. That work is important to him as he doesn't want the colony to be destroyed. Ms. Burns describes a hive structure prior to watching the two men do ALL the work needed to safely remove Mr. Connery's new colony and provide a safer place for it to thrive. 

The process is presented in coherent text that makes it easy for readers to understand. The color photographs are wonderful and let listeners see every step along the way. A perfect ending shows Mr. Connery and his children relishing a taste of the 'garage-bee' honey. 

Back matter has an interview with Mr. Nelson about the work he does so brilliantly, a glossary, an author's note, sources and a list for further reading. Any child wanting to know more about the wonders of beekeeping will begin to find what they need to know in this very special book.