The Thing about Bees: A Love Letter

This paean to bees is just the ticket for moving kids from concern to comfort . (Picture book. 3-7)

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Starring an affectionate family and a whole lot of bees, Larkin (A Moose Boosh) offers up a sparkling celebration of necessary pollinators, which begins with an explanation of how they work, overlaying images of strawberry blossoms with childlike drawings of a bee: "The bee moves pollen from one flower to another./ Then we wait.... and presto! The flower turns into a fruit you can eat." Subsequent full-bleed spreads, "inspired by the techniques of... Kehinde Wiley and Norman Rockwell," show a family of color interacting with the insects out of doors. Bees "can be a bit rude," the text reads as a father and two sons leap comically from their chairs, and sometimes they sting. But, Larkin explains, without bees, "there'd be no more smoothies with mango./ There'd be no more strawberries for shortcake." Loving bees is like loving his children, who "sting, / when you're in a bad mood" but are always deeply beloved. Imaginative and playful, Larkin's images of the family's encounters with bees and the fruits and vegetables they help produce helps them understand the role of pollinators--and provides stylish entertainment. A guide to bee species and instructions for avoiding stings are included. Ages 3-7. (Aug.)

PreS-Gr 3--In a holistic--and wholly original--treatment, Larkin spins a buoyant monologue to his (actual) young sons about why bees are to be valued and how they are analogous to rambunctious children; the narrative is threaded with unconditional love for both subjects. Smart ABAB rhymes propel the narrative, while other lyrical structures offer pauses and maintain attention: "Sometimes bees can be a bit rude./They fly in your face and prance on your food.... /And worst of all, they do this thing/called sting./OUCH!" Opening sequential panels present pollination as a love story between bees and flowers that yields fruit. Then, action-packed family scenes--"choreographed" by the artist and composed in layers--follow the African American trio as they interact with the insects, a kite, a balloon, and one another. Hand lettering, bold coloring, and textural and compositional variety (painted-over receding backgrounds; thick brushwork; and inked, figural outlines behind decorated silhouettes) add to the energy. Through child-friendly delights like "picnics with watermelon" and "smoothies with mango," readers will understand what the world would be missing without bee intervention. While an author's note explains that information helped him work through his own issues with bees, his conclusion speaks to universal fears: "It's brave to try to understand the things that scare us." A final spread presents a continuum of bees (by degrees of meanness), along with safety tips. VERDICT Pair with Bethany Barton's Give Bees a Chance to experience persuasive calls to bravery and bee lovefests.--Wendy Lukehart, District of Columbia Public Library