A poetic life-cycle study of the bumblebee.
Honeybees get a lot of attention because of their use in agriculture and their honey, but what about other hardworking pollinators? Here readers will learn about another industrious bee—the rusty-patched bumblebee—from a queen bee’s life cycle to the species’ role in the food web. The story is told in brief bursts of text, often approaching free verse, on each spread: “Eggs hatch! / Are they bees yet? / No. / Little white grubs, / no eyes, no legs, / eating machines.” The backmatter information is more straightforward, providing enough substance for a simple report, and confronts the rusty-patched bumblebee’s endangered status. It also includes a short list of resources for further research and 10 suggestions that people of all ages can do to help the struggling bee population. The real queen in this colony is the striking artwork, which appears to be scratchboard with added watercolor. Close-ups of the bees alternate with views of a lush countryside and its other denizens. It’s an inviting book on any shelf, and the story is concise enough for longer storytimes. Educators, caregivers, and young readers will all be buzzing with delight.
This book is the bee’s knees. (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: May 25, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5179-0804-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Univ. of Minnesota
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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A longtime ambassador for the animal kingdom introduces turtles from around the world.
Knowing just what will intrigue her readers, naturalist Montgomery starts off with a surprising statement: “Sometime around 240 million years ago…the shell invented the turtle.” She describes the ways shells define and protect turtles. She details turtles’ other physical characteristics and their unusual longevity. She gives examples of “extreme turtles”—biggest, smallest, flattest, fattest, and so forth, and species with unusual traits and/or skills. Readers will learn that the Chinese softshell terrapin is one of several species that “tinkle through their mouths.” Some South American turtles communicate through vocalizations. She also introduces some celebrity turtles, including the late Pinta Island tortoise Lonesome George, likely the last of his kind. An appealing section on the habits of baby sea turtles leads nicely into a description of turtle population decline and why turtles are a crucial part of ecosystems...which in turn leads to suggestions of how readers can help. Accompanying the smoothly written narrative are images of more than 30 species, often with features of their usual habitat, mostly set against a white background. Wildlife artist Patterson’s unobtrusively labeled acrylic paintings are realistic and detailed. Who can resist the tortoises enjoying a neck rub or shell scratch (from light-skinned human hands)? Smartly pairing two experts in wildlife portrayal, this one is not to be missed.
Splendid. (resources, glossary, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 5-9)Pub Date: May 2, 2023
ISBN: 9780358458074
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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