Beehive

Hurley's signature style--single, carefully chosen words paired with illustrations notable for their sophisticated minimalist aesthetic--illuminates wild honeybees. Beginning with the "buzz" of a lone bee over a field of lilac-hued blooms, this spare story, told mostly in images, wends its way as the bees "swarm" and "explore," "find" a tree to "build" a hive where the queen can "lay" eggs. After they "feed" the larvae, which become "grown," and "fly," the story shifts into "collect" and "pollinate" before the bees must "guard," "sting," and "keep" their ultimate creation: "honey." Hurley's author's note cleverly uses these same words in a fuller narrative explaining their occurrences. Hurley's clean-line pictures--egg-shaped dots in orange hexagonal cells; yellow-and-black bees perched in flowers' centers, collecting orange pollen--clearly illustrate each concept, offering an appealingly simple introduction to a beloved insect. Ages 3-7. (Jan.)

PreS-Gr 2—Taking a complex idea and breaking it down into a picture book is a difficult task. Here, Hurley describes the extraordinary lives of bees through spare, succinct language and intriguing art. The first spread shows a bee in a flower meadow. If there is anything children know about bees, it is the buzzing sound they make. Right away, readers have something they already know that they can hang new information on. More bees in the next spread are described in a word: "swarm." These spreads are ideal for sharing with young children, whether on a lap or in a group. Readers learn that bees explore to find the perfect place for a hive, which they then build as a team. Eggs are laid, nurtured, and grow. Here viewers need to look closely. How does this spread show "grow?" Looking carefully, one can see tiny bees emerging from cells in the hive. Pollination is covered as is the lengths bees go to in defending their hives. This engaging book is a full-fledged story of a creature that is an integral part of the ecosystem, and how they survive. This is a great starting place to talk about how all life is part of one world. The author's note at the end expands on bees and their importance in the natural world. VERDICT This is a must-buy for all libraries. It's an appealing introduction to science, ecosystems, and how even the smallest of creatures can matter enormously to our lives.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA