Beehive

Bees buzz through these pages delicately displaying information about bees in a simplified, introductory way with one descriptive word every few pages—such as “explore,” “build,” “pollinate,” “guard,” and “sting.” The limited text flows well throughout the book, providing a story in the life of the bees paired with flat, digital illustrations that further express the activities of the bees. Through their simplified form, the illustrations clearly portray the information presented in the book using mostly soft, muted colors mixed with bright honey and bold fall leaves. The blossoms on the trees and bees laying their eggs are the most notable illustrations, though all of the landscaping complements the bees and their actions. The single words adorning every few pages elicit the opportunity to talk about bees and create an easily attainable memorization of the story. As a whole, while a pleasant overview about bees and their activities, the book is quite oversimplified by the limited use of text, leaving this picture book wanting, devoid of more engaging substance and better suited to a board book format. This book will be most enjoyed by those curious about bees and honey.