Today is a day to celebrate bees and their importance in our world. But bees face dangers that can be detrimental to our lives. This picture book has a humorous take on the danger one bee faces because of a bear:

This book is a perfect example of the marriage between text and art in a picture book. The title alone gives you an idea of what this story will be about— a hungry, honey-loving bear will be in some sort of conflict with a bee. And that is what the story is about, but it’s so much more. Daniel Bernstrom’s text is short—only 116 words—just enough to tell the story, yet it has the humor, rhythm, and repetition that makes this a brilliant read-aloud for little ones. Then the art! Brandon James Scott’s bright, expressive illustrations have a honey glow on every page that tell a story beyond the words that, again, make the book a brilliant read-aloud. Run, don’t walk, to grab yourself a copy of this fun book!
 
Read this review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Did you read and like this book? 
One of the best ways to support authors and illustrators is to post reviews for their books. Support an author/illustrator today by leaving a review on Goodreads or Amazon!

​Let’s give a round of applause for all the hardworking farmworkers, especially today! And here’s a picture book that imagines what life might have been like years ago for twelve children who grew up on a farm:

Sophie Blackall has gone above and beyond with this beautiful, breathtaking, heartwarming book. The text is one long, lyrical sentence about a farmhouse “where twelve children were born and raised,” and the life Blackall imagines they had until they all had gone, and the house lay empty until Blackall discovered it and collected some abandoned treasures that inspired and her to create “this book that you hold.” Sigh. If that’s not enough, Blackall’s art is inspired. She used “scraps and fragments [she] found in the house” to create the illustrations and even included photographs of the remains of the house on the back endpapers. Maybe it’s because I, too, love old things (Blackall begins her author’s note, “I have always loved old things”); maybe it’s because my grandmother was the youngest of twelve children raised on a farm; maybe it’s because I have a large (not twelve) family of my own and can see my children in this book; whatever it is, this book holds a special place in my heart and a prime spot on my bookshelf.
 
Read this review on Goodreads and Amazon.
Did you read and like this book? 
One of the best ways to support authors and illustrators is to post reviews for their books. Support an author/illustrator today by leaving a review on Goodreads or Amazon!