Both of my toddlers have now reached a stage where they are a bit bug obsessed. It is so much fun to watch them discover nature’s little friends when we are playing outside. This fascination has led us to search out various books all about bugs and this search has led us to some really great bee books.
I especially love sharing nonfiction books about bees. This isn’t just because I have an everlasting love for honey and think that fuzzy bumblebees are pretty darn cute, but because I think it is important for us to teach children so that they are environmentally aware. Without bees we wouldn’t have wildlife, they are absolutely essential. Also, the sad truth is that they are in danger, literally. Not too long ago a species of honey bee was added to the endangered species list in the US. I feel that this fact makes bee books more important than ever. Below are some especially beautiful and wonderful books that feature our friend the bee.
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“Bee: A Peek-Through Picture Book” by Britta Teckentrup- I adore pretty much everything Britta creates and this book is no exception. The illustrations are breathtaking and the message it carries about bees is simple, but sweet.
“The Beeman” by Laurie Krebs and Valeria Cis- This book is about a little boy who’s grandfather is a beekeeper and it is very informative about what beekeepers do and how honey collection works. It also includes a recipe for honey muffins at the end. Win!
“Bees: A Honeyed History” by Piotr Socha- This oversized nonfiction book is absolutely gorgeous and is packed with all sorts of interesting information about bees. It is a feast for the eyes as well as a little bookworms curiosity.
“Bee and Me” by Alison Jay- This is a wordless picture book with illustrations that are incredible. It tells the fictional story of a little girl who befriends a bee while sharing the nonfictional message about how vital bees are to nature. A wonderful marriage of reality and imagination.
“The Big Honey Hunt” by Stan Berenstain- Okay, I just couldn’t do a bee list without including this book. We are definite Berenstain fans and this book about papa bear trying to find honey for brother bear is one that is beloved by my little boy especially. Not really informational about bees, but so cute and fun.
“Egg to Bee (Life Cycle)” byby Camilla de la Bedoyere- This nonfiction book has quickly become a favorite for my son. I love that it has photos instead of illustrations and covers the life cycle of a bee in a simple enough way for a young child to understand.
“The King Of Bees” by Lester L. Laminack and Jim LaMarche- This realistic fiction book about a little boy who wants to be a bee keeper like his Aunt and how he tries to find a way to communicate with the bees. This book has a lot of facts about bees that it introduces, but my favorite is about how they communicate through movements/dance.
“Bees In the City” by Andrea Cheng and Sarah McMenemy- This is a story about a little boy named Lionel who lives in the city and has an aunt who lives in the country and is a bee keeper. Lionel soon learns that his Aunts bees are in danger and dying because there isn’t a big enough variety of plants for them in the city and Lionel decides to take matters in his own hands and organizes a “bee garden” on the balconies of his apartment building. This book has a fun secant about urban beekeeping in the back as well.
“Hello, Honeybees: Read and Play in the Hive” by Hannah Rogge and Emily Dove- I have a crush on this darling board book! It opens up into a 3D hive that you can play with using the little cut-out honeybees attached to the book with ribbons. Plus, it’s a great nonfiction introduction on bees for the littlest bookworms.
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