All over the world, bee colonies are dwindling, but everyone can do something to help save the bees, from buying local honey to growing a bee-friendly garden.
Whether they live alone or together, in a hive or in a hole in the ground, bees do some of the most important work on the planet: pollinating plants. What's the Buzz? celebrates the magic of bees—from swarming to dancing to making honey—and encourages readers to do their part to keep the hives alive.
July 15, 2015
Author and hobbyist beekeeper Wilcox presents a cheery introduction to honeybees and their wild cousins. Wilcox covers a lot of territory in a brief book, notably including quite a lot of information about bumblebees and other undomesticated bees as well as a healthy helping of facts about honeybees. From an overview that distinguishes between bees and wasps and then among types of bees and a bit of honeybee history, Wilcox moves on to bees as pollinators, both those used in commercial agriculture and specialist bees that focus on just certain types of blossoms, such as the squash bee. She covers bee behavior and roles, swarming, and what beekeepers do before moving on to cover threats to bees such as neonicotinoids and the varroa mite. The text is broken into brief chapters, which are then broken into short sections, and the design includes both bright, mostly stock photographs and sidebars. Specialized vocabulary ("nectar," "industrial agriculture," etc.) is italicized within the text and defined in a closing glossary. The resource list includes only two books, both aimed at adults, but the list of websites includes several that are kid-friendly. Wilcox's tone is upbeat, and though her use of the exclamation mark is perhaps overdone, her enthusiasm for her subject is both genuine and infectious. As comprehensive an introduction as can be found in 48 pages. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
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July 1, 2015
Gr 4-6-"There's more to bees than honey," to quote the back cover of this thorough and fascinating look at these insects. It includes side trips into the greater world of why bees matter to world and local ecologies. Why might whole hives be dying? Why do we need bees? Why do fish need bees? How do bees differ from wasps? Do all bees make honey in hives? How can we help bees become healthy again? What are neonicotinoids? Wilcox, who describes her own foray into beekeeping in the introduction, raises and answers these and many more questions in easy prose. Great photos of kids, bees, and hives enhance the text. VERDICT A useful option for science teachers and students curious about bees and ecology.-Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX
Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
August 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 Written by an experienced apiculturist, this book is an introduction to the basics of bee physiology and behavior, dispelling many common myths of this ubiquitous insect. Wilcox celebrates the incredible diversity of bee species and the products that they provide. The life cycle of honeybees and the roles that workers, drones, and queens play is part of a discussion about what beekeepers do to keep colonies healthy. This introductory information provides the basis for a description of the problems facing bee populations that are decreasing at an alarming rate. Though not pointed to as a singular cause, Wilcox emphasizes the tenuous relationship between organisms in an ecosystem and the challenges that industrial agriculture present to maintaining the environment, and in particular, she focuses on bees' special role as pollinators for the world's food supply. This eye-opening book is a call to action, encouraging kids to plant flower gardens, support local farms, and raise awareness of the mysterious plight of disappearing bees. Full-color close-up photos and helpful diagrams add plenty of visual appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)