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The Bumblebee Queen
Product Code: 13624 ISBN: 978-1-57091-362-4 Binding Information: Hardcover Ages: 4 - 7 Availability: In stock. Price: $15.95 Lyrical text just right for young nature lovers describes the life of a typical North American bumblebee queen. Follow the queen as she finds a nest, gathers nectar, lays eggs, and tends her colony through spring, summer, and fall. Scientifically accurate illustrations include captivating details of hive life.
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Binding Information: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57091-363-1 Availability: In stock. Price: $7.95 Reviews Kirkus Reviews - January 31, 2005
Sayre follows the life cycle of a bumblebee queen, as she emerges from her winter shelter, selects an abandoned mouse nest for a colony site, busily tends the first generation of eggs and larvae, then, at summer's end, dies with her workers and drones, while the next generation of queens digs in to wait for spring. Throughout, she inserts additional details in smaller-type rubrics and adds "More Buzz about Bees" and "Good Bee-Havior," at the end. Wynne draws the viewer in to her precisely detailed, close-up natural scenes by posing queen and offspring looking up from the page to make eye contact--but she follows the author in steering clear of anthropomorphic inventions. Capped by a multimedia resource list, this makes nourishing fare for young observers of nature.
Booklist - March 31, 2005
In the spring, a queen bee digs her way out of the ground and flies off to drink nectar and search for a home for her colony. She settles into an old mouse nest, makes a waxy cup for storing nectar, lays eggs, tends them, and hatches them. After going through the larval stage, the new bees become workers, drones, and queens. In the fall, the new queens mate with drones before burrowing underground for the winter. A dual text conveys the main facts in large-type words, carefully chosen for sound as well as meaning. In a smaller font, another paragraph on each page or double-page spread offers related information in greater detail. Precise ink drawings with watercolor washes illustrate the text with clarity, simplicity, and skill. An appended spread includes a circular illustration of the bee's life cycle as well as more facts about U.S. bees and pollination, suggested activities, tips on observing bees, and short lists of recommended books and Web sites. Informative and attractive.
School Library Journal - April 30, 2005
Engaging watercolors keep time with a simple, easy-to-read text describing the life cycle of a bumblebee queen, from her awakening from winter hibernation to her death in late autumn. Sayre includes "fact circles" containing extra data on these creatures, a couple of closing paragraphs on bumblebee/honeybee pollinating skills, and respectful human behavior toward bees. Gentle, informative, and appealing, this title is an effective antidote to the edgy world of "killer" bees.
The Horn Book - May 31, 2005
We join a queen bee as she emerges in spring and begins the process of colony building and reproduction. She carefully chooses a nesting site, builds her hive, lays eggs, and cares for the drones, workers, and new queens that hatch. Sayre tells the bee's story in the main text and provides additional interesting bee facts in separate areas. The clear, close-up illustrations depict the fuzzy bees in their farmland habitat filled with colorful flowers, trees, and leaves, and include enough detail to help young readers learn bee and hive structures. The choice to focus on the queen as the central character is understandable from both scientific and literary perspectives, though it does mean less attention paid to the equally important workers and drones. Further information about bees, including tips on careful observation and facts about pollination, is appended along with a list of recommended books and websites.
NSTA Recommends - May 31, 2005
The Bumblebee Queen is a captivating picture book for children ages 3-8. Scientifically accurate illustrations reinforce the lyrical prose. It's an ideal motivator for a child's first exploration of life cycles, structure and function, or habitats.
Beginning in spring, the story tells how a bumblebee queen digs out from below ground and flies in search of flowers from which to drink nectar. The queen looks for a place to nest in the ground and makes a waxy honey pot for storing nectar to eat on stormy days. Next she lays eggs that soon hatch. The larvae eat pollen and grow until they spin cocoons. The queen bee continues to collect nectar, gather pollen, and lay more eggs. Soon the new bees emerge from their cocoons. The new workers gather nectar and pollen and feed the larvae. In the fall, the new queens follow the drones and mate with them before finding a place in the soft earth to dig down and overwinter. All the other bees stay above ground where they cannot survive. Patricia Wynne’s delightful illustrations show the differences between the queen, worker, and drone bees, and the text explains the job of each type of bee. Facts printed in smaller text scattered throughout the book supplement the illustrations and written text for the adult who is working with the younger readers. The book supports National Science Education Content Standards for structure and function and life cycles. Additional bee information, books, and websites are provided in the back of the book for the interested reader. What a pleasure it will be to share this artistic, informative book with children of all ages! Science Books & Films - July 31, 2005
The Bumblebee Queen presents the life cycle of bumblebees over the temperate year, from the emergence of mated queens in the spring, through the founding of nests and rearing of workers, to the development and mating of new queens and drones. The story ends as the new queens begin to hibernate and the other bees die. The story is told in simple language, with sidebars for parent or teacher readers who may want a little more information. An additional paragraph on bees and pollination, plus information on bee conservation and a short list of books and Web sites are supplied at the end of the book. A little more information could be added to guide children's observations of bees. The book is greatly enhanced by the illustrations of bees and seasonal flowers, which are simplified, yet accurate and beautiful. The worn wings of the dying bees at the end of the story are an especially nice touch. This is an exemplary natural history book for young children. I recommend it to everyone.
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