Backyard Books: Are You a Bee?

Tudor Humphries is an renowned children's book illustrator, landscape painter, wildlife artist, photographer, sculptor and teacher. He recently illustrated The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe for HarperCollins.

Nancy Garhan Attebury - Children's LiteraturePart of the "Backyard Book" series, this book allows readers to expand their understanding by following up the title question with facts about a bee. For instance, the reader is asked, "Are you a bee?" A follow-up states, "Perhaps you are a honeybee. If so...." The informative text that follows imparts facts on being a larva, eating, living in a cell with a wax ceiling, looking hairy and striped, and much more. Soft-toned illustrations throughout depict realistic bees and their habitat. One lovely lavender iris unfolds on a two-page spread to become the background for one bee sipping hidden nectar and another one gathering pollen. The pace of the text moves forward nicely so a reader gathers a comprehensive picture of bees. A fun twist happens at the end when the reader sees a trio of beekeepers and is told, "if your mother looks a little like this..." you are a human child! The last full-page illustration, aptly shown in honey-colored browns and golds, is one of a contented child who does not have to be as busy as a bee, but who can enjoy bread and honey thanks to bees. Two more pages offer extra facts about the busy creatures. Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum. 2004 (orig. 2001), Kingfisher/Houghton Mifflin, Ages 4 to 8. Children's Literature"Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum." Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum. Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum. "Children's Literature"" "Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum." --Children's Literature Add this 32-page book to a science curriculum. Children's Literature"