The Thing About Bees

September 23, 2019
Starring an affectionate family and a whole lot of bees, Larkin (A Moose Boosh) offers up a sparkling celebration of necessary pollinators, which begins with an explanation of how they work, overlaying images of strawberry blossoms with childlike drawings of a bee: “The bee moves pollen from one flower to another./ Then we wait.... and presto! The flower turns into a fruit you can eat.” Subsequent full-bleed spreads, “inspired by the techniques of... Kehinde Wiley and Norman Rockwell,” show a family of color interacting with the insects out of doors. Bees “can be a bit rude,” the text reads as a father and two sons leap comically from their chairs, and sometimes they sting. But, Larkin explains, without bees, “there’d be no more smoothies with mango./ There’d be no more strawberries for shortcake.” Loving bees is like loving his children, who “sting,/ when you’re in a bad mood” but are always deeply beloved. Imaginative and playful, Larkin’s images of the family’s encounters with bees and the fruits and vegetables they help produce helps them understand the role of pollinators—and provides stylish entertainment. A guide to bee species and instructions for avoiding stings are included. Ages 3–7.