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These Bees Count!
A 2013 Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner
A 2013 CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
In this counting story, Mr. Tate's class takes a field trip to a bee farm and learns about bees and how they make honey.
How do bees count? The bees at the Busy Bee Farm buzz through the sky as one big swarm, fly over two waving dandelions, find three wild strawberries dripping tasty nectar…As the children in Mr. Tate's class listen, they learn how bees work to produce honey and make food and flowers grow. Bees count―they're important to us all. Alison Formento's gentle message is illustrated with Sarah Snow’s bright, realistic papercuts.
A 2013 CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
In this counting story, Mr. Tate's class takes a field trip to a bee farm and learns about bees and how they make honey.
How do bees count? The bees at the Busy Bee Farm buzz through the sky as one big swarm, fly over two waving dandelions, find three wild strawberries dripping tasty nectar…As the children in Mr. Tate's class listen, they learn how bees work to produce honey and make food and flowers grow. Bees count―they're important to us all. Alison Formento's gentle message is illustrated with Sarah Snow’s bright, realistic papercuts.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Alison Ashley Formento
7 books19 followersAlison Ashley Formento is the author of the young adult novel TWIGS (Merit Press), and award-winning picture books THIS TREE COUNTS!, THIS TREE 1, 2, 3, THESE BEES COUNT!, THESE SEAS COUNT! and THESE ROCKS COUNT! (Albert Whitman & Co.). She's written for The New York Times, Parenting, The Writer and several other magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
April 24, 2017
These Bees Count is a cute kids book that gives a little big counting practice couched in the story of how we get honey from bees. At a time when bee populations are vanishing and dying, the important of bees cannot be overstated and I will happily add this book to my collection as a reminder of that.
August 29, 2025
Great book for children, the kids at the farm were pretty happy about it lol, and it made my job way easier since the book explains what bees do in very simple words 🐝
May 6, 2021
Mr. Tate's elementary class goes on a field trip to a farm. At first, the students are making guesses of what kind of farm they could be at- a flower farm or maybe a tree farm? Then, the students learn they are at a bee farm! They each get their own set of safety gear to wear while visiting the bees. Once Farmer Ellen smokes out the bees' houses, the students listen to what the bees are saying. The bees count 1- 10 all over the many things they see during their flight like apple blossoms, cherry trees, and tulips. Students listen to Farmer Ellen to hear how bees make honey, and the students become less afraid of the bees. The students are friends with the bees and thank them for their honey.
When I was at the library looking for books to read, I thought this was going to be like every other math concept book, counting numbers from 1 to 10. While it did do this, it gave me so much more. It gave me an inside look at the importance of the bees- how hard they work, how much effort they put forth, and all of the benefits we have thanks to them. It was truly amazing to me to see how we have in the world, and we owe a great many thanks to the bees. I also liked how this book showcased diversity within the group of students from Mr. Tate's class. It represents African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, and possibly Hispanics. I personally feel like they even break the norms of a typical elementary classroom teacher. Usually, this character is played by a female, but in this book, the role is taken by a male. Overall, definitely enjoyed this read, especially the back page information that provide even further detail on bees.
When I was at the library looking for books to read, I thought this was going to be like every other math concept book, counting numbers from 1 to 10. While it did do this, it gave me so much more. It gave me an inside look at the importance of the bees- how hard they work, how much effort they put forth, and all of the benefits we have thanks to them. It was truly amazing to me to see how we have in the world, and we owe a great many thanks to the bees. I also liked how this book showcased diversity within the group of students from Mr. Tate's class. It represents African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, and possibly Hispanics. I personally feel like they even break the norms of a typical elementary classroom teacher. Usually, this character is played by a female, but in this book, the role is taken by a male. Overall, definitely enjoyed this read, especially the back page information that provide even further detail on bees.
March 20, 2023
Having already read some picture books by the dynamic duo of Alison Ashley Formento (author) and Sarah Snow (illustrator), I suspect that we readers are in for a treat.
And that endpaper, front and back, showing with bees around a honeycomb? Success at making this book sooooooooo inviting to me!
Reading completed now, I can only conclude, this is...
ONE MORE SUPERB SCIENCE BOOK FOR CHILDREN
Yes, counting helps enliven the already lively narrative. We learn what beekeepers do, plus how honey is made and bottled.
To this bee-lover, this introduction to bees is nothing short of superb.
And that endpaper, front and back, showing with bees around a honeycomb? Success at making this book sooooooooo inviting to me!
Reading completed now, I can only conclude, this is...
ONE MORE SUPERB SCIENCE BOOK FOR CHILDREN
Yes, counting helps enliven the already lively narrative. We learn what beekeepers do, plus how honey is made and bottled.
To this bee-lover, this introduction to bees is nothing short of superb.
February 28, 2022
These Bees Count! by Alison Formento is about a class of school-aged children on a field trip to an apiary farm. Facts about bees are relayed through dialogue and pictures. At one point, the book follows flying bees while practicing counting numbers, which suggests that the book would be good for early readers and counters. However, the prose is dense for early readers and counters.
January 9, 2023
Picturebook. Shows racially diverse kids. Has counting but it also explains in a kid friendly way bees, pollinating, honey. A dense page of text in the back further explains how bees collect honey, what crops depend on them, the waggle dance, how many bees in a colony and who does what, what they look like, and the challenges bees are facing.
August 29, 2017
This is a great book with great illustrations to teach children how to use their imagination. There is also a lot of good information about what a bee does and how they spend their day. It is also teaches children how to count from one to ten in a fun and interesting way.
August 30, 2018
This book incorporated facts about honeybees, but also included counting. The children in the book go on a field trip to learn about the bees. The students learn about the bees creating honey from the nectar of other plants.
October 21, 2018
A very cute and informational book about a class going to the bee farm for a field trip. All the kids learn interesting facts about what bees do and how important they are to life. It was great read that students would enjoy an would be great for guided reading sessions.
October 28, 2018
Informational book that teaches how bees work and pollinate. Beautifully colored illustrations filled with countable items on the farm. Children learn the benefits of a bee farm and how honey is made.
August 31, 2020
This book was very enjoyable as it shows children what bees do from a playful view on their perspective. My favorite part was how the bees compared themselves to "nature's farmer", which is something I'd never thought about.
October 16, 2017
Mr. Tate brings his students to a bee farm. The students learn about bees and how important they are to the planet. The illustrations in the book are very bright and give a lot of detail about bees.
June 17, 2018
Great information and basic overview about what bees do. Nice illustrations. Good for storytime.
June 12, 2019
Learned about bees
January 21, 2021
Great bee information but also kind of young in the counting aspect. Feels like it is trying to hit a couple different age groups.
July 3, 2024
Informative with great illustrations.
September 6, 2019
This picture book was informational, but geared more towards a story telling format. It follows a group of students that go on a field trip to a farm that houses both plants and honeybees. It shows the process of honey-making and how important bees are to our environment. This would be great to read before taking students on a field trip to a honeybee farm.
April 17, 2018
Mr. Tate brings his students to a bee farm. The students learn about bees and how important they are to the planet. The illustrations in the book are very bright and give a lot of detail about bees.
March 29, 2012
Grades K-2
Mr. Tate's class, originally introduced in This Tree Counts (2010), is back. This time, they're taking a field trip to Busy Bee Farm, where Farmer Ellen introduces them to the world of beekeeping. As they tour the farm and dress in protective suits to get close to the apiaries, Farmer Ellen explains how beneficial bees are as they pollenate a wide variety of plants and crops. She also encourages the multi-ethnic group of children to really watch the bees and listen carefully, and as the children listen, they hear counting within the buzz of the bees-- TWO waving dandelions, THREE wild strawberries, FOUR apple blossoms, etc. The counting is rather incongruous with the rest of the story, but it does broaden the book's appeal to both teachers looking for number books and teachers wanting to supplement a science lesson. The author's note at the end is probably too detailed for the younger audiences towards whom the book seems to be aimed, but it gives teachers and parents abundant information about bees (including the recent outbreaks of colony collapse disorder) that they can share with students. Overall, an engaging introduction to the importance of honeybees, with a little counting thrown in for good measure.
Mr. Tate's class, originally introduced in This Tree Counts (2010), is back. This time, they're taking a field trip to Busy Bee Farm, where Farmer Ellen introduces them to the world of beekeeping. As they tour the farm and dress in protective suits to get close to the apiaries, Farmer Ellen explains how beneficial bees are as they pollenate a wide variety of plants and crops. She also encourages the multi-ethnic group of children to really watch the bees and listen carefully, and as the children listen, they hear counting within the buzz of the bees-- TWO waving dandelions, THREE wild strawberries, FOUR apple blossoms, etc. The counting is rather incongruous with the rest of the story, but it does broaden the book's appeal to both teachers looking for number books and teachers wanting to supplement a science lesson. The author's note at the end is probably too detailed for the younger audiences towards whom the book seems to be aimed, but it gives teachers and parents abundant information about bees (including the recent outbreaks of colony collapse disorder) that they can share with students. Overall, an engaging introduction to the importance of honeybees, with a little counting thrown in for good measure.
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October 20, 2012The story is about a class trip to a bee farm. The students are able to dress for safety to see the bees, and the farmer smokes them out of the hive. The students listen to the bees, and can hear them count. The Bees count each thing they land on and keep moving.
The audience for this book would be a preschool classroom learning about counting. Especially about how many animals use counting in their lives just like we do. I think that students who enjoy science will most definitely be a great audience for this book.
I would use this book for teaching students about counting as well as the lives of bees. This would be a great book to do a small science and math lesson together.
The appeal for this story is the interesting bee facts and the fun that the bees give the story. Bees counting is an unusual idea, and many children will not understand, or will be very interested that the bees are counting their plants. All of this will help students to like the book.
Formento, Alison, and Sarah Snow. These bees count!. Chicago, Ill.: Albert Whitman & Co., 2012. Print.
The audience for this book would be a preschool classroom learning about counting. Especially about how many animals use counting in their lives just like we do. I think that students who enjoy science will most definitely be a great audience for this book.
I would use this book for teaching students about counting as well as the lives of bees. This would be a great book to do a small science and math lesson together.
The appeal for this story is the interesting bee facts and the fun that the bees give the story. Bees counting is an unusual idea, and many children will not understand, or will be very interested that the bees are counting their plants. All of this will help students to like the book.
Formento, Alison, and Sarah Snow. These bees count!. Chicago, Ill.: Albert Whitman & Co., 2012. Print.
December 21, 2012
“Mr. Tate’s class loves taking field trips. Today their bus went to a farm.”
At first the kids thought it was strange that all there was on the farm were flowers and trees. Then they find out it is a bee farm and bees live there. Then they learn about how bees are so important to plants, flowers and us! They also listen to the buzzing of the bees and hear the bees’ song.
Why I liked this book – This is a great book for young kids to learn about how bees are very important. It also talks about how bees make honey. I like that during the “Bees’ song” the bees count up to ten, which also teaches young kids how to count. This is a great book for ALL ages! I love Ms. Formento’s book! I can’t wait to read her “These Trees Count” book and the newest book in the series, “These Seas Count”!
**NOTE I bought a copy of this book at a festival.
At first the kids thought it was strange that all there was on the farm were flowers and trees. Then they find out it is a bee farm and bees live there. Then they learn about how bees are so important to plants, flowers and us! They also listen to the buzzing of the bees and hear the bees’ song.
Why I liked this book – This is a great book for young kids to learn about how bees are very important. It also talks about how bees make honey. I like that during the “Bees’ song” the bees count up to ten, which also teaches young kids how to count. This is a great book for ALL ages! I love Ms. Formento’s book! I can’t wait to read her “These Trees Count” book and the newest book in the series, “These Seas Count”!
**NOTE I bought a copy of this book at a festival.
March 30, 2013
When Mr. Tate’s class visits a farm on a school field trip, the students learn all about the work bees do to create honey. The children even have the chance to don the gear beekeepers use, complete with nets to cover their faces. The farmer, a woman named Ellen, shows them the bee hives and explains how bees collect pollen from flowers and demonstrates how she uses smoke to send them out of the hive. Although the book title is a play on words since the bees count when it comes to making honey, it also allows readers to count the number of elements on the pages; for instance, there are five poppies reaching for the sun on one page and nine peapods whose vines cling to stakes. Back matter includes information on bees and even a brief discussion about colony collapse disorder. The vivid illustrations and honeycombed endpapers add immensely to the pleasures of reading this short text.
May 20, 2012
This started out pretty neat with a class' visit to a beeyard - all the kids put on beesuits and they examine the beehives and learn how bees make honey. And then the kids are told to listen to the bees and they go off on this strange departure where the bees are singing and buzzing and counting. Do bees actually count? A strange mixture of fact and fancy for sure. Lovely illustrations (collage, mixed media) show cute kids and bees.
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August 27, 2016This book was very educational yet told as a story. A class went to a bee farm and learned all the different flowers and how bees are the reason for many flowers and fruit. then they see the bee boxes where they live and make their honey. and then they extract the honey from the honeycombs to produce honey. I enjoyed how it was a story, yet very educational with many facts about bees and the process.
August 25, 2012
A completely lovely book. The illustrations are wonderful, the text is awesome. Another great informational picture book. Teachers - pay attention to this one! I can't wait to read "This Tree Counts!" by the same author/illustrator team. I hope they continue on making these to reach all the pre-Magic Schoolbus age kiddos.
August 8, 2013
This story has a lot of information on honey bees and how they pollinate plants and make honey. It is also very colorful and well illustrated. In the middle of the story there is a one to ten count which may be helpful for younger students who need to practice their counting skills. Overall, this is a cute story which also manages to be informative.
May 29, 2014
A class goes on a field trip to a farm. A swarm of bees flies over the farm and then the counting begins with where they fly. There is also some factual information about bees.
I haven't included nonfiction in my list. This is a combination - fiction with facts embedded.
Counting. Number recognition. Fact.
I haven't included nonfiction in my list. This is a combination - fiction with facts embedded.
Counting. Number recognition. Fact.
April 16, 2015
This book is definitely for kids who are beginning to take interest in longer stories versus the short ones (full of fun rhymes). It's the story of a classroom that went on a field trip to learn more about bees and honey.
Since it was too advanced for my kid I will have to revisit it later and see how she likes it.
Since it was too advanced for my kid I will have to revisit it later and see how she likes it.
October 24, 2012
Great bee basics, with lovely cut-paper textured collages, saved from being too fact-heavy by a lyrical counting interlude in the middle. An afterword expands on how bees live & produce honey as well as the threat posed by colony collapse disorder.
March 13, 2013
This is a must have for any one (or group) learning about bees, presenting as much information through the illustrations as through the text. The count/count word play adds to its effectiveness across many ages.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews