What's the Buzz?: Keeping Bees in Flight

Footprints

by Merrie-Ellen Wilcox

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.
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.

Genres: Science, Animals, Nonfiction, Nature, Childrens, Canada, Conservation

48 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2015

About the author

Merrie-Ellen Wilcox is a writer and editor who has also played bass guitar in a rock-and-roll band, worked on documentary films, and thought about becoming a midwife or a Zen monk. A young neighbor's questions about her beehives led Merrie-Ellen to write this book. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with her husband and a lot of bees. Her grown children come home to get honey.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book with lots of unique facts about bees that I didn't know. Did you know there are blue bees?! Has pictures of children working with bees & is very readable. Teaches how important bees are to the earth & gives ways for kids (& grownups) to help keep the bees from facing extinction. Really enjoyed it....

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting book about bees.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good photos, diagrams, organization. However, I got confused sometimes when the discussion went from specific bee species to bees in general. For example, the discussion about solitary or social seems to contradict the next paragraph.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very readable and packed with facts - I didn't know there was so much to know about bees!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Good Reads Giveaway book! & I really enjoyed it! I loved this mid-grader book! The pages are colorful & high quality & the info was easy to understand. I learned a few new things myself!

[K Morlando · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good class resource for our insect unit!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book for kids interested in honey bees or beekeeping.

[PottWab Regional Library]

A

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the book might benefit from a slight reorganization so that readers receive an overview of bees and then examine the different types of bees rather than shifting back and forth, which I found somewhat confusing, this book's four chapters manage to evoke sympathy and concern for the bees. It seems clear from the text that humans are to blame for some of what ails this species, and only humans can fix what they have come close to ruining. If nothing else, readers will have a renewed appreciation of bees and their work ethic while learning more about hive behavior and how bees fly. Some readers may be compelled to work to raise awareness about the plight of bees while others may become interested in keeping hives of their own, drawn by the author's enthusiastic endorsement of this practice. For those readers who know quite a bit about bees, the book still contains starting facts such as this one: One pound of honey is the result of visits to two million flowers and a journey of 55,000 miles (p. 43). If that information doesn't make readers more appreciative of all the work those bees do, I don't know what will. Published in Canada, this book is filled with colorful photos, including several of youngsters involved in beekeeping, and warm descriptions of the life of bees. It's safe to say that readers will never regard bees so casually again and many will want to work to eradicate the use of pesticides, partially blamed for the demise of bees.

[Emily White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book to my ten year old son in one sitting at bedtime. He was interested throughout and wanted to see every photo and illustration. The format of the book and the presentation of facts throughout kept his attention. This book is well-written, with a good mix of science, fun facts, how-to info, what the reader can do for pollinators in their own yard, etc. The text of this book is comprehensive for its target age-group (elementary, middle grade), and is excellent at explaining the importance of pollinators: their decline, the role of pesticides, etc. Citizen Science, planting pollinator gardens, and local farmer's market participation is encouraged. The layout of the included information - breaking topics down into different panels - works well and doesn't make the text seem choppy at all. Highly recommended, especially for a child who maybe fears bees.

[Jen Ferry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome non-fiction series! I can see this being used as a mentor text in an expository writing/reading unit. This series is very accessible for middle grade readers that are on grade level. The book includes great photographs, student text features, diagrams, etc. It is a well executed NF series. I definitely need to order the other titles.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. This is a beautifully put-together book about bees that has lots of interesting information. It's easy to understand, and I plan to use it as a resource in our middle school library. The pictures are great and this book would be a good introduction to the life and welfare of bees for elementary-middle school students.

[Aliza Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Orca Footprint series. It makes a picture book/ chapter book hybrid to keep readers engaged and understanding. I loved last year's TRASH TALK and this topic is timely, crucial, relevant, and fascinating for readers of all ages.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent nonfiction for my elementary researchers, and it makes a great companion to The Hive Detectives by Loree Griffin Burns.