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A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree
Boisterous and buzzing, A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree is destined to be an instant classic . . . with delightfully funny illustrations and clever, fun-to-read text, from the acclaimed author of One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree.
When a hungry, fuzzy brown bear and a hive of angry bees come face to face, everybody's abuzz! Award-winning author Daniel Bernstrom and critically acclaimed illustrator Brandon James Scott have created a rowdy, rhythmic read-aloud that's also perfect for beginning readers. This epic chase story features Bernstrom's signature alliterative wordplay and verbal pizzazz, along with Scott's expressive characters that jump off the pages. A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree has the kind of high-energy, uninhibited playfulness that makes kids want to run, chase, find out something about bear and bee behavior—and learn to read!
When a hungry, fuzzy brown bear and a hive of angry bees come face to face, everybody's abuzz! Award-winning author Daniel Bernstrom and critically acclaimed illustrator Brandon James Scott have created a rowdy, rhythmic read-aloud that's also perfect for beginning readers. This epic chase story features Bernstrom's signature alliterative wordplay and verbal pizzazz, along with Scott's expressive characters that jump off the pages. A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree has the kind of high-energy, uninhibited playfulness that makes kids want to run, chase, find out something about bear and bee behavior—and learn to read!
40 pages, Hardcover
Published November 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 29, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a funny illustrated children's book about a hungry bear who spots a hive in a tree and climbs to get the Honey. He gets a nasty shock when he peers into the hive to see hundreds of fuzzy angry bees looking back at him. This is such a fun book for children who will squeel in delight and shout warnings to the bear. This is sure to be a popular group read for storytimes in nursery and school classrooms. I loved the expressive illustrations so much and they gave the book so much more as the story has very few words to it and together they were perfect!
A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a funny illustrated children's book about a hungry bear who spots a hive in a tree and climbs to get the Honey. He gets a nasty shock when he peers into the hive to see hundreds of fuzzy angry bees looking back at him. This is such a fun book for children who will squeel in delight and shout warnings to the bear. This is sure to be a popular group read for storytimes in nursery and school classrooms. I loved the expressive illustrations so much and they gave the book so much more as the story has very few words to it and together they were perfect!
June 29, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.
A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a funny illustrated children's book about a hungry bear who spots a hive in a tree and climbs to get the Honey. He gets a nasty shock when he peers into the hive to see hundreds of fuzzy angry bees looking back at him. This is such a fun book for children who will squeel in delight and shout warnings to the bear. This is sure to be a popular group read for storytimes in nursery and school classrooms. I loved the expressive illustrations so much and they gave the book so much more as the story has very few words to it and together they were perfect!
A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a funny illustrated children's book about a hungry bear who spots a hive in a tree and climbs to get the Honey. He gets a nasty shock when he peers into the hive to see hundreds of fuzzy angry bees looking back at him. This is such a fun book for children who will squeel in delight and shout warnings to the bear. This is sure to be a popular group read for storytimes in nursery and school classrooms. I loved the expressive illustrations so much and they gave the book so much more as the story has very few words to it and together they were perfect!
June 28, 2022
Reviewed from an F&G of the book.
One morning, a bear spots a large hive of honey in a tree. That same morning, a bee spots the bear as he approaches the hive,trying to protect it. When the bear sticks his paw in for a taste of honey, a million bees swarm and chase him away, leaving the solitary bee on the lookout for the bear again.
Simplicity is the key to the success of this book by Bernstrom. The spare text makes this story approachable for the youngest of listeners. The bouncy, rhyming text keeps the action quick and snappy.
Digital illustrations by Brandon James Scott are bright and zippy. The bee is the perfect foil for bear; the range of emotions of both characters is part of the fun as they morph throughout the tale. It is a riot to flip back and forth between the 2-page spreads in the middle of the book and watch the bear's eyes go from a guilty "being caught" look to one of horror as he sees that there is not just one bee angry at him, but a million. The book's finish shows the single bee with his "got you in my sight" look at bear who reflects that same look.
A charming book to read for children aged 12 months - 3 years. Lots of action, fun sounds to imagine, and great vocabulary-building/counting opportunities in this one! Enjoy a spoonful of honey with this one!
One morning, a bear spots a large hive of honey in a tree. That same morning, a bee spots the bear as he approaches the hive,trying to protect it. When the bear sticks his paw in for a taste of honey, a million bees swarm and chase him away, leaving the solitary bee on the lookout for the bear again.
Simplicity is the key to the success of this book by Bernstrom. The spare text makes this story approachable for the youngest of listeners. The bouncy, rhyming text keeps the action quick and snappy.
Digital illustrations by Brandon James Scott are bright and zippy. The bee is the perfect foil for bear; the range of emotions of both characters is part of the fun as they morph throughout the tale. It is a riot to flip back and forth between the 2-page spreads in the middle of the book and watch the bear's eyes go from a guilty "being caught" look to one of horror as he sees that there is not just one bee angry at him, but a million. The book's finish shows the single bee with his "got you in my sight" look at bear who reflects that same look.
A charming book to read for children aged 12 months - 3 years. Lots of action, fun sounds to imagine, and great vocabulary-building/counting opportunities in this one! Enjoy a spoonful of honey with this one!
July 28, 2022
I laughed out loud numerous times, despite the fact that this story has minimal words in it. Well done.
June 6, 2023
The premise is a classic one that has been done before for the type of characters involved: a hungry bear sees a beehive loaded with honey and is diligent about getting it; of course, he manages to anger a bee guarding the nest, who in turn notifies thousands of others inside the nest, and then - the chase begins. This simple storyline presented by Daniel Bernstrom contains playful, simple text with tongue-twisting alliteration and rhyming words that will get a young (and older) audience laughing. There is a good amount of slapstick-style humor, as well as comical facial expressions by the main characters which add to the fun. The artwork by Brandon James Scott, often spreads out over two pages and is vibrant, and loaded with bright greens and yellows - it really jumps off the pages. This is a great read aloud title - many opportunities for expression-filled reading here! It is also a book that will be requested for multiple re-reads by teachers, librarians, parents/grandparents and any reader looking for a smile and a laugh.
June 21, 2022
This is a small book about a Bear, a Bee and their race to food in the honey tree. The book had very little text and so I found was lacking a little in the story; however, the rhyming was quite good. The graphics were cute and fit well with the story. I feel that there could have been so much more added to the storyline to make it feel more complete. With all of this being said, I’m not sure that I would spend the list price of $24.99 Canadian for this small book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC for my honest opinion and review.
⭐️⭐️💫 2.5 - 3 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC for my honest opinion and review.
⭐️⭐️💫 2.5 - 3 stars
July 25, 2022
I received an electronic copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Bear wants honey from the honey tree. Bee wants to keep bear from the honey tree which leads to a humorous and playful story.
The short, rhyming text (less than 120 words) paired with the bright, bold, and silly illustrations makes this a perfect picture read aloud book for ages 0-4. The repeated words and short phases make this a great book for early readers.
This story is what I would say is a true picture book-the story is in the illustrations. I read it to my 4yo and he enjoyed the story.
Bear wants honey from the honey tree. Bee wants to keep bear from the honey tree which leads to a humorous and playful story.
The short, rhyming text (less than 120 words) paired with the bright, bold, and silly illustrations makes this a perfect picture read aloud book for ages 0-4. The repeated words and short phases make this a great book for early readers.
This story is what I would say is a true picture book-the story is in the illustrations. I read it to my 4yo and he enjoyed the story.
December 22, 2022
I remember the Winnie the Pooh story about him and the honey bees, and this was a cute book with the same message. A hungry bear finds a honey tree and up he goes. His hands go in, and he angers the bees to they swarm and he runs. Luckily he hides and they go back to his hive and he goes home, still hungry. This is a cute and humorous easy reader book for beginning readers and a low word count book for toddlers. It is fun, but the message about not messing with the bees and their hive is there. The illustrations by Brandon James Scott are wonderful. The expressions on the faces of the bees and the bear are priceless. My youngest grandson loved this book and I read it a few times to him. My oldest is afraid of bees and he didn't like this story at all. He kept shouting at the bear to leave the bees alone. I liked that my 6 YO granddaughter was able to read a lot of this book to her brothers. I can see this being a favourite book in preschool classrooms.
July 1, 2022
Thank you to Hippo Park for the F&G received at ALA Annual 2022.
I think the things that charmed me the most were the illustrations and the rhyming/rhythmic text. The bear and the bee are both utterly delightful in their facial expressions and blurry, fuzzy, illustration style. Bernstrom's rhythmic text is a delight to read and young readers will have a blast trying to warn bear about the bees, but also cheering him on as he tries to be stealthy.
I did feel like the story did not resolve completely. It just kind of ends with no fanfare or resolution. I actually thought my pages were stuck together or something because the ending was so abrupt.
Out in November
I think the things that charmed me the most were the illustrations and the rhyming/rhythmic text. The bear and the bee are both utterly delightful in their facial expressions and blurry, fuzzy, illustration style. Bernstrom's rhythmic text is a delight to read and young readers will have a blast trying to warn bear about the bees, but also cheering him on as he tries to be stealthy.
I did feel like the story did not resolve completely. It just kind of ends with no fanfare or resolution. I actually thought my pages were stuck together or something because the ending was so abrupt.
Out in November
February 11, 2023
A hungry bear, a busy bee and a Honey tree all serve as the basis for this delightful read-aloud picture book.
Acclaimed writer Daniel Bernstrom gives us a simple vocabulary text of a hungry bear eager to get to the honey, but how will the bees react?
It is Brandon James Scott's beautiful illustrations that carry the emotional depth of bear and bees' attitudes more than the text.
Acclaimed writer Daniel Bernstrom gives us a simple vocabulary text of a hungry bear eager to get to the honey, but how will the bees react?
It is Brandon James Scott's beautiful illustrations that carry the emotional depth of bear and bees' attitudes more than the text.
March 21, 2023
This is a fun book with lots of energy! This would make a great read aloud with alliterative, descriptive words and the anticipation of finding out if bear’s hunger is any match for a hive of busy, buzzy bees. The pictures tell the story and the words highlight the excitement! This is a book that your child will ask to hear again and again!
Reviewer # 2
Reviewer # 2
October 24, 2023
I wasn't surprised to learn that illustrator Brandon Scott is also an animator, because this book feels like a Pixar short film. A book fit for the 2- and 3-year-old crowd with its short, sweet sentences and emotive bear and bee. Very, very cute.
June 26, 2022
I just read this to my 4 year-old daughter for a bed time story and she loved the pictures and the rhyming. She gave this book 5 stars. I agree for a children's book it is a great 5 star for them.
This was a cute little read about a bear, a bee and a honeybee as the title states. The rhyming was well placed and the pictures were cute as well. Definitely a sweet and short book to read with your little ones.
Thank you to Netgalley and Astra Publishing House for the Arc!
This was a cute little read about a bear, a bee and a honeybee as the title states. The rhyming was well placed and the pictures were cute as well. Definitely a sweet and short book to read with your little ones.
Thank you to Netgalley and Astra Publishing House for the Arc!
December 19, 2022
Another holiday gift. This goes out to all you hungry bears and unstoppable bees.
March 8, 2024
3 - 7 years
September 7, 2024
Omg so cute... ✨
The Illustrations are very fitting and kinda fluffy
The Illustrations are very fitting and kinda fluffy
August 16, 2023
This is a super cute (though quite predictable) story about a hungry bear who makes the mistake of seeking what he thinks will be an easy meal in honey tree full of bees. The rhyming text is simple and fun for the youngest of readers and the illustrations are so expressive. This is a great read aloud. This book has been nominated for the 2023-2024 KY Bluegrass Award for the preschool level.
October 15, 2025
We all have authors we recall whose books defined our childhoods. For me those include the naughtiness of Tomi Ungerer; the gentle stories of Arnold Lobel; the incomparable but somehow lesser known James Marshall, with his round, awkward animal characters, and the clever Miss Nelson.
One of my favourite things, then, is discovering the writers who have inherited that mantle of timeless, memorable creators. And I'm convinced that the picture book-creating team of Daniel Bernstrom and Brandon James Scott (a fellow Torontonian!) is among them.
I reviewed another of their books ("One Day at the Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea") not long ago, and was reminded of how much I loved this one, an equally wonderful read-aloud, but for different reasons.
"A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree" (2022) is at the top of my pile of picks for reading aloud to a toddler, pure silliness about a big fluffy bear's encounter with a hive of annoyed bees.
One of Bernstrom's particular skills is his deft way with language, and here he turns just a few perfectly chosen words per page into an active, wildly funny adventure that, as one reviewer notes, would make a great animated short, with its cartoonish antics. And Scott's illustrations are magical, textured and colourful and like a fabulous cartoon.
The perfect but sparing word choice also means that this is a story that bridges the gap between toddler and early reader - funny enough for storytime, but also within reach for an emergent reader to try by themselves!
And if you like it, there's already a sequel for your clamouring kids: "A Bear, A Fish, and a Fishy Wish" (2024).
One of my favourite things, then, is discovering the writers who have inherited that mantle of timeless, memorable creators. And I'm convinced that the picture book-creating team of Daniel Bernstrom and Brandon James Scott (a fellow Torontonian!) is among them.
I reviewed another of their books ("One Day at the Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea") not long ago, and was reminded of how much I loved this one, an equally wonderful read-aloud, but for different reasons.
"A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree" (2022) is at the top of my pile of picks for reading aloud to a toddler, pure silliness about a big fluffy bear's encounter with a hive of annoyed bees.
One of Bernstrom's particular skills is his deft way with language, and here he turns just a few perfectly chosen words per page into an active, wildly funny adventure that, as one reviewer notes, would make a great animated short, with its cartoonish antics. And Scott's illustrations are magical, textured and colourful and like a fabulous cartoon.
The perfect but sparing word choice also means that this is a story that bridges the gap between toddler and early reader - funny enough for storytime, but also within reach for an emergent reader to try by themselves!
And if you like it, there's already a sequel for your clamouring kids: "A Bear, A Fish, and a Fishy Wish" (2024).
January 3, 2023
First sentence: A bear, a bee...
Premise/plot: Tale as old as time. A bear wants honey. A bee [and all the bees from the hive] want to keep the bear from getting honey. This one features very few words. Maybe one or two words per spread. Maybe. The story is told through illustrations.
My thoughts: The story is predictable, familiar. The text is incredibly simple. The illustrations are charming/delightful. If you love the illustrations you are a thousand times more likely to like the book overall. The text in and of itself might not be enough to "wow" you. Still, this one would be easy for little ones to learn to "read" on their own. Just a few times through with an adult [parent, grandparent, etc] and they may just pick it up enough to "read" or read all on their own. Plus, since the illustrations do all the heavy-lifting, little ones can read the illustrations all on their own. It's important to have books this simple.
Premise/plot: Tale as old as time. A bear wants honey. A bee [and all the bees from the hive] want to keep the bear from getting honey. This one features very few words. Maybe one or two words per spread. Maybe. The story is told through illustrations.
My thoughts: The story is predictable, familiar. The text is incredibly simple. The illustrations are charming/delightful. If you love the illustrations you are a thousand times more likely to like the book overall. The text in and of itself might not be enough to "wow" you. Still, this one would be easy for little ones to learn to "read" on their own. Just a few times through with an adult [parent, grandparent, etc] and they may just pick it up enough to "read" or read all on their own. Plus, since the illustrations do all the heavy-lifting, little ones can read the illustrations all on their own. It's important to have books this simple.
July 5, 2022
This delightful book engages kids from start to finish. A hungry brown bear decides to hi-jack a beehive causing a HUGE swarm of bees to seek revenge on the scoundrel. Oh my! Brown bear had better hide and seek cover FAST... the chase is on! Will he escape their fury?
Award-winning author Daniel Bernstrom and critically acclaimed illustrator Brandon James Scott have partnered together to create a winner destined to be a classic. Kids can pick sides as to whom they cheer for... the hungry bear or the raging buzzing swarm of bees who are seeking justice from all the fruit (honey) of their labour.
The illustrations are epic. They are colourful, full of action and extremely expressive. The playful storyline invites beginning readers to give it a go. I love the whole vibe of the book and highly recommend it! Kids will love it too... guaranteed!
Award-winning author Daniel Bernstrom and critically acclaimed illustrator Brandon James Scott have partnered together to create a winner destined to be a classic. Kids can pick sides as to whom they cheer for... the hungry bear or the raging buzzing swarm of bees who are seeking justice from all the fruit (honey) of their labour.
The illustrations are epic. They are colourful, full of action and extremely expressive. The playful storyline invites beginning readers to give it a go. I love the whole vibe of the book and highly recommend it! Kids will love it too... guaranteed!
October 14, 2023
wants food. He is cute, quirkly, clumsy and highly lovable. The bees have other ideas: he's an intruder in their home! How dare this bear steal from them?
Brilliant yet sparse text sets the mood right away. And the illustrations! This picture book is the most perfectly illustrated book this year. The illustrations are spot on with the text and the story, capturing every subtle nuance of the the bear and the bees. The choices of color depict the golden-ness of the honey so well a reader can almost taste it.
A great choice for a read-aloud. Don't you dare read this one silently. A Bear, a Bee and a Honey Tree is likely the picture book that sets the bar for perfect storytelling and art that enhances it.
Highly, highly recommended ages 3 and up. This book will be a childhood favorite.
Brilliant yet sparse text sets the mood right away. And the illustrations! This picture book is the most perfectly illustrated book this year. The illustrations are spot on with the text and the story, capturing every subtle nuance of the the bear and the bees. The choices of color depict the golden-ness of the honey so well a reader can almost taste it.
A great choice for a read-aloud. Don't you dare read this one silently. A Bear, a Bee and a Honey Tree is likely the picture book that sets the bar for perfect storytelling and art that enhances it.
Highly, highly recommended ages 3 and up. This book will be a childhood favorite.
April 9, 2024
A hungry bear learns his lesson in this hilarious tale of a food-gathering mission gone horribly wrong. The book uses a minimum of words, and terrific illustrations by Brandon James Scott to tell the story.
I LOVED this one!
I LOVED this one!
May 21, 2024
A Bear, A Bee, And A Honey Tree is a captivating, fun, cute, hilarious, expressive, witty, and delightful read! This book is available as paperback and board book. Pictured is the board book option. Both of the characters in this book are adorable! Bear is hungry with one goal in mind. He is willing to sneak, hide, creep, and plot to get a delicious meal of honey. Bee is focused on his job and takes it extremely seriously. He is hardworking, protective, and perturbed when he spies a shady bear. Which one will achieve their goal?
The illustrations are absolutely stunning in this book! With gorgeous shading, expressive facial expressions, beautiful colors, and lovable characters this book is a winner! Not to mention all the humor and fun throughout the entire story! I loved this book!
The illustrations are absolutely stunning in this book! With gorgeous shading, expressive facial expressions, beautiful colors, and lovable characters this book is a winner! Not to mention all the humor and fun throughout the entire story! I loved this book!
November 16, 2022
A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree by Daniel Bernstrom 5/5
I love this story and the fun to read text that puts a smile on your face. I love that we are given this comical read as we follow along with the beautiful illustrations watching the bear, bee and the honey tree. Between the rhyming text and the excitement, it gives off reading it out loud is just refreshing.
A hungry bear who finds himself some honey high up in a honey tree finds himself at the mercy of not only a little bee, but an entire swarm of bee's keeping the bear from the honey. I enjoyed this story and imagine others will love it as well.
Thank you NetFAlley for the ARC.
I love this story and the fun to read text that puts a smile on your face. I love that we are given this comical read as we follow along with the beautiful illustrations watching the bear, bee and the honey tree. Between the rhyming text and the excitement, it gives off reading it out loud is just refreshing.
A hungry bear who finds himself some honey high up in a honey tree finds himself at the mercy of not only a little bee, but an entire swarm of bee's keeping the bear from the honey. I enjoyed this story and imagine others will love it as well.
Thank you NetFAlley for the ARC.
July 7, 2022
A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree will soon be a Kinder Read Aloud favorite in my Elementary Library!
This simple rhyming book with lush illustrations is sure to capture the attention of the littlest library visitors. A hungry bee finds a hive in a tree and the honey bee (and soon his entire colony) is NOT happy!
Each page has minimal words giving way to beautiful and captivating illustrations.
Daniel Bernstrom's One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree is a favorite among our Kinders, and I'll be thrilled to add another Bernstrom book to the line up!
This simple rhyming book with lush illustrations is sure to capture the attention of the littlest library visitors. A hungry bee finds a hive in a tree and the honey bee (and soon his entire colony) is NOT happy!
Each page has minimal words giving way to beautiful and captivating illustrations.
Daniel Bernstrom's One Day in the Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree is a favorite among our Kinders, and I'll be thrilled to add another Bernstrom book to the line up!
July 19, 2022
This beautifully illustrated children's book is about, as the title suggests, a bear, a bee and a tree. Each page has expressive text and fun but easy to read fonts and silly illustrations. There are minimal words per page and most are fairly easy to read. I think this is the perfect book for children who are going to transition from being read to, to learning to read as it can start off as a fun shared reading experience and will be quite easy for them to pick up as they begin to read themselves. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
October 17, 2022
This was a really sweet little book
I read the book with my 5-year-old daughter and she really enjoyed it, she learned to read last year so the simpler words used in this story were great as it meant she could really get involved and she read the story to me which was perfect and a great way for some extra learning at home too!
The story was fun and well developed and it did make us smile.
The illustrations were lovely and they really suited the book
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended
I read the book with my 5-year-old daughter and she really enjoyed it, she learned to read last year so the simpler words used in this story were great as it meant she could really get involved and she read the story to me which was perfect and a great way for some extra learning at home too!
The story was fun and well developed and it did make us smile.
The illustrations were lovely and they really suited the book
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended
November 8, 2022
Thank you for picking me as a giveaway order. I gifted this book to my 4 year old granddaughter when I won it. She came to have a sleepover and I read the book to her. She was interested on what happened to the bear, but I think maybe not enough story for her age. Maybe for a younger child since each page only had 1-3 words on it. I do think the book was beautifully illustrated. The pictures showing the angry bees were so cute. My granddaughter said I think the bees are mad. LOL! So all in all a very nice story book but I think it would be better for maybe a 2-3 year old.
November 30, 2022
There are some picture books that are just masterworks of illustration. There is not a single page within this book that I wouldn’t hang up on my wall as art. It has that soft cloud like a happy feeling that makes the reader want to keep turning the page. The story itself is very simple and uses the same words repetitively making it easier to read, but at the same time, more fun in story time. A bee, a bear, a Honey tree, a bear, a tree, a bee, you get the idea. I want to add this to my permanent story time collection as something that would get used over and over again.
December 18, 2022
From a blog post I can't remember this book struck me as a book my K granddaughter would love with all the word, word play, and antics of the bee and bear trying for the honey high up in a tree. I am also going to enjoy this with my grandson who will be 2 years old. With great illustrations by Brandon James Scott, Daniel Bernstrom deliver s a delightful book of the bear and bee fighting over the honey, who will be the winner? Excellent picture book will appeal to all younger children and their parents!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews