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The Bee Without Wings

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An unexpected friendship between a girl and a wingless bee warmly teaches young readers about friendship and loss in this heartfelt tale for fans of Charlotte's Web and The Honeybee .

Finding a bumble bee without wings in her garden, Sasha is determined to help it survive, leading to an unexpected friendship. Sasha, Molly the cat, and Bea the bee share a joyful summer together and discover that you don't need wings to fly. When the time comes to say goodbye to Bea, Sasha finds a meaningful way to honor the life of her tiny friend.

The Bee Without Wings  is a timeless story of friendship and loss for young readers, beautifully illustrated by author Amberlea Williams. This warm tale includes an activity for creating a bee pollinator garden, along with information on how to care for early spring bees.
 

40 pages, Hardcover

Published March 21, 2023

32 people want to read

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Amberlea Williams

1 book21 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for sabina&#x1f469;&#x1f3fb;‍&#x1f3a8;.
124 reviews23 followers
November 4, 2022
My first impression of this book was that it was beautiful - children will absolutely love it!
The illustrations are just so cute, and even as an adult, I felt so sorry for the bee at the beginning! I can already tell all the lessons a small child would learn about empathy, animals, insects, and the impact of the weather on all these creatures. It also teaches children not to be scared, or hurt small creatures. It also teaches them about the life of a small insect.
What I really loved at the end of the book was how Sasha, the little girl, created a garden for bees and biodiversity. I love this because instead of a mundane lesson on biodiversity, children can actually learn and see just how important it is to help the bees! Then to really motivate young children, Amberlea Williams shows us how we can male our own bee-friendly garden and tend to it. Absolutely wonderful!
Profile Image for Caroline.
38 reviews
May 25, 2024
Pro tip: When getting a book for your friend’s 1 year old maybe read it first. I just sobbed reading this book.
Profile Image for Andrea Pole.
817 reviews139 followers
February 9, 2023
The Bee Without Wings by Amberlea Williams is a delightful picture book that shares the message of the value of friendship and the importance of helping those in need.

This beautifully illustrated story introduces us to Sasha, her cat Molly, and an adorable wingless bee called, aptly, Bea. When Sasha and Molly discover a bee in the garden who is without wings, they work together to find a solution to help their newfound friend to survive and thrive. When Bea sadly dies, Sasha finds a way to honour her memory by providing a welcoming garden for other bees. Also included at the end of the book are simple instructions for creating your own garden for hosting pollinators.

This is a charming story that also serves to educate young readers on the importance of the role of bees in a healthy ecosystem. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC.
Profile Image for Paulina ෂ.
716 reviews
December 19, 2024
Bonita historia con tiernas ilustraciones y un mensaje para personas y abejas por igual.
Profile Image for Lisa.
Author 8 books34 followers
February 1, 2023
Just like Sasha, the main character of this sweet picture book, I spent a great deal of time outside, and often tried to rescue creatures in need (still do!). This book about a child who finds a wingless bee and cares for it is about friendship, caring, empathy, kindness, and respect for nature. Young readers will love Sasha's inventiveness and dedication to Bea, and appreciate Sasha's way of honoring Bea and their friendship.

The illustrations beautifully complement the warm text and info in the back includes tips for caring for bees and creating a bee-friendly garden. A lovely book for any time of year.
Profile Image for Lydia Lukidis.
Author 47 books45 followers
May 2, 2023
The Bee Without Wings written and illustrated by Amberlea Williams is a sweet story. After finding a bumble bee without wings in her garden, Sasha tries to help. This leads to an unexpected friendship. Sasha, Molly (the cat), and Bea the bee spend the summer together in joy. Even though Bea doesn't have wings, she leads a full life. Sadly, Bea passes, as all creatures do, but Sasha finds a heartwarming way to honor the life of her friend. The concepts of friendship, love, and loss are all relevant for young children, and the book's whimsical illustrations are equally beautiful.
175 reviews7 followers
March 22, 2023
Sasha and her cat, Molly, find a bee with no wings and name her Bea. Wanting to do what they can they coax Bea to drink sugar water to regain her strength. They quickly realize that without wings, Bea isn’t able to do all of the things that other bees enjoy doing, such as flying.

As seasons begin to change, Sasha realizes that bees don’t live as long as other creatures. Once spring arrives again, Sasha and Molly find a way to honour their friend.

The illustrations are a beautiful addition to aid in telling the story. The guides in the back of the book on how to care for early spring bees and how to create your own bee-friendly garden are an added bonus and a great way for young readers to learn the importance of aiding the bees.

I’m excited to share this book with my niece and nephews and show them the importance of bees.

Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheBeeWithoutWings
Profile Image for Angie.
1,124 reviews17 followers
March 12, 2023
This sweet picture book tells the story of a little girl who discovers a bee with no wings. She helps take care of the bee and gives him lots of love and fun in his short life, and is quite sad when he reaches the end of his life span. This gives her an idea to take care of the bees of the future by leaving spring weeds/yard clean up until the bees have their nourishment and are ready to pollinate the new flowers. The end of the book has some information about taking care of bees/planting things that will help them thrive. I could definitely see myself using this book in my grade 3 classroom, especially during my unit on plants. I would recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the 4-9 range. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
10 reviews1 follower
April 10, 2023
THE BEE WITHOUT WINGS, written and illustrated by Amberlea Williams, is a sweet story of friendship, love, loss, and a lesson on the care of bees. The expressions on all the characters faces tell the story!
One spring day Molly finds a bee with no wings and no energy. He grows stronger sipping sugar water that Molly gives him, but without wings his short life will be difficult. Molly, her cat Sasha and Bea (the bee) romp together all summer. Molly feels sad and scared as she knows bees live short lives. One fall day Bea is gone. To commemorate her, Molly spends the winter preparing to welcome bees to her spring garden.
At the end of her story Ms. Williams includes an illustrated guide on plants that bees like, how to keep bees healthy, and rescue remedies to revive bees. She also includes a beautiful illustrated and labeled diagram of how to create a bee-friendly garden.
Profile Image for Pam.
9,955 reviews56 followers
February 9, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from Chronicle Books through NetGalley.
Tenderly told story of a young girl, Sasha, who rescues a bee. This bee does not have wings so could not take care of itself in nature. Bea became part of Sasha's family and got to explore nature with her - even getting to "fly." Williams addresses Bea's death with information woven in to the story. I appreciate the ending as Sasha finds a way to keep Bea's memory alive and help keep other bees alive as well. Information on gardening is included at the end of the book. Families can create a garden together after reading this story. The illustrations capture the emotions for all characters and bring readers in to appreciate the natural world interactions.
Profile Image for Lori.
631 reviews
December 27, 2022
The Bee Without Wings is a beautifully illustrated story with many lessons to share with themes around kindness, compassion, empathy, friendship, nurturing and loss. While it could be sad for a child, it does touch on ways to feel better, whether it’s supporting someone when they need it most or honoring them somehow. Through story telling, the author successfully shared general information about the life cycle of a bee as well as things we can do to help the bee population to ensure they continue their important role in the ecosystem.

Thank you to PA Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance reader copy of this lovely book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for stephanie cox.
1,177 reviews19 followers
November 6, 2022
The Bee Without Wings by Amberlea Williams - 4 stars

I adore this book and all that it allows to be shared about bees.
The illustrations are cute and fun and the emotions the book pulls from you is heart wrenching. I love that this book teaches about empathy, insects and how things like the weather can have such a huge impact on animals. I love that this book shows children it's ok to curious about insects and that we shouldn't fear them or cause them harm.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.
Profile Image for Shelley Simmons.
77 reviews
February 5, 2023
Such a sweet book!
In this story, a girl finds a bee with no wings. It chronicles their adventures and ways they try to overcome this handicap.
As a former teacher, I thought of multiple ways to use this book to create lessons, including a STEM project, a research paper and multiple POV and Author’s Purpose mini-lessons.
Overall, even if not used in the classroom, this is a delightful book that will entertain and teach children.
There is a very sad part, but the way the girl deals with her grief is heartwarming.
Profile Image for Jennifer Harris.
Author 6 books17 followers
April 11, 2023

I was lucky enough to read an advance copy of this, and it is absolutely charming. My children loved the pictures and the story arc. They liked how the child at the centre solved three different problems (though their favorite was her solution to help the bee fly.) I loved the language, which is incredibly considered. My son noted the rhyming and word play, whereas I latched on to really thoughtful lines like “tending hope.” The instructions at the back on establishing a garden to support bees was also a hit as we move into spring and think about planting!
647 reviews
October 27, 2022
My kids loved this story! Sasha and her cat, Molly, find a special bee they name Bea. Bea has no wings, but Sasha loves and supports her through the challenge. When it's time for Bea to go, Sasha finds a lovely way to honor her friend. Needless to say, my kids now can't wait to plant a bee-friendly garden!

Thank you to Princeton Architectural Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy to review! My family loved it.
Profile Image for Denise Rainford.
4 reviews
November 14, 2022
Thank you, NetGalley, for giving me a digital ARC of this book!

I loved it! The illustrations were charming, and I loved the story of kindness and caring for others. It delicately touched on the idea of loss while reminding us how wonderful it was to have loved someone and honored their memory. The illustrations were delightful! I especially loved the non-fiction follow-up at the end describing how to plant your own bee-friendly garden.
Profile Image for Annette.
231 reviews5 followers
May 17, 2023
reviewed for raincoast books, hardcover copy received.

A fun book with Sasha, a kind-hearted girl befriending a bee, and using her problem-solving skills to give her bee a good quality of life.

Then at the close of the book finding ways to honour her little friend and help other bees.

Instructions for helping spring time bees provided.

I only wish she had provided a link or instructions for helping to build a bee house.
Profile Image for Lucie Daze.
Author 2 books2 followers
May 27, 2023
This book is stunning! Children will love the colorful and creative illustrations, which beautifully capture the story's message. Its message is one of hope and is a gentle reminder that every creature has value and is worth being cared for when in need. The Bee Without Wings, can help children walk through the healing process from the loss of a loved one. It also contains visually appealing information about creating bee friendly gardens and how to care for bees. LOVED IT!
Profile Image for TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris .
515 reviews7 followers
September 12, 2023
Brief summary: Sasha is out in her garden and notices a bee without wings. The girl decides to help the insect become more robust and live in a safe environment. She calls it Bea, and they have a good time together until Winter comes along. Sasha honors her friend in the spring.

Comments: Lovely large illustrations. It's a nice story about empathy, friendship, and death.

The back sections are Care for Early Spring Bees and Create Your Own Bee-Friendly Garden.

Rating: 4/4 📗📗📗📗
Profile Image for Lonny.
270 reviews4 followers
February 16, 2023
When Sasha and her cat, Molly, find a wingless bee in the garden, Sasha is determined to give Bea a good life. She feeds her, and even finds a way to let Bea feel what its like to fly. Unfortunately, at the end of summer, Bea dies, which makes Sasha transform her garden into a place that bees will thrive in.

The pictures are beautifully illustrated, and the information about planting pollinator plants and how to make your garden bee friendly is excellent. Highly recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Profile Image for Lisa Gisèle.
769 reviews12 followers
March 20, 2023
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

What a way to learn about helping others and how to save the bees. The drawings were simply adorable, especially the old Bea.

The care for bees and what to add ro a bee friendly garden are great additions and a fun thing to do as a family
Profile Image for Andrew.
Author 5 books28 followers
March 29, 2023
A brief but important friendship with a bee sans wings transforms the life of a girl. A sweet, moving story showing how a simple attachment to the natural world can inspires us to take better care of it. The illustrations are poignant and lovely as well. Back matter includes useful info on how to make your yard and garden friendly for bees. A bee-eautiful read!
Profile Image for Debra.
49 reviews1 follower
April 1, 2023
My children in my classroom enjoyed this cute story about a bee with no wings. In my opinion it shows children that just because the bee had no wings he still was able to do things just like people can.I would highly recommend this book. I would like to give Netgalley and Publishers a big thank you for this advance copy in exchange for my review.
Profile Image for B.
426 reviews
April 3, 2023
I read a LOT of children’s books with my kids, and this is an utter stand out - it’s a beautiful story about friendship, loss and finding a way to move forward. Not to mention that the illustrations are gorgeous. I would not be surprised if this becomes a children’s classic, it deserves to. This book warms the heart!
Profile Image for Anna Lazowski.
Author 3 books31 followers
May 31, 2023
This book has so many wonderful things kids can relate to, like the desire to help, a fascination with insects, and the importance of close friendships. It also has science, the magic of summer days, and shows how loss can inspire creativity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish and I would happily recommend it to all bug-loving kids who are passionate about nature.

Profile Image for Stacey.
27 reviews8 followers
February 6, 2023
What a cute book! The illustrations are engaging and the text is fun to read. I love how the tips to help bees are part of the story in a natural way and then reemphasized at the end. Very well written book!
Profile Image for Mary.
50 reviews4 followers
April 24, 2023
Everyone needs a friend like Sasha! She cares for a wingless bee and continues to be an advocate and helper to bees once her friend is gone. I love the message of hope that Amberlea Williams has threaded throughout the book with her words and art. Beautiful!
26 reviews
March 24, 2023
The Bee Without Wings is a beautiful story. It’s wonderful way to introduce very young children to loss, dedication and compassion in helping make others lives better. Very heartwarming!
4 reviews
March 25, 2023
Cute story. I love the diagram of bee-friendly plants in the back.
2 reviews
March 26, 2023
So many themes, friendship, creativity, loss, community service, to name a few. A beautifully woven story. Appealing to children who love nature and animals.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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