Honeybees

November 1, 2013

K-Gr 2-Simple sentences set in appealing layouts and matched with useful photographs make this series a strong choice for beginning readers. Rather than trying to cover a broad spectrum of information, individual books highlight one area of particular interest, such as food gathering in Honeybees and birth and mating in Crickets. The language is spare but effective, with short informational sentences and occasional question/answer sequences: "How does [a cricket] make sound? He rubs his wings." The photographs are uncluttered and helpful, often depicting the specific body part or behavior mentioned in the text. For example, though the words can be as simple as "Bees sip nectar," the close-up view of the insect in action, with one judiciously placed label, expands the impact. A brief picture glossary and a captioned photo with labeled parts neatly conclude each title. The series compares favorably to other bug sets aimed at first readers.

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