The Way of the Hive

March 15, 2021
Grades 4-7 In this updated and revised edition of Hosler's Clan Apis (2001), big sister Dvorah oversees little larvae Nyuki's metamorphosis into bee within a cocoon of her own feces (is she a pupa or a poop-pa? the inexhaustibly punny Nyuki wants to know). Dvorah shows her little sister the ropes, leading her out in a swarm to find nest sites and establish a new colony. Along the way, though, Nyuki has to face down a hidden praying mantis and a camouflaged crab spider, scaring her into the hive for the rest of her days, or so she thinks. Indeed, Nyuki eventually becomes a forager, making friends with a bright, pollen-rich flower, and mentors younger bees, finally returning to the earth in a hallowed cycle of nourishment and renewal. A truly lovely coming-of-age tale buzzing with bee facts, this is a honey pot for budding entomologists, naturalists, and scientists of all variety. Lushly detailed and warmly hued, Hosler's art portrays accurate insect life but also affords each miracle of nature its own personality.

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