Product Description
A LOVE POEM FROM A FATHER TO HIS TWO SONS, AND A TRIBUTE TO THE BEES THAT POLLINATE THE FOODS WE LOVE TO EAT.
"Sometimes bees can be a bit rude. They fly in your face and prance on your food." And yet… without bees, we might not have strawberries for shortcakes or avocados for tacos!
Shabazz Larkin’s The Thing About Bees is a Norman Rockwell-inspired Sunday in the park, a love poem from a father to his two sons, and a tribute to the bees that pollinate the foods we love to eat. Children are introduced to different kinds of bees, “how not to get stung,” and how the things we fear are often things we don’t fully understand.
Shabazz Larkin made his picture book illustration debut with Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table, followed by his author/illustrator debut with A Moose Boosh: A Few Choice Words About Food, both named American Library Association Notable Children’s Books. He is a multi-disciplinary artist and an advertising creative director. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife and two sons. SHABAZZLARKIN.COM.
Review
• Winner, "Growing Good Kids" Book Award, Junior Master Gardener Program & American Horticultural Society
• Best Picture Books 2019 List, School Library Journal
• "Best Children's Book of the Year 2018, Bank Street College of Education's Children's Book Committee
• "Highly Commended" Title, Charlotte Zolotow Award 2020
• "CCBC Choices,” Cooperative Children's Book Center
• Capitol Choices 2020
*Best Picture Books 2019* “Larkin spins a buoyant monologue to his young sons about why bees are so important and how they are analogous to rambunctious children; the narrative is threaded with unconditional love for both subjects. Hand lettering, bold coloring, and textural, mixed-media artwork add energy while evocative language makes for a spirited and joy-filled read-aloud."—School Library Journal
“A holistic—and wholly original—treatment.”—“Starred” review, School Library Journal
“In this beautiful exploration of what bees mean to the world and what his sons mean to him, Larkin seeks to alleviate a child’s fear of these insets by explaining how they are integral to the creation of their favorite fruits… The gorgeous artwork featuring a family of color, a simplified exploration of entomology, and a note from the author about seeking to understand things that scare us help to make this book a solid recommendation for picture book collections.”—Booklist
“Starring an affectionate family and a whole lot of bees, Larkin offers up a sparkling celebration of necessary pollinators… Full-bleed spreads, ’inspired by the techniques of... Kehinde Wiley and Norman Rockwell,’ show a family of color interacting with the insects out of doors… Imaginative and playful, Larkin’s images of the family’s encounters with bees and the fruits and vegetables they help produce helps them understand the role of pollinators—and provides stylish entertainment.”—Publishers Weekly
"Larkin, a father of young children and a profound melissophobe, dug into the dizzying variety of bee species and the roles they play in the global food web, all in order to ease his own fear and avoid passing that fear on to his children. The result is a sweet, gentle picture book that, with Larkin’s playful, abstract art, can inspire a sense of wonder and respect for nature’s buzzing buddies. Be sure to check out the 'How Not to Get Stung' chart at the back."—Civil Eats
"Larkin delivers a love poem to bees and his children... This paean to bees is just the ticket.”—Kirkus Reviews
"A sweet, funny read-aloud to share with the ones you love, even better if it helps to assuage any fears and to build appreciation of bees."—BayViews, The Association of Children’s Librarians of Northern California
The Thing About Bees is a fun read and filled with important lessons —for kids and adults, about how essential bees are to the food we love to eat! This book will spark the curiosity in every child to learn more about the power of pollin
