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UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems And Paintings (2012)

by Douglas Florian(Favorite Author)

3.92 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

1442426527 (ISBN13: 9781442426528)

languge

English

genre

Poetry

publisher

Beach Lane Books

review 1: The title and cover image immediately set the reader’s expectations about what this book will be about and what it will bee (pun intended) like: poems and paintings about bees which include puns and word play that are mostly humorous. Before ever opening the book you expect to be entertained and amused.Florian definitely delivers but also adds more. Each facing double page spread has a painting and a poem with factual information about bees at the bottom of the page. This book is meant to be read aloud as the poems rhyme and have engaging song-like rhythms. An adult is needed to explain the factual information as it’s not written in prose for kids but fortunately kids can enjoy this book even without an adult. The combination of text and pictures is charming, and the n... moreaive, child-like paintings are charming and amusing. I liked the way Florian drew the bees as if they were kids. A lot of children are afraid of bees, but Florian’s use of wordplay, puns, naive art and friendly looking bees will go a long way toward assuaging any anxiety kids might have about them.Including information about Colony Collapse Disorder at the end of the book also makes kids empathetic toward bees and may encourage them to be more willing to coexist. The book does this without pedantry, instead showing kids the life cycles of bees in a way they can relate to. I especially loved the poem and drawing about the drones. The boy bees are drawn like small hip hop characters with baseball caps and bling. All in all this is a lovely, charming book that would be a gem in a library or individual setting. Bravo!I also liked Florian’s inclusion of a Beebliography and links to further information at the end. This would be useful for a librarian preparing a story time or a child and adult who want to get more information about bees.
review 2: As an adult reading this book, I liked it a lot. Looking at it from a child's perspective, I think it does little to change kids' widely-held perceptions that they don't like poetry. Few of the poems rhyme or have a noticeable rhythm, and they don't trip off the tongue easily for a read-aloud. I do like the factual information about bees that is included on each page; this might help heighten kids' interest. However, children who don't already like poetry will not be attracted to this book. less

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