The Buzz on Honeybees

The Buss on Honeybees is a children’s book written by Cathy Kaemmerlen. Cathy Karmmerlen is a professional storyteller and author. She has brought many stories to life for children when she is performing. This is the only children’s book that she has written but she has written a few books for adults.

This book is about a bee named Itty Bitty Betty that is a story telling bee that collects stories to tell. Many states have designated honeybees as their state insect. Honeybees help to pollinate crops which grows produce for us to eat. There are many different kinds of honey throughout the country. People use honey for many different reasons. Different types of bees have different jobs in a colony. Bees only sting whenever they feel threatened. Bees are very important!

The Buzz on Honeybees is a nonfiction picture book.. It is told from the perspective of a bee. There are many facts including the fact that bees have been named as many states state insect, their participation in pollinating crops, how they pollinate, the uses of honey, the different types of bees, different jobs of bees, how they travel to find new homes, and why they sting. The illustrations are done with watercolor paints. According to Galda, in nonfiction the facts and concepts are uppermost, with storytelling perhaps used as an expressive technique.

I like The Buzz on Honeybees because of the way it was written. It was written in a fun way. It was written from the point of view of a bee. Although it was a story told by the bee it was still full of facts and concepts that are accurate. I enjoyed the illustrations. The illustrator used watercolor paints and it was very colorful. The illustrator used a technique with the texture that made the bees look realistic.

Discussion Questions:

•  What states do you think have named their state insect the honeybee?
•  What would happen if there were no honeybees on Earth?
•  What is pollination?
• Why would athletes eat honey?
•  What are the three types of bees?
•  Who is more scared, humans or the honeybees?
•  What foods do you like to eat with honey?

Activities:

•  For older grades, have the students create a honeybee out of construction paper. Then, build onto the activity have them label the different parts of the honeybee.
•  For younger grades, have the students complete a worksheet by having them paste different parts of the life cycle of bees in order on the worksheet.

Other books by this author:

• ·         This is the only children’s book that she has written. I would be very interesting in reading other books from this author.

 Reference:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:                 Wadsworths, Inc.

Kaemmerlen, C. (2012). The buzz on honeybees. Gretna, La: Pelican Pub.