Bewitched Kids Corner {7} These Bees Count by Alison Formento

Posted 1 February, 2013 by Heather in Blog, Danny's Book Review, Heather / 6 Comments

Happy Friday, and welcome to another installment of the monthly feature at Bewitched Bookworms where we review Children’s books.

These Bees Count!bees

(Website, Amazon)

by Alison Formento

(Goodreads, Amazon)

Hardcover, 32 pages–Ages 2 and up

Published by Albert Whitman & Company, February 2012

Illustrated by Sarah Snow (Goodreads, Amazon)

Copy received at BEA 2012

How do bees count? The bees at the Busy Bee Farm buzz through the sky as one big swarm, fly over two waving dandelions, find three wild strawberries dripping tasty nectar As the children in Mr. Tate’s class listen, they learn how bees work to produce honey and make food and flowers grow. Bees count–they’re important to us all. Alison Formento’s gentle message is illustrated with Sarah Snow’s bright, realistic papercuts.

My Thoughts:

The diverse kids in Mr. Tate’s class go on a field trip to a Bee Farm, and at first the children are confused as to exactly what kind of farm they are visiting. But they get the chance to suit up in protective gear and get up close and personal with the flying insects. Throughout the text and using vivid paper-cut illustrations, you learn all about why bees are important and how they make honey.

A brief counting interlude from the bees’ point of view makes up the middle of the book is very cute and informative. The bees count “Two waving dandelions, three wild strawberries, four apple blossoms…,” all the way up to ten.

The text in the body of the book is easy for younger children to understand, and my three year old son easily sat and read this book with me, pointing out different things and counting along. At the end of the book, there is a deeper, more complex “Buzz on bees” that explains why bees are important to the ecosystem and how colony collapse disorder has affected honeybees around the world in recent years. These Bees Count is an entertaining and educational look into the importance and lives of these vital insects.

 

Heather

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I'm a PhD chemist who loves sarcasm, music, and books-paranormal, mystery, thriller, suspense, horror, and romance. Most of my free time is spent at the martial arts studio these days--whether practicing Combat Hapkido or reading books while watching my son's Taekwondo classes, or even working up a sweat with Kickboxing for fun. Goodreads

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6 Responses to “Bewitched Kids Corner {7} These Bees Count by Alison Formento”

  1. It sounds like a super cute story. I miss all the little kid books now, my kids are too old for them now. 🙁 Great review.

    Jenea @ Books Live Forever
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    Heather 2/5/2013

    Thanks! I still have several years of these books with my son since he’s just turning four, and we enjoy reading and discussing these things right now. I just hope he continues to like books as he grows. I’m glad that he liked this one!
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  2. Thanks so much for reading THESE BEES COUNT! and including it on Bewitched Bookworms. I hope you and your readers will take a look at my other books in the same series, THIS TREE COUNTS! and THESE SEAS COUNT! which just came out on March 1st. Sarah Snow has done a fabulous job illustrating the ocean life that Mr. Tate’s class meet and learn from on beach clean up day.

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