One of the units the first and second grade classes teach at our school is about pollinators, so last year I started keeping an eye out for books to support this unit. Call the Bee Doctor. How Science Is Saving Honey Bees caught my eye and I requested a review copy on NetGalley.
This is a short non-fiction book appropriate for middle grade readers. At school, I would recommend this as something for teachers to read aloud to students over multiple sittings in first or second grade.
Sandra Markle wrote The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees, published in 2013. After the book’s publication, she learned about the efforts of some scientists to help honeybee populations recover. She researched a variety of approaches apiologists were taking and shares what she learned in this book.
Markle discusses multiple reasons for the depletion of bee populations: pesticides, poor nutrition, parasites, and pathogens. She then explains approaches to managing these causes including vaccinated queen bees, providing food supplements to improve nutrition, and genetic modification. She concludes by discussing the impact of climate change on honeybees and providing recommendations for actions readers can take for helping honeybees.
Vibrant photos and clear diagrams illustrate the book. Markle provides a glossary, a list of her research sources, and books and websites readers can explore to learn more.
I would recommend this book as a purchase for elementary and middle school libraries as well as public libraries.
Book: Call the Bee Doctor! How Science Is Saving Honey Bees Author: Sandra Markle Publisher: Millbrook Press Publication Date: October 1, 2024 Pages: 48 Age Range: Middle Grade Source of Book: ARC via NetGalley, Public library
