by Shelley Rotner and Anne Woodhull School Library Journal Gr 2-4-Excellent color photos provide an eye-catching backdrop for a simple, readable text that explains the importance of bees as pollinators and the current mystery of CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) as hundreds of thousands of bees vanish without a trace. Children may be surprised to find that almonds are dependent upon bees for pollination, as are cotton plants and apple trees. (The actual fertilization process is not explained.) Rotner and Woodhull offer a look at a variety of bees and other pollinators and a sample of the many products dependent on their efforts. They speculate on current theories as to the cause of CCD and present actions people can take to "Bee Active!" Good online resources and a page of additional data on bees are appended. A far cry from all the "killer bee" hoopla, this title is eye-catching and informative.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Book list One of the most curious signs of serious ecological trouble in the past few years has been the not-yet-fully-understood disappearance of massive numbers of bees, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This book is most effective in its clear-sighted explanation of just how crucial bees and their role in pollination are to a wide variety of plants and, in turn, the food we eat: as go the bees, so go cantaloupes, cucumbers, blueberries, peppers, soybeans, watermelons, peaches, tomatoes, pumpkins, onions, and almonds. The possible causes of CCD, however, are hastily listed in a single spread. Therein lies the paradox it's too soon to know for sure what's going on, but by the time we know, it may be too late to do anything about it. So, although the book can't answer the question posed in the subtitle, it succeeds in providing children with coherent background information and ideas to give the bees a hand. The book is supported by a large number of photos, sometimes six or more per page, yet more careful selection might have made for an even stronger presentation.--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. |
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