The Buzz on Bees: Why Are They Disappearing?

Award-winning author Shelley Rotner, the author and photo-illustrator of more than thirty books, lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Anne Woodhull and her husband live on a farm in Amherst, Massachusetts, where they keep bees. Ever since the summer when bees did not return, she has been curious about their disappearance.

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. Grades 1-3. --Ian Chipman