Heartwood Hotel - Book #1: A True Home
ISBN 9781443443944
Regular price $9.99 Sale price $8.99 Save 10%Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
When Mona the Mouse stumbles across the wondrous world of the Heartwood Hotel in the middle of a storm, she desperately hopes they'll let her stay. As it turns out, Mona is precisely the maid they need at the grandest hotel in Fernwood Forest, where animals come from far and wide for safety, luxury, and comfort. But the Heartwood Hotel is not all acorn souffl and soft moss-lined beds. Danger lurks, and as it approaches, Mona finds that this hotel is more than a warm place to spend the night. It might also be a home.
This delightfully enticing start of a new chapter book series tells a tale of friendship, courage, and community, with exquisite black-and-white illustrations throughout.
Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.
Softcover.
Published in Canada by HarperCollins
Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.
Reviews
Imagination Soup
Lost in a storm, with no home or destination, Mona the Mouse discovers a beautiful hotel for forest animals. There she works as a maid to earn her room and board. But more than that, she helps solve problems and learns about her family connection to the lovely hotel where she’s invited to stay as long as she wants. This is a sweet, warm-hearted adventure of resiliency and friendship.
Publisher's Weekly
Seeking shelter in a storm, a mouse named Mona stumbles on the Heartwood Hotel, a swanky getaway for woodland animals located within a tree, then gets hired as a maid. In this compassionate and comforting first book in the Heartwood Hotel series, George (the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series) introduces a supremely cozy setting in the hideaway hotel and a well-developed cast of staffers and guests. Mona’s innate kindness goes a long way at an establishment whose motto is “We live by ‘protect and respect,’ not by ‘tooth and claw.’”
Irene Roth's Canadian Book Reviews
This is a wonderful middle grade novel for kids. It is a super-cute story, one that will transport kids to realms of magic and what it means to have a true home.
Carla Loves Store
This is a delightful story for late primary readers who are ready for more difficult chapter books… Children will be amused by the delightful world within this Hotel, as well as the many life lessons that Mona learns and teaches others along the way. The various animals at the hotel are all varied and have different talents and interests. The owner, a badger named Mr. Heartwood, is kind and generous to a fault. The guests all have different needs that must be taken care of. It is a wonderful cast of characters. There is some adventure, problem solving as well as a little danger. This would make a nice read aloud in a primary class where there is a chapter read each day with some good discussions to follow. I really like the ideas about friendship, class structure as well as facing your fears and helping your friends. There is also lessons about loss, self-confidence and to some degree bullying. It is not in your face, but the ideas are all there. A good addition to a school or class library.
The Little Crooked Cottage
We love reading chapter books aloud on summer nights in our house. Kallie George’s heartwarming first book in the Heartwood Hotel series is a perfect chapter-a-night read. Young readers will enjoy being be transported to the tiny woodland world where Mona the Mouse discovers the Heartwood Hotel while seeking shelter from a rainstorm. Mona is quickly welcomed into the fold—where a cast of characters, soft moss-lined beds, and a little adventure (and danger!) awaits.
Mundie Kids
A cute woodland story about friendship, courage, overcoming challenges, and the true meaning of home.
Heartwood Hotel is an enjoyable read that takes readers into the heart of the woods, and introduces them to a variety of woodland animal (and a few insect characters too). With Graegin's illustrations (I love this cover), and George's storytelling, this story is one that will make you wish you could spend longer than the time it takes to read this book, with Mona and her woodland friends.
One of the things I really enjoyed about this story, is that it encompasses topics that young chapter book readers can understand. Like feeling lonely, feeling like you belong, finding new friends, doing your best despite feeling you're too small to do anything, friendship, jealously, helping others, and doing your best. Mona the mouse is a character who starts off feeling scared, lonely and a little insecure, and ends up finding she's brave, courageous, a good friend, and strong in knowing who she is.
Heartwood Hotel is a charming, enchanting woodland story. This is a great book to pick up for kids that are reading chapter books. It also makes for a great read aloud. We're looking forward to reading the next book in this adorable series.
Batch of Books
I can’t wait to tell you about the CUTEST new chapter book series! My two older girls and I all read the first two books in the Heartwood Hotel series by Kallie George and these books are ADORABLE.
These two books brought back so many happy memories of reading Old Mother West Wind, The Wind in the Willows, and writing my own stories. In all honesty, I fell hard in love with this series. These are happy, feel-good books that warm you from the inside out. The best part is that after she finished reading the books, I “borrowed” it from her and read them myself. We’ve been discussing the characters and how cute the stories are. Now, my nine-year-old says she needs to read them too.
Just One More Chapter
Heartwood Hotel, with the secret entrance hidden in a tree, a place of refuge for lost creatures of the wilderness, those that are easy prey for larger beasts of the woods. What an absolutely delightful little story, it reminded me of The Wind in the Willows and Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.
With lovely penciled drawings scattered throughout I suggest either a print copy or reading in a tablet (sorry but a kindle won't do it justice).
Michigan Mom Living
The Heartwood Hotel series is comprised of adorable, cute early chapter books geared for ages 7-10 with it’s easy reading and visual penciled pictures along the way. Youngsters can read and engage themselves in this series as they follow Mona through her family tragedy and the hunt to find another home and friends and acceptance. In this series, there are a lot of life lessons of acceptance that young readers will capture along the way.
The Heartwood Hotel’s motto is: “We Live by Protect and Respect, Not by Tooth and Claw”, which the author thinks applies beyond the great tree’s rooms and will resonate with young readers and I agree!
I can easily see my 7-year old son enjoying this series if he reads by himself or if it’s a book we read nightly together. Either way, it will keep his interest.
Once Upon a Twilight
Heartwood Hotel is a sweet story that teaches that breaking rules for good and kind gestures isn't bad. Sometimes we will need to break the rules and do what's right. Mona wasn't scared to break these rules because she knew these fellow animals needed her help. She was kind and compassionate. We also learn that facing our fears and being brave is hard but at times we must face reality and our fears. Also, that working as a team many things can get accomplished.
Mona with fierce determination saves all the animals. She was home and she didn't want anyone or anything to be ruined. With her kindness, even the bear was willing to help! It shows that kindness can go a long way. And home is where the heart is.
Canlit for Little Canadians
How do I convey to readers the infinite sweetness and gentility of A True Home? From the warm-hearted atmosphere and compassionate mission of the Heartwood Hotel and its staff to the plot of finding home, amidst common foibles and uncommon dangers, Kallie George's text is rich in friendship, courtesy, diversity and affection. That majestic tree's hotel is built upon a solid foundation of respect for all creatures and the natural world of interrelationships, though as in the human world some need to be avoided if one is to survive. But even the wolves, though frightening to many of the residents at the Heartwood Hotel, have an inane quality about them, squabbling about their achievements and the existence of the Heartwood Hotel. By doing this, Kallie George makes A True Home a suitable read-aloud for younger children who will easily be able to imagine the Hotel with its miscellaneous accommodations (including the root floors with hibernation suites, trunk floors, branch floors, twig floors and honeymoon and penthouse suites) and star-gazing balcony and ballroom. Graced with the black-and-white pencil drawings of American illustrator Stephanie Graegin, Heartwood Hotel's first book, A True Home, has surely found a place for itself in youngCanLit by captivating and gladdening our own hearts.
Books4yourkids
I love a good forest story. I was enchanted by the (slightly weird) world of Beatrix Potter as a child and spent many hours imagining life in Toad Hall, Ratty's waterside home and Badger's complex burrow deep in the Wild Wood. I even created the label Forest Story to keep track of books in this genre I reviewed. And, while there aren't a lot of books that come along in the precise vein of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, Kallie George's new series, Heartwood Hotel, with charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, is a marvelous forest story with the kind of caring, friendship and community that you find in Grahame's book. And, be sure to check out the equally charming and wonderful Heartwood Hotel website for these books where you can learn more about the hotel (the staff, the menu, the rooms) and print out creative activities that let readers design a room for the hotel, create a menu and craft a miniature suitcase!
CM Review
4/4 stars
A True Home and The Greatest Gift are the first two novels in the “Heartwood Hotel” chapter book series: sweet, funny tales about a hotel for small forest animals.
The setting and characters of Heartwood Hotel are adorable without being saccharine. A hotel made out of a hollow tree and sized for mice and badgers is brought to life with clever, humourous details. The animal characters each have their own quirky personality, from the kind-hearted badger Mr. Heartwood, who always speaks in rhyme (unless he is particularly upset), to the huffy June bug who turns out to be a travel reviewer for the Pinecone Press (so it’s a good thing Mona was nice to her).
The plot has fun episodic adventures but also a longer, more poignant arc about Mona learning where she comes from and what happened to her family. The development of Mona’s and Tilly’s friendship is the glue that holds all the pieces together, and it will resonate particularly with children who encounter the same hesitation, misunderstanding and awkwardness as they learn how to make and keep friends. This series should prove popular with kids who like anthropomorphized animal stories, stories about small people in miniature worlds, and humourous adventures starring unlikely but stalwart heroes. Adults reading these stories aloud will enjoy the sly pokes at certain societal conventions and the clever development of the hollow tree setting. Highly Recommended.
The Laughing Place Blogspot
The Heartwood Hotel series approaches emotions in a charming way, with previous books describing sad experiences as “hurts.” Aimed at readers in 2nd-5th grade, the series provides a great role model for dealing with strong feelings in thoughtful and rational ways. Despite being stories about animals, the series helps kids deal with their uniquely human feelings. Stephanie Graegin also returns to illustrate this third book, providing pencil drawings to help underscore key moments in the story and inspiring kids’ imaginations with this cuddly world. Her work has a quality that reminds me of E. H. Shepard’s drawings for A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh series. While the book is at a reading level perfect for elementary school kids, the illustrations also make it easily accessible for parents to read to younger kids. The chapters are short, allowing kids to digest them at a pace they’re comfortable with. I was already a fan of the Heartwood Hotel series and really enjoyed revisiting this world a third time in Heartwood Hotel: Better Together.
Bottomless Book Bag review
This is a delightful and charming series for our youngest elementary students. Advanced readers in Kindergarten - second grade will love reading these books on their own. They are also great read alouds for the teachers and parents to share with their children. This series takes us through a year in the life of Mona the mouse who finds safety and then a new job as a maid in a large tree which is a Hotel for the small woodland creatures. She saves the day in each of the the three books I read. In the fall she makes friends with a bear who helps scare away the wolves. In the winter she discovers who is stealing their food supply and in the spring story she deals with an invasion of owls. The summer book isn't out until July. However, it looks like a wedding and a new guest who might be related to Mona are featured in the story.
Cherry Blossoms & Maple Syrup Blogspot
Heartwood Hotel is such a cute series, and this first book was such a delight. Mona is such a sweet little heroine who starts out homeless and then stumbles open a beautiful hotel in the forest. I wanted to cuddle Mona throughout the story because she is so kind, but is full of determination. She’s a great role model character for younger readers. Each character is so charming, though! I LOVED bossy Tilly, though she somewhat reminded me of my own mother. This first book is just so comfortable, warm and cozy. While there is some danger in the story, it’s nothing too frighting, but it teaches children about finding strength in unlikely situations and how friendship can help solve bigger problems. I also want to praise the illustrations by Stephanie Graegin, which I feel accompany the story so beautifully. I loved having the pictures side-by-side with the text, and I can only imagine how beautiful the artwork looks in the finished edition. This first book is so charming, and it’s definitely one I will be recommending to younger readers when the opportunity arises.
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers Blogspot
An adorable addition to the growing Heartwood Hotel series with enough danger and excitement to keep it interesting, but a whole lot of the friendship and heart we've come to love. It was great visiting with old friends, enjoyable making new ones, and wonderful to see Mona settle in more at her new(ish) home. ]
Audrey's Books
Kallie George has created an absolutely charming and whimsical story. It is full of endearing characters that young children will love, along with some great life lessons, too. She deals with bravery, compassion and self-esteem and of course the power of friendship. This book is perfect for kids who are reading early chapter books but looking for something just a little more difficult. And as my eight-year-old can attest, it makes a great read aloud! — Kelly Dyer, Manager/Children’s Buyer
Jean Little Library Blogspot
Mona Mouse has been through a lot in the first two titles of the Heartwood Hotel series. She's found a new home and friends, helped save the hotel from disaster, and solved exciting mysteries. But now she and the entire hotel are facing a brand-new challenge: Mr. Heartwood is taking a vacation! Graegin's art is as cozy and adorable as ever, with delicate drawings of anxious robin parents and their egg, arguing frog and raccoon bands, and the squabbling fireflies and bees. There aren't many of this type of cozy story anymore, but I have a ready audience for them at my library. There are no flashy magic spells, exciting acts of courage, or sudden revelations, but Mona's quiet little world is very appealing to readers who like cozy, comforting stories. Her daily trials and tribulations as she struggles to fit into her small world, as well as the adorable miniature art pieces that fill the book, are relatable to many of my small patrons. They are a little challenging for beginning chapter readers who aren't yet fluent, but dearly loved by younger readers with a high degree of fluency and vocabulary who aren't yet ready for more mature middle grade titles. Verdict: I have several readers eagerly awaiting the latest in this series and I strongly recommend it as an addition to any library collection that is trying to meet the needs of this community of readers.
Orange Marmalade Books Review
This is the third episode in a darling series set in the Heartwood Hotel, a lovely woodland resort nestled in an enormous tree and catering to birds and insects, squirrels and skunks, voles and porcupines.... Just the right mix of imaginative, miniature worlds and zesty adventure make this series perfect for reading aloud to 5 & 6 year olds, handing to an advanced-but-young reader, or enjoyed in the hammock by kids who prefer their fiction more charming than spine-tingling.
YA & Kids Book Central
Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.
Books 4 Your Kids
Having worked with kid's books for 25 years now, I can tell you that series like this are rare. The Heartwood Hotel books bring to life the the charming creativity of an anthropomorphized community of woodland creatures, balancing it with the unpredictable dangers of life in the natural world.
Meridian Magazine
Heartwood Hotel, by Kallie George, and beautifully illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, is one of my favorite early chapter book series about a tiny mouse, named Mona, and her dwelling. There have been three books published so far and each of the stories are richly told and full of adventure and learning about friendship. Each of these books would be wonderful to read out loud.
San Franciso Book Review
Author Kallie George has written another enchanting book [Better Together] in the Heartwood Hotel series that will delight young readers. The characters are fully-formed and as believable as animal characters can be. The charming illustrations by Stephanie Graegin support the story perfectly. Each book in this series easily stands on its own, but they, as a group, will keep young readers reading for days on end.
Dad of Divas
This is a really sweet book about friendship, courage and community. The reader will become involved with the characters challenges, pasts, and how they overcome issues with the other animals at the hotel.
Such a wonderful chapter book for a child to read independently or for a child and parent to read together.
There is adventure and finding trust. There is problem solving and using their instincts. The animals work together to keep Heartwood Hotel and its guests safe and happy.
Awards and recognition
Junior Library Guild Selection
A Silver Birch Express Award Honour Book
Chosen for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District's Horned Toad Tale list (2018-2019)
Nominated for a BC Book Prize 2018
Shining Willow nominated title
Florida SSYRA Book Award Nominee 2018-2019
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection
Nominated for the Surrey Schools Fiction Book of the Year, 2018-19
Heartwood Hotel - Book #2: The Greatest Gift
ISBN 9781443443975
Regular price $9.99 Sale price $8.99 Save 10%Written by Kallie George, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Mona the mouse has finally found a place to call home, the cozy Heartwood Hotel, where she works as a maid and sleeps snuggled up in a room with her best friend. Following the festive St. Slumber celebration, most of the guests have settled in to hibernate, and the staff is looking forward to a relaxing winter. But disruptions abound, from a difficult duchess to a mysterious midnight snacker. As the snow stacks higher, Mona will have to gather friends both old and new to keep the peace, finding help in some of the most unexpected places.
The second book in the enchanting Heartwood Hotel series, The Greatest Gift will warm your heart with its endearing characters and exquisite illustrations.
Recommended for readers ages 7-10 years old.
Softcover.
Published in Canada by HarperCollins
Download the teacher's guide from the publisher here.
Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
Charming anthropomorphic characters, humorous mishaps, and outside threats add to the drama. Delicate pencil illustrations reinforce Heartwood’s cozy home theme. A sequel, The Greatest Gift, publishes simultaneously. A plucky mouse finds her true home in this warm, winning tale.
CM Review
4/4 stars
A True Home and The Greatest Gift are the first two novels in the “Heartwood Hotel” chapter book series: sweet, funny tales about a hotel for small forest animals.
The setting and characters of Heartwood Hotel are adorable without being saccharine. A hotel made out of a hollow tree and sized for mice and badgers is brought to life with clever, humourous details. The animal characters each have their own quirky personality, from the kind-hearted badger Mr. Heartwood, who always speaks in rhyme (unless he is particularly upset), to the huffy June bug who turns out to be a travel reviewer for the Pinecone Press (so it’s a good thing Mona was nice to her).
The plot has fun episodic adventures but also a longer, more poignant arc about Mona learning where she comes from and what happened to her family. The development of Mona’s and Tilly’s friendship is the glue that holds all the pieces together, and it will resonate particularly with children who encounter the same hesitation, misunderstanding and awkwardness as they learn how to make and keep friends. This series should prove popular with kids who like anthropomorphized animal stories, stories about small people in miniature worlds, and humourous adventures starring unlikely but stalwart heroes. Adults reading these stories aloud will enjoy the sly pokes at certain societal conventions and the clever development of the hollow tree setting. Highly Recommended.
Awards and recognition
Junior Library Guild Selection
Cybils Award Finalist 2017
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens: Starred Selection
A Year and a Day, Issue 17: Rivers
AYAAD Issue 17 Rivers
Regular price $22.50It's winter, and as the last leaves fall from the trees, and the nights are at their longest, the sky seems darker and wider than ever. On cold, crisp and cloudless nights, there's nothing better than a bit of moon-gazing. Since the beginning of time, humans have looked to the moon with wonder, and with a lingering question: what is it exactly that stares back at us?
In this issue, you will discover three stories that tell us something about the nature of the moon: its origin, its phases and whether it could be a place that humans could call home. And by the time you have read this magazine, we hope that you will be able to make a moon viewer, name the moon's phases, create a lunar calendar, draw the moon, craft a moon lantern... and much more!
Activities are laid out in order, and span a suggested timeline of 3 days, making this a fabulous resource for homeschooling.
Staplebound. Beautifully printed on sturdy, high quality, uncoated paper.
~39 pages.
Printed in the UK.
Bibbit Jumps
ISBN 9781776572779
Regular price $24.50 Sale price $19.50 Save 20%written & illustrated by Bei Lynn; translated by Helen Wang.
Bibbit Jumps is a charming illustrated chapter book for emerging readers about an enthusiastic frog who sometimes misses the mark.
Bibbit is a little frog who sometimes forgets how to swim — but he’s a jumping expert. He can jump very high, very far and in many different ways. But sometimes he feels nervous about what the day might bring — unlike his little sister, who is ready for adventure.
Bibbit Jumps is a charming illustrated chapter book, full of rhythm and resonance, from Bei Lynn, one of Taiwan’s up-and-coming author–illustrators.
For young readers ages 5-7.
Hardcover.
Gecko Press.
Reviews:
"These charming stories with their lovely playful watercolour illustrations convey the importance of sibling relationships, friendships and how determination and perseverance help when facing up to fear and uncertainty." ~ Outside in the World
"These gentle stories might be about a little frog and his sister, but they reflect both the logic of the very youngest and the sort of everyday event that to a child are satisfying adventures." ~ Ibby UK
"The episodes are slight and only loosely connected but the mix of fear and excitement at all the new experiences and possibilities is child-like and the importance of perseverance shines through. The ink and watercolour illustrations are very appealing, full of expression and movement and they enhance the simple text. This translated chapter book for early readers has a whimsical and gently humorous tone and the endearing character of Bibbit should appeal to young readers." ~ Books for Keeps
Rockets
ISBN 9788000063492
Regular price $22.95 Sale price $16.50 Save 28%Written by Pavla Hanáčková
Illustrated by Diarmuid Ó Catháin
Recommended for ages 6-8 years.
A flightless bird that wishes to fly into space? Our kiwi bird Karl will show you that you can literally reach the stars, if you are determined and work hard to follow your dreams. Together with him, the readers will learn about rockets, space travel and space itself.
Is space the number one topic you’re interested in? Would you like to learn what breathtaking objects and man-made machines are flying around out there? Would you like to become an astronaut and see everything with your own eyes? Karl the kiwi bird is interested in just that. His biggest dream is to visit space as an astronaut.
Together you’ll learn many interesting things about all kinds of spacecraft. You’ll meet the most famous types and also catch a glimpse of what goes on before you even get to go to space—astronaut training and liftoff included! Join Karl in his spacecraft, get to know the solar system, and even more! Who knows what is hiding beyond our galaxy . . .
20 pages. 24.13 x 1.27 x 24.13 cm.
Albatros Media.
Review
"Calling all kids who love space! “All Aboard! Rockets” by Pavla Hanáčková and Diarmuid Ó Catháin is a must have! Full of information on gravity, spaceships, rockets, our Solar System and more! Perfect for preschools and elementary school aged kids." ―Red Poppy Reading IG
"ROCKETS is a fun encyclopedic picture book that teaches children fun facts about rockets. This book will work well for early elementary school aged readers who appreciate some fiction while they learn plenty of cool facts about space!" ―YA Books Central
"Fun, informative, 'kid friendly' in organization and presentation (and with an oversized board book feel), "Rockets" will prove to be a prized and appreciated addition to family, elementary school, and community library Space Exploration & Rocket Science picture book collections." ―Midwest Book Review, Children's Bookwatch
About the Author
Pavla Hanackova (1990–2021) was a Czech author who studied English and Chinese at Palacký University, Olomouc, and later worked as a children's book editor for Albatros. In addition to her love of travel, she had a deep passion for food – and all things food-related. She hailed from a picturesque Moravian village surrounded by vineyards.
Diarmuid O Cathain is an Irish illustrator and picture book maker. After obtaining a degree in Visual Communications, he worked in the Graphic Design field, before pursuing a career in Illustration. With over 10 years of freelance illustration experience, Diarmuid has worked with a wide range of clients, both Irish and international, on a variety of projects from editorial and advertising to packaging and animation. He is always looking for new opportunities to collaborate and new visual challenges to sink his teeth into.
Weaving with Children - seconds
ISBN 9781782500193
Regular price $30.50 Sale price $20.50 Save 33%Please note reduced price for cover scuffs that occurred in transit from publisher.
By Ute Fischer; Translated by Anna Cardwell
Weaving is a creative and practical art that's great fun for all ages and abilities. This original book shows you how to weave a wonderful variety of objects -- special jewellery, a pretty bag, juggling balls, a snug scarf and even a scary spider in its web.
Some of the items have handy everyday uses -- a phone pocket, a mug warmer and a coin purse -- and some are just great fun -- fairyland mushrooms, a dreamcatcher and an Easter hen.
Each enjoyable project is accompanied by easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and colour photos showing children how to weave with a variety of materials from traditional wool, to rags and plastic bags.
Ideal for parents or teachers, the projects are most suitable for children aged 7 to 14 years old; although a pattern for a pom-pom which may be introduced in junior kindergarten age, and then simple weaving, eg, for a wide belt, which may be introduced in senior kindergarten is also included.
Softcover, 104 pages, with full colour illustrations. 229 x 210 mm.
Floris Books.
Reviews
'This book brings a new dimension to weaving. It would really appeal to an artistic child.'
Home Education Advisory Service
The Bumblebee Garden
ISBN 9781782508625
Regular price $28.95by Dawn Casey; illustrated by Stella Lim
In the chilly early spring, Ben and Grandpa are busy in the garden. Ben spots a fuzzy bumblebee in a cosy coat, just like him.
As spring turns to summer, Ben learns all about the lives of the bumblebees -- how they grow from eggs into hungry larvae, spin cocoons and finally emerge as bees -- and notices what he has in common with his buzzy friends. When Grandpa explains that bees carry pollen that helps juicy strawberries grow in their garden, Ben asks if they can help the bees in return.
The Bumblebee Garden is a charming, lyrical story that teaches young children about the life cycle of bees, and their importance to the balance of the natural world. The luminous illustrations will inspire readers to celebrate these remarkable, vital insects and help them thrive in their own gardens and nearby green spaces.
- A sweet story of the natural world, with a gentle message about bee conservation
- Dawn Casey's engaging story teaches young children about the life cycle of bees, and their importance to the ecosystem
- Stella Lim's luminous illustrations bring Ben's family and the details of the garden to life on the page
- Features a non-fiction double-page spread showing the life cycle of a queen bee
- From the creators of Spin a Scarf of Sunshine
Ben helps in Grandpa's garden through the year and learns all about the life cycle of the bumblebees. This charming picture book highlights the importance of bee conservation through a lyrical story and luminous illustrations.
Recommended for young readers 4 - 7 years old.
Hardcover, 28 pages. 275 x 295 mm.
Published by Floris Books.
Reviews
'A gentle, lovely introduction to a ubiquitous but lesser-known insect.'
-- Kirkus Reviews
'Beautifully illustrated and a fun, informative read from start to finish.'
-- Midwest Book Review
'A delightful story and a lovely way to learn about the life cycle of bees.'
-- Juno
'From the team that brought you Spin a Scarf of Sunshine comes a story about harvesting honey, the lifecycle of a bumblebee queen, and onomatopoetic sounds. So lovely.'
-- School Library Journal
'A good preface for those wanting to learn more about bees. The artwork is wonderful. I enjoyed how we get to see the child's life parallel to that of the bee, and the way he connected the bee's life with his own.'
-- YA Books Central
'A beautiful picture book to help young readers understand the importance of bees to all of us in creating fresh produce for people to eat, and to show children how simple it is for them to support helpful insects as they pollinate plants that bring us food. The text is conversational and easy to understand. The illustrations beautifully support the text.'
-- San Francisco Book Review
'Lovely color illustrations marry text with imagery as bumblebees are appreciated and explored by Ben and his Grandpa, who bond over their shared wonder.'
-- Donovan's Literary Agency
'This is such a sweet story about generational bonds, a love for nature, and learning more about bees! With beautiful illustrations, the reader is guided through the ever-changing seasons and learning about what a queen bee is up to along the way!'
-- ThreeLittleLovesLibrary (Instagram)
'A loving and tender depiction of a multiracial family spending time together in nature, The Bumblebee Garden is perfect for building empathy towards some of the smallest (yet some of the most important) members of the backyard habitat.'
-- ReadingWithRedAndMagpie (Instagram)
'This lovely intergenerational story has short spurts of onomatopoeia, and closes with a chart exploring the life cycle of the queen bee.'
-- 3BittyBookworms (Instagram)
'A charming, lyrical story that teaches young children about the life cycle of bees, and their importance to the balance of the natural world.'
-- KatysBookShelf (Instagram)
'If your children are passionate about bees and gardening, then this is the perfect book… I loved the soft watercolour illustrations that immerse the reader in the story.'
-- OurWorldOfWonder (Instagram)
'A sweet story about generational bonds, a love for nature, and learning more about bees.'
-- LittleLovesLibrary (Instagram)
'It features illustrations with a slight vintage vibe and a distinctive style, this is the book I’d recommend for bee lovers.'
-- TheKidsBookstagrammer (Instagram)
'A beautiful blend of fiction and information that will encourage readers to notice what’s going on around them, and make small changes to become more bee-friendly.'
-- KidsReadTheWorld (Instagram)
'This beautifully illustrated picture book celebrates just how special bees truly are and how we can help them thrive this spring! Through this delightful story, young readers will learn all about the life cycle of bees and how they can make their own yards a bit more eco-friendly.'
-- FunReadsForKids (Instagram)
'Super informative and would be great for a unit on bees or pollination. The illustrations are stunningly beautiful and it features a grandfather-grandson relationship, which is so special.'
-- PictureBookPlaydate (Instagram)
'A touching and darling book that shows the connections between us and the natural world… The illustrations are stunning (those flowers!) and this book made us so happy and excited for spring!'
-- BrightWishBooks (Instagram)
'A beautifully illustrated story that gently intertwines factual elements with a narrative that celebrates intergenerational learning, the beauty of the natural world, and the simple yet profound connections between all living things.'
-- StorybookMamma
'The book explains the entire cycle of a bumblebee's life throughout the seasons with a fantastic life cycle of a queen bee right at the end.'
-- WithMarlena (Instagram)
'Great for learning more about bees, as well as some ways readers can help them!'
-- LittleReadersFutureLeaders (Instagram)
'This is a great children's nature book. If you have a little one that's curious about the lives of bees, or how flowers are pollinated, this is a perfect book for them! It's informative without overwhelming little readers. The illustrations are also adorable and really complete the book.'
-- NetGalley Reviewer
'What a beautifully illustrated book to describe the lifecycle of queen bees and vital role of bees in an ecosystem… The scope of information is perfect for children, and I loved the relationships between the boy and his grandpa and his little sister. A great storytime option!'
-- NetGalley Reviewer
About the Author
Dawn Casey is the author of picture books and children's story collections inspired by the wonder of the natural world. Her work has won the Gold Nautilus Award for books that support conscious living and received an accolade from the American Folklore Society. Before becoming an author, Dawn worked in publishing and as a primary school teacher. Her picture books include Spin a Scarf of Sunshine and The Bumblebee Garden. Dawn lives with her husband, children and a tabby cat in Sussex, UK.
Stella Lim is an illustrator from South Korea. She studied Fine Art and graduated from Kingston University with a Master of Communication Design. She is the illustrator of Spin a Scarf of Sunshine, Little Blue Bunny and The Bumblebee Garden. Stella lives in Seoul with her family and tabby cat.