The Bee Book

[Beth C.]

Bees have been a hot topic for a few years now, primarily due to the mysterious deaths of entire colonies and the ensuing research to try and figure out what was going wrong. However, bees have been vital to our lives and our economy for many, many years before that. This humble insect pollinates a majority of our food sources, along with providing honey and wax for a variety of things, and those flowers and plants that they depend on are becoming harder and harder to find. The Bee Book takes an in-depth look at the bee, including its history as we know it, the science behind the insect, how to grow a pollinator garden, or even how to keep bees, and ideas of things to make with honey and beeswax.

DK often puts out high-quality materials, but this might be the best-looking DK book I've seen. It's quality paper, and lovely hardcover, and many colorful images throughout. Honestly, this isn't necessarily meant to be read like a novel, but that's exactly what I did when it arrived. It was so full of facts and information that I had never heard before (Did you know there is a bee just about the size of the small letter "o" you just looked at? There is!), and complementary artwork, that I really didn't want to put it down.

Most people who get this book aren't necessarily going to read it like I did, but instead will use it for the practical information. The section on the best plants for a pollinator garden was terrific and accompanied by color pictures. Since I've been thinking about doing something like this in the back yard, it will certainly come in handy. The recipes in the back I'm also looking forward to trying, such as that for Honey & Lavender Soap and Soothing Sunburn Lotion. Though be aware - the soap recipe is a cold-process recipe.

Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised at how wonderful this book is. I really had wondered how they could do a full-length, hardcover book on bees, but - they more than managed. It would make an excellent addition to any classroom, particularly when studying pollinators. It also has excellent information for anyone contemplating having their own hives. It's a terrific resource and yet pretty enough to be a coffee-table book.