Beekeepers [Hardcover]

Linda Oatman High (Author), Doug Chayka (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

From the author of "Maizie" and "Hound Heaven" comes a lovingly told story that captures the special experience shared between a grandparent and child. On a warm and sunny day, a young girl helps her grandfather tend his bees. Full color .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Readers will be buzzing with curiosity after turning the pages of this quietly suspenseful story of a girl who helps her grandfather keep bees and harvest their honey. Decked out in the requisite but unearthly-looking protective gear, the beekeepers head to the hives in the bee yard. When some of the bees decide to swarm, quick thinking and calm movements save the day-and the hives. High's (A Christmas Star) spare, poetic descriptions make it easy to imagine a dewy spring morning on the farm. In his picture book debut, Chayka's oil paintings, built up in broad brush strokes, are appropriately steeped in the golden hues of sunshine and honey. The gentle lighting is a key element: because the beekeepers' veils obscure most facial expressions, the artist resourcefully deploys color and composition to set the mood. Children unfamiliar with this type of farming will be fascinated by such equipment as a bee smoker and the box-like hives where the bees build their honeycombs. But most of all, youngsters will marvel at the central characters as they emerge unscathed from a swarm of creatures most people have been taught to fear. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1AA beautifully descriptive story about a girl and her grandfather and the passing of a legacy to be a keeper of bees. The soft oil paintings set the tone of a sunny springtime afternoon when the man allows his granddaughter to bring down the swarm for the first time. "What if they don't come," she asks, "trembling." "They'll come," grandfather says. They do, making both beekeepers proud and leaving them to reminisce about other times and the honey harvest. The story is simple and the illustrations glow, leaving readers with a warm feeling of a shared experience.AEvelyn Butrico, Cold Spring Harbor Library, Greenlawn, NY
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (March 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156397486X
• ISBN-13: 978-1563974861
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #945,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm an author of books for children and teens, and I teach writing workshops and do author presentations. For a LOT about me, please see www.lindaoatmanhigh.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beekeeping through a child's eyes, February 14, 2000

By 

Rolaine Hetherington (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beekeepers (Hardcover)

My first grader brought this book home for her accelrated reading assignment and was immediately drawn to the colors used. After reading each page she studied the artwork and observed how well it depicted what she had just read. The illustrations truly reinforce the content of the book which is not only informative but wonderfully written. The interaction between the grandfather and granddaughter is warming. The gentle manner in which he allows his granddaughter to help and experience the art of beekeeping is a lesson in love, patience and trust. A great example of how two people of different generations can relate and of how the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren can truly be. Amidst all the interaction the reader learns a wealth about beekeeping. It's a delightful book for the eye, the ear, the imagination, the mind and the heart.