When the Bees Fly Home [Hardcover]

Andrea Cheng (Author), Joline McFadden (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

"With magical pictures and a captivating story, When The Bees Fly Home tells of a family learning to celebrate two very different sons. It's a book that will help families have lively, positive discussions about gender and differences. Alongside the story are fascinating bee facts, offering a place for the reader to alight before flying back into this poignant tale of a boy's wish for acceptance from his father." -Anne K. Fishel, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School Director, Family and Couples Therapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital

It’s frustrating for young Jonathan, the son of a beekeeper, when he isn’t quite strong enough to help his dad with some of the work on the farm. Sometimes his father is irritable with him, and it’s worse now, because the family is struggling to make ends meet during a drought, and their bees aren’t making much honey.

When Jonathan’s mom stays up late one night to make beeswax candles to sell at the local farmer’s market, Jonathan comes downstairs to help. He puts his own skills to work modeling small wax animals and insects to decorate the candles—which prove so popular that they come home from the market with orders for lots more.

Boys often gain recognition for their strength and athletic ability, and those who do not fit into the traditional mold may feel misunderstood. When the Bees Fly Home helps us see that artistic and sensitive boys have their own special place.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

PreS.-Gr. 2. Hard times have fallen on Jonathan's family. There is a drought and the bees that provide his family's living are not producing honey. It doesn't help that Jonathan is not as suited for the heavy work of beekeeping as his younger brother, whom his father seems to favor. But when Jonathan decorates his mother's handmade beeswax candles, he discovers a talent can help the family. The candles sell well at the market, and the family comes home with a stack of orders for more. Large, captivating watercolors accompany this moving story of a boy whose search for acceptance leads him to discover his own abilities. Facts about bees, printed in text that loops like the flight of the insect, complement the family story on each page. A short list of bee resources is appended. Helen Rosenberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"...bee flitting from page to page, accompanied by bouncing lines of fact-filled text, is a clever design touch." -- Cincinnati Enquirer, May 28, 2002

"...father recognizes value of Jonathan's talent... warmth of acceptance shines through....sensitive, realistic illustrations depict a loving, biracial family." -- Phyllis Kennemer, Children's Literature

"Easy to read and colorfully illustrated, the story is supplemented with loads of fun facts about bees." -- Central Maine Newspapers, September 29, 2002

"Magical pictures and a captivating story...[a] poignant tale of a boy's wish for acceptance from his father." -- Anne K. Fishel, Director, Family and Couples Therapy Program, Massachusetts General Hospital

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Tilbury House Pub; First Edition edition (May 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884482383
• ISBN-13: 978-0884482383
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,355,121 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A warm Book to share on many levels, October 15, 2002

By 

Melissa Finnimore (Bath, Maine United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When the Bees Fly Home (Hardcover)

This gem of a book has many things to recommend it. The paintings are carefully rendered to reveal the ehtnic family with diverse interest. The story of a family unit which will remain strong despite the different talents. Add to this the factual information about bees. This book can be used in the classroom to help students make connections to thier own lives which deepens understanding; it can be used to teach facts and can be used to develop cultural awareness.
I have a copy for my classroom and one for my grandson!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Father comes to appreciate artistic son, October 10, 2009

By 

Jyotsna Sreenivasan "Gender Equality Bookstore" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: When the Bees Fly Home (Hardcover)

Jonathan, an elementary-school boy, is not strong enough to help his father, a beekeeper, with his work, and his father is annoyed. The father seems to prefer Jonathan's preschool brother, who loves to show off his muscles. The family is struggling financially: a dry spell means less honey to sell.

One day, Jonathan helps his mother make beeswax candles by decorating them with tiny beeswax sculptures. His father is impressed, and starts to appreciate Jonathan's skill. The decorated candles sell out at the farmer's market, and Jonathan collects many more orders. That night, Jonathan and his father enjoy some quiet time on the porch as the rain finally comes down.

This unusual picture book contains bee facts on each page. My sons were interested to learn, for example, that bees' wings beat 180 times per second.

Another thing I liked about this book is that the parents are a mixed-race couple. This is never mentioned in the story, but the watercolor pictures by Joline McFadden show a fair blond father and a brown-skinned, black-haired mother. It is rare to see a mixed-race couple presented in a picture book in a matter-of-fact way, without a lot of commentary.

I have included this book in my online Gender Equality Bookstore.