Little Ben and his grandfather share a delight in their garden and especially, they enjoy watching the bees and thinking about what they bring to the plants and to our food.
When Ben realises how much bees help to feed us he decides that he should make sure that we feed them in return! Grandpa shows Ben how to make a wild place in the garden where the queen bee can make her nest and how to plant wildflowers which will provide a feast for the bees. Together they watch throughout the year as the bees life cycle is played out in front of their eyes.
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.
Features a non-fiction spread showing the life cycle of a queen bee.
'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
Author
About Dawn Casey
Dawn Casey's work is inspired by her deep love of nature, her respect for the tales of old, and her delight in the wonder of the world. Her collection The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales won the Gold Nautilus Award for books that 'support conscious living, green values, spiritual growth and positive social change.' Dawn lives with her family, on the South Downs of Sussex.