Book picks similar to
Are You a Bee? by Judy Allen


science
picture-books
non-fiction
insects

Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge


Rachel Dougherty - 2019
    It was the first trip across an engineering marvel that had taken nearly fourteen years to construct. The woman's husband was the chief engineer, and he knew all about the dangerous new technique involved. The woman insisted she learn as well. When he fell ill mid-construction, her knowledge came in handy. She supervised every aspect of the project while he was bedridden, and she continued to learn about things only men were supposed to know:math,science,engineering.Women weren't supposed to be engineers. But this woman insisted she could do it all, and her hard work helped to create one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. This is the story of Emily Roebling, the secret engineer behind the Brooklyn Bridge, from author-illustrator Rachel Dougherty.

The Honeybee Man


Lela Nargi - 2011
    They also forage in flowers abloom across Brooklyn... so that, one day, Fred can make his famous honey, something the entire neighborhood looks forward to tasting. Lela Nargi's beautifully written story—accompanied by Kyrsten Brooker's collage-style illustrations—offers an inside look at the life of an endearing beekeeper and the honey-making process.A Junior Library Guild Selection, a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year, a Cook Prize Honor Book, and a NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book.

Beach


Elisha Cooper - 2006
    In this new picture book by award-winning author Elisha Cooper, the simple magic of building sand castles, collecting seashells, and running from the waves is brought to life through poetic text and lively illustrations. Together, readers will be able to visit the beach year-round as they share this delightful book.

Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle


Miranda Paul - 2015
    Sip. Pour me a cup. Water is water unless...it heats up.Whirl. Swirl. Watch it curl by. Steam is steam unless...it cools high.This spare, poetic picture book follows a group of kids as they move through all the different phases of the water cycle. From rain to fog to snow to mist, talented author Miranda Paul and the always remarkable Jason Chin (Redwoods, Coral Reefs, Island, Gravity) combine to create a beautiful and informative journey in this innovative nonfiction picture book that will leave you thirsty for more.

Saved by the Boats: The Heroic Sea Evacuation of September 11


Julie Gassman - 2016
    history. Amid the chaos, sea captains and crews raced by boat to the tragic Manhattan scene. Nearly 500,000 people on Manhattan Island were rescued that day in what would later be called the largest sea evacuation in history. In this rarely told story of heroism, we come to understand that in our darkest hours, people shine brightly as a beacon of hope.

On Beyond Bugs


Tish Rabe - 1999
    Just wait… and you’ll soon see an insect go by!” With these words Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat sets out to take young readers on a fascinating tour of the insect world – a world teeming with six legged critters from moths to fleas and fireflies. This title forms part of a series of books that takes an off-beat look at natural history through a fun combination of Seussian rhymes and zany illustrations. Aimed at early readers – from four to seven year olds – the books are designed to bridge the gap between concept books written for preschoolers and more formal non fiction titles that require fluent reading skills. By presenting the facts in a lively and rhythmic manner, they provide the critical foundation upon which complex facts and ideas can eventually be built.

The Mess That We Made


Michelle Lord - 2020
    Simple, rhythmic wording builds to a crescendo ("This is the mess that we made. These are the fish that swim in the mess that we made.") and the vibrant digital artwork captures the disaster that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Children can imagine themselves as one of the four multi-ethnic occupants of the little boat surrounded by swirling plastic in the middle of the ocean, witnessing the cycle of destruction and the harm it causes to plants, animals, and humans. The first half of the book portrays the growing magnitude of the issue, and the second half rallies children and adults to make the necessary changes to save our oceans. Facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and how kids can help are included in the back matter.

The Tale of the Mandarin Duck: A Modern Fable


Bette Midler - 2021
     How do you get people to appreciate what is right in front of them? In The Tale of the Mandarin Duck, it takes a mysterious, beautiful duck and a clear-eyed kid to point out the obvious!

Each Orange Had 8 Slices


Paul Giganti Jr. - 1992
    Dynamic illustrations combine with simple yet challenging questions to stimulate young learners to move beyond simple counting to more complex mathematical tasks. Full color.

Please Please the Bees


Gerald Kelley - 2017
    Every morning the bees leave a jar of honey on his doorstep, and every day he has honey for breakfast and honey in his tea. It’s an important part of his day. But all that changes when the bees go on strike. Now it’s up to Benedict to listen to the bees, and he realizes there’s a lot more he could be doing to help them. So he fixes up the hive and learns to be a better beekeeper. Will the bees be pleased?

Eggs, 1, 2, 3: Who Will The Babies Be?


Janet Halfmann - 2012
    Song-like, non-rhyming verse gives clues as to who might hatch. The answer to the repeated refrain, "Who will the babies be?", is found beneath a flap. Besides discovering the animal baby or babies, kids will also pick up a lot of nature terminology and interesting facts about animals, their birthing environments, and habitats.

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold


Joyce Sidman - 2014
    Paired with stunning linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen, that celebrate nature's beauty and power.

We Love Fishing!


Ariel Bernstein - 2021
    The woodland creatures can’t wait to pile into their boat and go fishing! Or, at least, Bear, Porcupine, and Otter can’t wait. They love fishing. Squirrel…does not. Squirrel tags along with his enthusiastic friends, but is there anything they all love? Or is this fishing trip already sunk?

I’m Happy-Sad Today: Making Sense of Mixed-Together Feelings


Lory Britain - 2019
    Happy, and also sad. Excited, but nervous too. Feeling friendly, with a little shyness mixed in. Mixed feelings are natural, but they can be confusing. There are different kinds of happy--the quiet kind and the "noisy, giggly, jump and run" kind. And there are conflicting feelings, like proud and jealous, frustrated and determined. With gentle messaging and charming illustrations, a little girl talks about her many layered feelings, ultimately concluding, "When I have more than one feeling inside me, I don't have to choose just one. I know that all my feelings are okay at the same time." A special section for adults presents ideas for helping children explore their emotions, build a vocabulary of feeling words, know what to do if they feel overwhelmed, and more.

Where Butterflies Grow


Joanne Ryder - 1996
    It eats and changes some more, then in a sequence of remarkable close-ups, spins a sliken sling in which to pupate--until it finally bursts forth as a brilliant black swallowtail butterfly. Includes suggestions on how children can grow butterfiles in their own gardens.