Busy Bees: The Story of Honey
A "Show 'n Tell Window Book"
Written by Dafna and Avrami Tidhar
Illustrated by Aviad Ben Simon Feldheim Publishers, (2008)
ISBN: 1-58330-924-1
Reviewed by Anna Dogole - January 25, 2010
Busy Bees: The Story of Honey is the first book in an innovative series of children's books called the Show 'n Tell Window Books. Two factors unify these books. They are all written from a Torah-centric viewpoint, and each contains a series of items incased in plastic that allow the reader to see real examples of unique items mentioned in the text. In the case of Busy Bees which is about how bees make honey, readers can see examples of pollen grains, citrus honey, royal jelly, propolis, beeswax, eucalyptus honey and a piece of honeycomb.
Busy Bees is an oversized book that contains lively and informative illustrations, which serve to enhance the main text that explains how honeybees make honey and a bit about honeybees in general, including information about their life cycle. Information is also provided about how humans extract honey from the beehives and turn it into the honey we buy at the store. The main text is found at the top of each page, while at the bottom of each page you will find additional information about the use of honey in Jewish traditions, as well as references to honey made in the Tanach. Honey factoids abound including an explanation of why honey is kosher despite the fact that bees are a non-kosher insect.
This book was written for both young children as well as for older readers, including adults. The authors, Dafna and Avrami Tidhar, did this by including two sets of text. The text that runs along the top of each page is designed to be read by, or to, younger children and to show the special traits that HaShem gave just to the bee. The text found at the bottom of each page is much more technical and designed for an older audience.
The text alone is fascinating to read, and my younger kids spent days talking about bees after reading this book. As well, not only I, but my older kids as well, learned quite a few facts about honeybees that we never knew before. What makes this book most amazing are the samples of various substances mentioned in the book that you can actually see through their plastic cases. In short, this entertaining and informative book tells the story of honey, and the honeybee, in such a manner that readers of all ages will delight in reading it.
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