Bees are probably one of the first bugs that kids recognize. With their large size and loud buzzing, they are kind of hard to miss. The fear of being stung is also present from a very young age, even if you have never been stung by anything. Because of this, bees are often high on the list of childhood fears. The sad part is that bees are struggling for survival, and the loss of their population will mean devastating things to our lives and our environment. So I decided to gather a list of children’s books about bees to teach kids about the importance of bees and the work that they do. Hopefully with a little education, we can change some minds about bees and save them!

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Bea’s Bees*

Written by Katherine Pryor and illustrated by Ellie Peterson

In this sweet story, a young girl named Beatrix finds a bee hive and starts watching their busy lives. When they suddenly disappear, she learns everything she can about bees in an effort to save them. The story shares lots of important facts about all that bees do for our world, and encourages kids to do the same. The illustrations are sweet and colorful, celebrating all of the beautiful flowers that Bea and her neighbors plant. The back of the book also includes information on bee conservation efforts. After one read, my daughter decided that she wanted to help saving the bees too. So we will be planting some wildflowers soon!

Hello Honeybees*

Written by Hannah Roge and illustrated by Emily Dove

This adorable board book introduces very young ones to the importance of bees and the hard work that they do. The simple text and sweet illustrations follow a group of bees as they go about their day finding flowers, spreading pollen and making honey. The cute bee characters even encourage kids to get up and do the Bee Waggle dance. The bees on the cover pop out, and are attached to the book by ribbons. The book itself can be transformed into a standing beehive, allowing kids to fly their busy bees all around the hive.

Being a Bee*

Written by Jinny Johnson and illustrated by Lucy Davey

This informative book teaches kids all about life as a bee. The nonfiction text is clear and easy to understand, providing information on everything from their appearance and life cycle, to the important work that they do. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, highlighting life inside the hive and the work they do in the world. The book also includes a table of contents, glossary, and further resources, making it a great first step into nonfiction texts for kids.

Related Post: 15 Fun Bug Books for Kids

Bee: A Peek-Through Picture Book

Written by Britta Teckentrup

This beautiful book uses a descriptive rhyming text and beautiful illustrations to teach kids about the work that bees do, as well as their place in nature. The text is full of soothing imagery, which is highlighted in the colorful mixed media illustrations. The pages also include hexagon shaped cut outs, highlighting the bee on each page.

Give Bees a Chance

Written and illustrated by Bethany Barton

It’s easy to be afraid of bees if you don’t understand them. In this creative book, a young kid named Edgar tells his friend the narrator that he doesn’t like bees. The narrator shares all kinds of interesting facts about bees with Edgar (and the reader) in the hopes of changing his mind. The text is conversational and easy to follow, even with all of the scientific facts throughout. The illustrations are cartoon like and engaging, and kids will appreciate that Edgar shares their fear of bees and their stingers throughout the book. By acknowledging the reason for the fear, this book addresses it and helps kids to see past it.

Please Please the Bees

Written and illustrated by Gerald Kelley

This story follows an adorable bear named Benedict who loves honey. Every day the bees bring him honey, and he eats and drinks it throughout the day. When the bees go on strike, Benedict doesn’t know what to do. By listening to the bees, he learns what he can do to help them in their hard work. This sweet story reminds the reader that we are all a part of nature, and it is important for us to take care of the world around us. The soft illustrations are full of fun details, and show the bear eating, knitting, and baking like a human.

The Honeybee

Written by Kirsten Hall and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

This lovely book introduces kids to the work of honeybees through soft illustrations and a lively, rhythmic text. The poetic language highlights the bees travels as he searches for a flower. The illustrations use a mostly yellow color palette, highlighting the bright world of bees. The bee character is illustrated in a friendly cartoon style, encouraging kids to look at bees differently.

The Big Honey Hunt

Written by Stan and Jan Berenstain

This classic story is the first in the beloved Berenstain Bear series. When the Bear family runs out of honey, Father Bear and Small Bear go out on a hunt to find more. They follow a honeybee in an attempt to find his hive, but along the way they run into some difficult situations. The rhyming text uses repeating phrases and a peppy rhythm to carry the story along. The illustrations are full of hilarious images of Father Bear getting into trouble on the hunt. Kids will appreciate the silly situations, while parents will love the funny ending.

Check out the fun activities that we paired with The Big Honey Hunt here!

The Magic School Bus Inside a Beehive

Written by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen

This imaginative story follows the creative Ms. Frizzle and her class as they learn about bees and their work firsthand. When Ms. Frizzle shrinks the bus and the class down and turns them into bees, they learn about honeycombs, beeswax and all the important work that bees do. The illustrations feature the students and teacher as bees, and shows what life is like from the tiny bee’s perspective. The text is bursting with information, and the speech bubbles in the illustrations feature funny interactions between the students. The sidebars are full of diagrams and essays written by the students in the class as well.

Princesses Save the World*

Written by Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim and illustrated by Eva Byrne

This follow up to the popular book Princesses Wear Pants, follows Princess Penelope Pineapple and her friends as they try to help bring bees back to the Strawberry Kingdom. The story is full of fun princess characters, who use some creative thinking and teamwork to save the day. The story brings attention to the important role that bees play in growing fruits, which will encourage kids to want to save them as well. The illustrations are bursting with bright colors and fun details.

Related Post: Books about Strong Princesses

Are your kids afraid of bees? What are your favorite children’s books about bees? Share in the comments!

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