Nonfiction Monday - Midsummer's Eve

Tonight is Midsummer's Eve! It is also called St. John's Eve, after St. John, the patron saint of beekeepers. This is a time when the hives should be filled with honey. One of the names for the full moon this month is the Mead Moon, because mead was made out of fermented honey.

So, I thought it would be a great day to blog about bees and books. As many of you know they've  hit a rough patch. Bees that is. Bees need some PR among other things. Forget the stinger, think honey!

There are a ton of kids books out there about bees, but my favorite nonfiction read for kids is The Hive Detectives by Loree Griffin Burns.

Author Loree Griffin Burns not only presents the crisis honey bees are facing, but profiles the scientists and beekeepers on the front lines. The book has amazing photographs and should be in every classroom collection.

I know this is Nonfiction Monday, but I can't help noting two fiction titles.   The Secret Life of Bees by Susan Monk Kidd is a beautiful and perfect read for teens.

 And I'm excited to read The Bees by Laline Paull. It's gotten a lot of buzzzzzz.  It's got a strong dystopian feel to it and is actually set in a hive. Perhaps it will become a great crossover read.