BEES and the Dog who Saved Them!

 

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, 2025

Meet Mack, a rescue dog who is a true BEE hero (now retired). THE DOG WHO SAVED BEES is written by Stephanie Gibeault and illustrated by David Hohn. I've centered the cover, larger than usual, because that's exactly the attitude the cover invites. This nonfiction picture book celebrates MACK, and the illustrations capture MACK's personality wonderfully. You may also note the JUNIOR LITERARY GUILD designation as well as the stacks of beehives. 

There's a human component to Mack's story that should to be overlooked, even though she is subtly backgrounded on the cover. That's Cybil, the "Chief Apiary Inspector" for the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Why is she a part of the story? She was the account's "instigating factor" when she realizes that some of the bees who are transported back and forth across our nation had been infect with "foul brood" a highly contagious and untreatable bee disease. Unless infected hives could be identified and destroyed, they would contaminate others, threatening our national pollination and harvests of almonds, apples, strawberries, and many more food crops. 

Humans can identify infected hives by visual inspection of each hive, but it wasn't possible to do in time to release them for cross continental transport. But those infected hives release a specific stink, one that a dog might recognize and signal, similar to the way dogs can be trained to identify drugs and other contraband. 

That explanation is simplified and visualized in the opening pages, after which Cybil decides she might seek out a dog to train to detect the scent, something never tried before. Special "seek" dogs need to be very high energy and motivated enough to ignore all else when put to work. But those same traits can make dogs poor candidates as pets. Cybil tried (against advice) to work with Mack, a confined dog who was living a miserably boring life and was seen to be rowdy and disruptive. Cybil gave Mack a chance.

Training is described and shown in highly relatable text and images. When Cybils tried some innovative approaches to get her distractible trainee to focus, their work as a team took off. Once Mack could succeed at the seek/signal work with "foulbrood" scent, the real tests would follow. If anyone has ever been stung by a bee, you'll understand the challenge. Mack's work required sniffing closely at hive after hive, and that alone was worrying. When Mack was eventually stung, he resisted returning to work. 

The unfolding story has the appeal of an irresistible dog, the inspiration of an innovative and clever scientist, the stakes of the very food on our tables, and heartwarming visual storytelling. Back matter includes more about Mack, including photos and resources to verify the facts behind this magical tale. 

Many young audiences are ambivalent about bees, recognizing their value in ecosystems, appreciating their fuzzy buzzing and flight, but fearing their sting. The illustrator note even says he recalls a bee sting from childhood but values the variety of plant-based foods on his plate. The story evokes empathy for Mack, highly motivated to his task but reluctant to be hurt again. it will model the steps to overcome fear and gain confidence, and it should inspire many questions and further readings about bees "on the road", about their role in the full cycle of pollination-to-plate.

Summer is certainly prime time for reading about bees, but as impressive as those insects are, they rely on humans (and scent-seeking dogs) to sustain the health of the hive. Mack's story is central but adds enough elements to make agri-business information very kid-friendly, serving as a portal to further nonfiction reading. Mack, the dog, is memorable and so is this nonfiction picture book. Highly recommended.

The Case for Resistance: Be A Flea... for Justice!

CHARLESBRIDGE, 2025

The call-to-action phrase, "a flea for justice", is a classic among civil rights fighters. Its origin story is revealed within the biography of Marian Wright Edelman is related in early spreads in A FLEA FOR JUSTICE: Marian Wright Adelman Stand Up For Justice, written by Valerie Bolling and illustrated by TeMika Grooms. It's worth reading for that alone, but it brings much more to the table.

Edelman's life story depicts an individual whose personal conviction, lived experiences, and community engagement led her to step up and speak up, despite enormous risk to her own life and the ones she loved and supported. The account launches with an incident in which four-year-old Marian takes a drink at a water fountain without knowing that it was labeled WHITES ONLY. The inconceivable "rule" that could be life threatening if ignored was so thoroughly unjust and intolerable to her that it shaped her path in life. And then path she followed changed the lives of countless others.

This new biography reveals a period in American history that, for me, is memory. But for so many younger folks this Civil Rights era can feel like "the distant past". What this account offers is Edelman's lifelong call to others, especially young folks, to recognize that even the tiniest voices and choices can cause harmful practices that add to an "itch" in those causing harm, to act. To not be complacent.

Marian was inspired by the life of Sojourner Truth, the originator of the "FLEA FOR JUSTICE" phrase. She was also aware of the life-and-death impact of segregation, including the death of young friend who died of infection when hospitals refused to treat Black families. That is only one of many examples of the forces driving Edelmann to change the unjust laws, securing her a place of leadership in a movement that changed society, at least on the books. 

Sadly, not all hearts have changed to assure fairness and justice, and the work is still needed.

This life account is compellingly told and thoroughly researched. Back matter includes a life-time-line that showcases personal experiences and global awards. A more detailed passage in back matter adds to her story, while the illustrations and readable text present a profile accessible for even the very young. 

Don't wait for Black History Month, or Women's History Month. Edelmann's story will resonate with readers of every background, achieving what she set out to to do: to empower even the youngest among us with a sense of agency and strength, an assurance that noticing and acting are choices and they lead to change. Don't miss this one. 

I WISH...a Universal Wish Captured In a Simple Story

It's fun to think of how many ways this new picture book will be used and appreciated across generations. The premise is direct: I WISH THAT YOU KNEW, written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and illustrated by Alyssa Russell. The cover suggests a very warm and loving relationship between a young girl and presumed grandmother. Without knowing anything more, the wish could be coming from the elder, longing to share a lifetime of wisdom with the child. 

Or...

little bee books, 2026

...the young girl, on her own at the lower border of the cover, could be exploring on her own, longing to share what she sees and learns and knows. Naturally, families often face the reality that those precious cross-generational moments are limited to periodic visits. The first spreads could support such a situation: Maybe Grandma was visiting and has now gone home. 

But, in this case, the child's longing for a way to share her expanding awarenesses, learning, pleasures, and surprises with a grandmother not there becomes a more poignant story. 

Her loving thoughts of her missing person are suggested with ghostlike (colorful, happy, but semi-transparent) images. This offers a narrative/visual sense that the grandmother has passed on and yet remains present in the child's mind. The child's understanding appears to be that the transitional stage from "missing" to acceptance of loss includes awareness that sharing will always need to be in her heart and memories.

The subtitle of this is "A Bereavement Picture Book for Kids", although that is not indicated on the cover. In this case the family is Jewish and the signals of loss and formal good-byes are culturally specific, but the experiences and process portrayed are universal. There are those  who have not yet felt the loss of someone dear to them (although that  happens for everyone, many at a young age). But this book is suited for any time of life, not just when dealing with an immediate personal loss experience. 

As the cover suggests, the illustrations are rendered in pastels with gentle edges, expressions are sincere but not extreme, and the overall tone is one of hope and happiness. The warmth and connection of the generational relationship is delightful, and those "shadow-images" of grandma are not ones of sadness or loss, but a visual representation of the idiom so often expressed, even sometimes sounding like platitudes: They're never really gone if you are remembering them, etc. This story actually provides a sense of the continuity of lives over time and change, worth discussing and celebrating at any point in young lives. 

The brief author note after the story describes the "UNVEILING DAY" experience of attending the installation of a permanent marker, as well as explaining the Jewish practices surrounding this transition. endpapers feature illustrations of snapshots of shared happiness from the past.

Overall, this is a significant addition to classroom, school, and public libraries, as well as a useful book to share within families. That could be in the midst of a time of loss or at any time, since the continuity of life is worth our awareness and acceptance at any age. 

Where Is My Sister? A Gentle Reflection on Sibling Loss

 Few books address a child's experience of death, although some are so well done they merit call backs HERE (elders) , HERE (pets) , and HERE (Siblings).

WHERE IS MY SISTER, written by Shannon Gibney and illustrated by Huy Von Lee,  takes on the least-addressed topic in death, that of a child lost at or before birth. The extreme shift from glowing anticipation to fierce loss is a brave emotional journey to attempt, and these creators achieved something special and noteworthy. 

University of Minnesota press, 2026

In this case, the rarely addressed topic of siblings/children who die at birth is presented with  gentle nuance and deeply resonant validation of the process of grieving such an impossible loss. The cover image and many of the illustrations reveal the tragedy and loss felt throughout the family, with the father and older brother seeking comfort in faith and hope and pursuit of the spirit of the lost Toni, the coming sister whose life was so lovingly anticipated. 

But even-younger Salome struggles with the WHERE of her missing sister, not the why or how such a loss could have happened. This is quest story, Salome's quest is to find and keep her sister close at hand. Longing to believe that Toni might hear a story she reads aloud, that she is part of the family circle-hug, that she surrounds each of them throughout their day is reflected as "somewhat" satisfying when we see the final illustrations in which Salome's expression still holds sadness, but the prospect of better days and acceptance is evident. The strength of family loving resonates throughout the text and images.

I particularly appreciated that each member of the family was allowed a spread or more to suggest their personal journeys through their loss, with Mom clearly struggling the most. As in THE RABBIT LISTENED, among my all-time favorite picture books, Salome senses the value of simply staying near her mother, catching a tear and clinging to the hope that it might hold a bit of her baby sister Toni in its salty essence. 

This is certainly an ideal book for any family dealing with such an indescribable loss. As with so many other powerful books on difficult topics, it is also a superb book to share with everyone, since the experience is both heartbreakingly specific (building empathy) and also metaphorical about any tragic loss after extended anticipation and hope. That comparison is not meant to diminish the immeasurable suffering of families facing the loss of an expected child. It is meant to to suggest that everyone carries loss in different ways, and this book offers a loving portrayal of nonjudgmental and potentially helpful ways to struggle through painful times. 

This is not an upbeat or easy read, but it is one that opens conversations about deep feelings, especially among very young audiences. It does nothing to "fix" anyone else's loss, other than than to suggest that none of us are alone, and seeing the possibility of deep sadness in others can only make us better at being human to, and for, those around us as they experience  their journeys.