<p>"Gr 1-3–This informational picture book follows the fictionalized life cycle of Matilda, a honeybee, as she develops from a larva to an industrious worker bee. Although the book is brimming with factual information, the realism is offset with touches of whimsy in the text and illustrations. Matilda carries woven baskets to gather pollen and envies the restful life of a male drone, who is later shown wearing a tuxedo for his “marriage” to the queen. The digital illustrations have a painterly quality, capturing the golden light of the hive and the “sunlit meadow” in layered hues reminiscent of watercolor. The translation from the original Czech is stilted at times, and lines such as “It’s only proper that the queen has a grander chamber, as befits her status” may need to be rephrased or explained to young readers. With multiple scenes depicted on a page and text that is a mix of paragraphs, speech bubbles, and diagram captions, this book is best suited to one-on-one sharing. A better match for groups is Candace Fleming’s Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera. VERDICT Informative text and attractive illustrations make this a decent additional purchase in a crowded field of bee-related books." <em><strong>—Amy Reimann, School Library Journal</strong></em></p><p>"This was an absolutely adorable read! It was a very informative book told in a gentle way for children. I would definitely buy this if I had a small child." <em><strong>—Tudor Queen, Reviewer</strong></em></p><p>"I learned a lot about each stage of a bee's life, and Matilda was a fun narrator! I think this is a great way to teach kiddos about bees, and the illustrations were absolutely adorable!" <em><strong>—Ande Davidson, Goodreads/NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p>
<p>"Diary of a Bee is a perfect example of what I love about children's nonfiction. The illustrations are lively and beautiful, and do a great job to support the storytelling and information that they accompany. I was really impressed by Sekaninova's approach to explaining some of the parts of the bee's lifecycle that might seem sadder to little ones, and I think her matter-of-fact yet gentle way of explaining bees dying, disappearing, or leaving the hive is really well done." <em><strong>—Sarah A., NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p>
<p>"This book is a cute and informative take on the life of a bee. It doesn't shy away from some of the sadder aspects of being a drone bee or the dangers of what can happen when a bee leaves to forage, but it still maintains and overall upbeat and hopeful tone, showing the hive continues to thrive." <em><strong>—Kristen S., NetGalley-Librarian</strong></em></p>
<p>"This book is just precious! From start to finish, it was absolutely adorable. I wish when I taught preschool I had this for my classroom. My four kids and I have adored it!" <em><strong>—NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p>
<p>"I think the diary format of this book is cute. It certainly provides a friendly and positive look at bees, which.l children may be scared of." <em><strong>—Brittany D., NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p>
<p>"A gorgeously illustrated and delightfully informative look at the lifespan of a bee, exploring their various jobs as feeder, forager, builder, guard, and more. This is a perfect introductory book for kiddos who are interested in our busy, buzzing little pals!" <em><strong>—Victoria R., NetGalley-Librarian</strong></em></p><p>"This was cute and informative. The illustrations were not only gorgeous, but they were well organized and I loved that they followed the linear timeline." <em><strong>—Kimberly M., NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p>
<p>"Beautiful, warm illustrations and well-written, easy to understand text combine into this informative look inside the hive and the life of Matilda, the bee. She gives us an almost daily account of what is happening inside the hive as well as shows us around the different areas and the different types of bees living and working there. This is a great book for an elementary school reader. There is also a QR code on the back cover for even more information about bees and their life. Looking forward to sharing this wonderful book with my students." <em><strong>—NetGalley-Educator</strong></em></p>
<p>"I LOVE bees. Matilda the worker bee chronicles her life in this beautifully illustrated picture book from birth to death (well, she has a little help narrating the death part). I love how detailed and factual this book is while still telling a wonderful story of bees and their daily lives." <em><strong>—Robin P., NetGalley-Educator</strong></em></p>
<p>"This was a very cute read that was cozy, yet informative way to teach young children about bees. It follows Matilda, a bee, and she goes about her jobs in the hive. I would highly encourage this book to any bee lovers, or classrooms that talk about animal jobs." <em><strong>—Kaitlyn B., NetGalley-Educator</strong></em></p>
<p>"Matilda has taught me more about bees then I have known in my last 40 years on earth. Very well written and illustrated in a manner that children will comprehend." <em><strong>—NetGalley-Educator</strong></em></p>
<p>"This is a really wonderful book. It will allow children to learn more about bees in a really fun way. and the pictures were adorable!" <em><strong>—Angela W., NetGalley-Reviewer</strong></em></p><p>"I really enjoyed this book. The illustrations really tied it together, and were fun to look through." <em><strong>—Rebecca Hill, Blogger</strong></em></p>"It's a treat to accompany this adorable bee through her life and see how amazing the workings inside a hive truly are. This book does complete the life-cycle of a bee from birth to death and closes off with new life the next Spring. These moments are handle very carefully and immediately soften with the joy of the continual circle. It's a lovely book with tons of goodness on the bee facts, too." <i><b>—Tonja R Drecker, Blogger</b></i>