posted on 06 Oct 2024

Lulu meets the Bees by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

I am an avid fan of this endearing character and have already reviewed several books about her previous everyday adventures. The author and illustrator always manage to convey her quiet, considerate personality along with her thoughtfulness. Although she is always presented as a young child aged between three and five, she seems to be growing in maturity as she tentatively makes her way through the world.

We already know, Lulu loves flowers and that she is interested in nature, so she is thrilled to be invited to meet real bees at her Mummy’s friend Zora’s house. She has already been doing lots of research about them so that she has plenty of questions to ask. As usual, she is shown as being very independent and confident with an adult in the background - an important message for children.

Once they are sitting in the flower filled garden, Lulu watches the bees with interest because she knows that they are spreading pollen. I like the way that the following double page spread pulls back the reader’s view and we realise that it is a roof top garden of a house in a densely built up area. Other picture books about bees and gardens tend to portray a more rural landscape which is not the experience of many children:

‘The city is a great place for bees.

There are lots of gardens and parks to visit’.

Zora explains the complicated and impressive world of bees and how they work together to bring pollen and nectar back to the hives. Lulu is dressed in a special protective suit so that she can look inside the hives safely. Once they are close enough, we can share her excitement at investigating the hexagonal cells containing baby bee larvae and honey, and look in awe at the huge queen at the centre. She learns about how the honey is made and stored and later enjoys it spread on some bread.

Lulu is inspired by her fascinating experience and wants to know how she can help to encourage more bees. Once her mother comes to collect her, she is ready with some seeds so that she can create a small wild place of her own. Once again, she is shown doing all the digging and planting on her own. Lulu is always a child with agency who is encouraged to carry out her plans. By the end of the summer, her flowers have flourished and plenty of bees are visiting.

I strongly recommend this delightful and informative picture book which will be a great resource to use in the classroom to reinforce the importance of bees in our environment. Hopefully it will encourage children to plant more flowers and to observe how these precious insects contribute to the environment.

It is published by Alanna Max and should be available from your local independent bookshop - who will be happy to order it for you if they don’t have it on their shelves. Alternatively, you can order directly from www.alannamax.com.

 

Karen Argent

October 2024