  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 11/01/2011 Gr 1–4—Clear, colorful photos follow a group of children on a field trip to a bee farm, where the beekeeper gives them a tour and explains how honey is made. The unnamed narrator goes home with honey and a beeswax candle with which to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, when honey is used to represent hopes for a sweet new year. A page of "Fun Facts" and an end note about the holiday round out the book. While the photographs are very natural, showing children genuinely enjoying the outing, the text is somewhat stilted. The explanation of honey-making is clear but dry, and the excessive inclusion of student names seems designed to constantly remind readers that the setting is Israel. That said, this is a unique combination of holiday tradition with science, making it stand out from other Rosh Hashanah titles and other bee-and-honey titles. It is an excellent choice for Judaic and multicultural collections, and its unusual approach may add flair to general science collections.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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