Henry wants nothing more than to be like his Aunt Lilla and work with the beehives on their Lowcountry farm. He watches her every day, working hard outside in her bee suit, but what amazes him the most is her ability to communicate with the bees. Henry feels certain he can, too.
Then one day, Aunt Lilla tells him the bees are preparing to leave the hive and may leave the farm entirely. Henry believes it is up to him to communicate with the bees and convince them to stay, before it's too late.
An author's note includes additional information about bees and bee conservation.
Jim LaMarche is one of the most talented artists working in children's books today. His many successful books include Rainbabies and Albert, which was selected as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. He lives in California.
"[A] quiet tale of love and honeybees. . . . Visually lovely and tonally appealing"--Kirkus Reviews
"Sweetly nostalgic ink-and-watercolor illustrations could depict the past or the present and offer an atmospheric complement to the gentle, warm, and informative text."--Booklist
"A gentle tale full of Southern charm. . . [LaMarche's] ink-and-watercolor spreads are light and dreamy, with evocative sunrise shades and detailed looks at beekeeping equipment and the bees themselves."--Publishers Weekly