A Chicago Public Library’s Best Informational Books for Younger Readers selection Begin with a Bee and its story of the life of one queen bee, a rusty-patched bumblebee, teaches us not only about bees but also about our own responsibilities in the natural world By looking closely at the life cycle of one bee, Begin with a Bee helps readers of all ages understand and appreciate the contributions and significance of all bees. The life cycle of the rusty-patched bumblebee is a tale of wonder, the adventure of one queen bee who carries an entire colony of bees inside her tiny body. Her story begins in the spring when she emerges from a hole in the ground to search for pollen. She finds a nest, “underground best,” lays a few eggs, and seals them in pollen. All summer this single queen lays more eggs, and more worker bees hatch. They gather pollen and maintain the colony until next year’s queen hatches in the fall. The queen bee’s life unfolds through Claudia McGehee’s captivating illustrations. The authors—three beloved and prolific writers of award-winning children’s books—impart the poetry and basic science of the rusty-patched bumblebee, the first bee to appear on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species list.  Extensive commentary at the end of the book offers suggestions for being a friend to bees as well as a good citizen of the natural world. It also introduces the native plants that bumblebees need for survival. Begin with a Bee might inspire a child (or any of us) to seek out, identify, even cultivate these essential flowers—and participate in the next chapter in the story of all bumblebees. PreS-Gr 4—Beginning with a simple question on a stark black-and-white page, "What's inside this hole in the ground?," authors Ketchum, Jacqueline Briggs Martin, and Phyllis Root, and illustrator McGehee collaborate in producing a beautiful book on the life cycle of the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee. Vivid woodblock illustrations on every page begin with winter scenes of kids playing with snowballs or one very red fox persevering through a snow-packed woods while the small queen bee—"her tiny body (not even an inch)"—waits underground to create a colony of bees. Sparked by leading questions, the rhythmic narrative describes the solitary queen's year as she emerges from the ground in spring, searches for flowers to nourish the eggs that she lays, and feeds them until they mature into female worker bees. These bees toil all through the summer and fall to sustain the queen as she continues laying eggs. Bright purple, blue, and red flowers come and go until the winter when the queen, alone again, goes underground to hibernate as "Seeds drop. Snow falls." A one-page summary provides more information about this species and other bees, and a list of "Ten things we can all do to help" outlines individual actions and group project websites. VERDICT This stunning introduction to an endangered bee native to North America belongs in every collection.—Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Fairfax County P.L., VA "The real queen in this colony is the striking artwork . . . Close-ups of the bees alternate with views of a lush countryside and its other denizens. It’s an inviting book on any shelf, and the story is concise enough for longer storytimes. Educators, caregivers, and young readers will all be buzzing with delight. This book is the bee’s knees."— Kirkus Reviews , starred review "A handsome introduction to an endangered bumblebee."— Booklist "Extraordinary book, with illustrations created in earth tones and similar to Mary Azarian’s wood cuts, shows us exactly what the bees’ life is like above and below ground. Three well-known authors give us the complete life history of this bee."— Youth Services Book Review " Begin with a Bee by Liza Ketchum, Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Phyllis Root explores the life cycle and importance of the rusty patched bumble bee."— The Gazette "If you don’t love exploring and learning with your child, then this isn’t the book for you. But if you are ready to dive down a rabbit hole (well, bee colony hole) of curiosity, then you’ll want to pick it up for every nature lover and nature lover-to-be(e) in your life."— Little Village "This involving picture book tells the story one little bee, whose ‘tiny body (not even an inch) / holds everything she needs to create / a whole colony of bees.’"— Pioneer Press "McGehee’s Illustrations help us see the wonder of nature around us."— Iowa City Press-Citizen "To educate a child about the importance of these pollinating insects and our own responsibilities in the natural world, there is no better book than Begin with a Bee. "— Minnesota Alumni "A gorgeous and informative look at the bee lifecycle."— Waking Brain Cells "Wonderful reading, bringing memories, gardening lore, and scientific understanding to all who admiringly turn their pages."— Deerfield Valley News "McGehee’s wonderful woodcuts are bursting with the colors and mo