Just One Bee provides readers with opportunities to explore the topic of bees and their importance in our lives. The message is clear without being heavy handed. The way the queen bee has a tiny crown and the way she is contained in a cage will allow readers to infer her role and importance. The text of this story can be read in different ways by younger children and older students. It could be a story about two bees (and the queen) who restore the fields of flowers or it could be read as a story about humanity, climate change deniers, affirmative action, and the power of an individual to make change happen. There are also the themes of optimism and pessimism, hope and despair. One-Bee, the character, shows vision and resilience.
This is a book of true quality. The language is poetic, the page turns perfectly paced, and the illustrations are haunting and worthy of close study. The drama of turning the page to the field of vibrant flowers provides a visual shock while at the same time it is quietly affecting. The story and the telling are spare but below this is a theme of great depth. The varied textures used as page backgrounds give this book an almost tactile feel. The illustrations have a hand-made quality. The end papers have a retro feel.
The paperback edition of this book will be released in mid October - here is the ISBN 9780648899655.
Just one Bee was published in 2021 but because it was entered for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year I haven't been able to talk about it until now. Book Week and the announcement of the CBCA Award winners for 2022 happened last month. As a CBCA judge I had to wait to share these books until the judging was completed.
Just one Bee is a 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Honour Book.
Here in Australia, by now, most children in Primary schools are sure to have heard Just one Bee read aloud in a library or classroom but I know people from other places in the world read my blog so I do hope you can find Just one Bee in your local library, school or book store.
Here are the judges comments:
The language here is poetic and balanced, and the illustrations use a limited palette and stark design to create an arid effect in this flower-less dystopia. There is a strong sense of place with the environment itself developed as a key character. On the surface, this is the story of three bees who question their own power and place in creating a more sustainable future. But these characters are rich representations of climate deniers and activists in the real world and the book helps readers to consider their own role in climate change and the importance of resilience and working together to make a positive impact. The shifts in tone, from bleak and barren to vibrant fields of flowers, are effective and create a sense of hope and optimism.
You can see books and art by Christopher Nielsen here. Read more about one of our newest Australian publishers - Dirt Lane Press. You can find teachers notes for Just One Bee on their site.
I would pair this book with another dystopian picture book from Australia:
Of course you will also want to read other books about bees - and there are hundreds to choose from and here are some other companion books:
Links to blog posts: How to Bee; Where the river runs Gold; The Thing. For older students in Grade 6 I also highly recommend you try to find Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker (2009). There are so many terrific books you can read about bees. Here is my Pinterest.
My two favourite non fiction bee titles are:
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