(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gay W. Holland. Numerous illustrations in meticulous, accurate detail from varying points of view recommend this book. But its text, though a balanced introduction to honeybees, oscillates distractingly between forced rhymes and prose ("Others guard and / protect the hive. / They sting if an animal / comes too close. / So I'm careful to stay / a safe distance away"). A question-and-answer section is appended.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gay W. Holland. A hungry young hummingbird is searching for food. Having luck at red flowers, he tries other red things, such as a brake light and a woman's hat, in vain. Although the repeated question "Is this food for hungry hummingbirds?" becomes grating, the narrative and appended sections offer a wealth of information, and Holland's finely textured paintings are exquisite. Bib.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gay Holland. A boy narrator finds a monarch egg on a leaf and ostensibly observes its maturation into a butterfly, then describes her migration and subsequent return, all the while--cloyingly--referring to her as his "friend." The pale but richly detailed colored pencil illustrations are a good match with the poetic prose. An end section answers common questions about monarchs.

Reviewer: Erica L. Stahler

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gay W. Holland. In a simple, poetic text, a girl describes a garden spider's physical characteristics and behavior. Though the text is sometimes awkward (and overuses the word thread), the girl's affinity for the creature will impress young naturalists. Holland's rich, textured colored pencil illustrations are realistic and appealing. An illustrated six-page section at the end adeptly answers common questions about spiders.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli