A wasp builds a nest

This colorful book presents a close-up view of a new wasp nest in a hollow tree. In spring, the queen wasp begins to build the nest and lays an egg in each of the first papery cells. When adult females emerge from their cocoons, they take over construction. During the summer, the nest grows larger and more active. Though visually the book is tightly focused on the nest and its growing complexity, within that context, both the text and the illustrations convey a good deal of information about the life cycle of wasps, their stages of development, and the different roles played by the queen, the males, and the female workers. Each double-page spread displays the growing nest along with pictures of detail such as the pupal development. The cutaway views of the nest, the cones, and the cells are particularly effective. Each sturdy, glossy page is about one centimeter wider than the preceding one, giving the book's interior an attractive, layered look. A well-focused, informative book on wasps and their nests.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist