The bee mother

Gr 4--6--"Nox Ap, the bee mother, awakens from her winter slumber along the realm of Xsah, the River of Mists." The lyrical prose follows a bumblebee, yellow jacket, and honeybee as they search for places to build their hives. The seasons of their lives are described with delicious adjectives ("pillowy moss floor") that enrich the story. The building of homes, laying of eggs, and their eventual demise are covered. Gitxsan language is incorporated into the text with the English translation directly following it. Higher level vocabulary is defined in beige side boxes. Donovan's spread-length illustrations are lushly colored and detailed; the fur on the bumblebee looks ready to be brushed. Gitxsan imagery is subtly incorporated into most of the pages--a leaping fish or a symbol in the sky. A section on the Gitxsan Nation provides more information on their region and cultural practices, a map of the area, and a glossary of the moon seasons that shape the Gitxsan calendar. The importance of yellow jackets, bumblebees, and the more recently introduced honeybees to the Xsan River region as pollinators and pest control is emphasized throughout. VERDICT This great blend of nonfiction with narrative and amazing illustrations will engage readers in the life of bees and their significance to the Gitxsan Nation. A solid general purchase.--Tamara Saarinen