Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming

Honey Bees. We think of the delicious honey that bees make but do you know how it is made and what happens in the life of a bee? This book begins with Apis Mellifera, that’s the latin name for a honey bee, emerging from her wax cell ‘into a teeming trembling flurry’’. When will she fly? That is the question but we must be patient. Every stage is fascinating especially as the illustrations are so close up and so realistic. Eric Rohmann gives us a view of the bee and its life like we have never seen before. We follow Apis as she does her work as part of the swarm that lives in the hive. Did you know that one job is to guard the hive from invaders and to fight them off? There is a gate page that opens up to a beautiful 4 page illustration of Apis flying. At the back are pages with information about the honey bee and more resources to check out. This book is definitely worth more than one look.

Seance Tea Party by Reimena Yee

When Lora’s best friends seem to be outgrowing make-believe, she holds a séance tea party by herself for fun. But her séance introduces her to a perfect new best friend. Alexa, the ghost that lives in her house, isn’t ready to move on either. As sweet as Katie O’Neill’s The Tea Dragon Society with the emotional depth of Molly Ostertag’s The Witch Boy, this graphic novel is perfect for all witchy children on the cusp of growing up.