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Turn This Book Into a Beehive!: And 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the Amazing World of Bees
What a promise! Actually, promises. First, here’s a book that teaches kids all about the fascinating world of bees. Second, fun exercises, activities, and illustrations engage the imagination and offer a deeper understanding of bee life and bee behavior. Third, by following a few simple steps including removing the book’s cover and taping it together, readers can transform the book into an actual living home for backyard bees. Fourth, added all together, Turn This Book Into a Beehive! lets kids make a difference in the world—building a home where bees can thrive is one small but critical step in reversing the alarming trend of dwindling bee populations.
Written by Lynn Brunelle, author of Pop Bottle Science, whose gift for making science fun earned her four Emmy Awards as a writer for Bill Nye the Science Guy, Turn This Book Into a Beehive! introduces kids to the amazing mason bee, a non-aggressive, non-stinging super-pollinator that does the work of over 100 honeybees. Mason bees usually live in hollow reeds or holes in wood, but here’s how to make a home just for them: Tear out the perforated paper—each illustrated as a different room in a house—roll the sheets into tubes, enclose the tubes using the book’s cover, and hang the structure outside. The bees will arrive, pack mud into the tubes, and begin pollinating all the plants in your backyard.
Twenty experiments and activities reveal even more about bees—how to smell like a bee, understand the role of flowers and pollen, learn how bees communicate with each other through “dance,” and more. It’s the real buzz on bees, delivered in the most ingenious and interactive way.
Written by Lynn Brunelle, author of Pop Bottle Science, whose gift for making science fun earned her four Emmy Awards as a writer for Bill Nye the Science Guy, Turn This Book Into a Beehive! introduces kids to the amazing mason bee, a non-aggressive, non-stinging super-pollinator that does the work of over 100 honeybees. Mason bees usually live in hollow reeds or holes in wood, but here’s how to make a home just for them: Tear out the perforated paper—each illustrated as a different room in a house—roll the sheets into tubes, enclose the tubes using the book’s cover, and hang the structure outside. The bees will arrive, pack mud into the tubes, and begin pollinating all the plants in your backyard.
Twenty experiments and activities reveal even more about bees—how to smell like a bee, understand the role of flowers and pollen, learn how bees communicate with each other through “dance,” and more. It’s the real buzz on bees, delivered in the most ingenious and interactive way.
192 pages, Paperback
Published April 3, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 9, 2018
We were very excited to receive this book once we realized what we could do with it. Not only does it teach kids all about bees, from what is a bee, to the different kinds of bees, how to tell a bee from a wasp, and what to do if you get stung, but it also explains why bees are so important to humans and in helping to maintain the health of the earth's ecology. All that plus experiments you can do to understand what it is like to be a bee - how they see, how they smell, how they collect pollen, etc. My kids loved this book. They were already aware of hive collapse, so when we reached the section on the solitary mason bee, who does not sting, and learned how they could help, the kids jumped at the chance to turn this book into a beehive. The book comes with a removable cover and a good supply of colorful pages that can be torn out. The cover can be folded to create a hive, than filled with the torn out pages that have been rolled into different sized tubes.
We put our hive together and placed it in my friend's garden. It's still there and we check it every once in a while. We'll let you know how things progress. There are also instructions for making a hive from plastic bottles and paper straws that we are planning on making and giving as Christmas gifts this year. Anna-Maria Jung's colorful illustrations add just the right amount to whimsy to appeal to kids without trivializing any of the important information about bees kids today need to know about.
We put our hive together and placed it in my friend's garden. It's still there and we check it every once in a while. We'll let you know how things progress. There are also instructions for making a hive from plastic bottles and paper straws that we are planning on making and giving as Christmas gifts this year. Anna-Maria Jung's colorful illustrations add just the right amount to whimsy to appeal to kids without trivializing any of the important information about bees kids today need to know about.
June 17, 2018
I want to thank NetGalley and Workman Publishing for this amazing ARC. I saw a copy at our soon-to-be local independent bookstore, Bookstore1Sarasota, and bought it immediately. It is a great book to explain all about bees to young readers. As a teacher, I know the importance of learning by doing and the simple experiments included in this book are sure to pique interest and heighten learning. Brava, to the author for creating such an unforgettable learning experience.
March 29, 2018
What a fabulous and fun book. It is full of experiments that you can do with things around the house to understand the workings of a bee. Like why and how to bees buzz. This is a bee books, but takes it steps beyond, this is the body part of a bee… Plus it does delve into the various types of bees. Who knew there were so many varieties. Plus, then you get to use a portion of the book to make your very own beehive. Just a suggestion, put the instructions for this part of the book as the very last activity. I could see kids getting excited and pulling pages without reading further.
June 2, 2018
I LOVED this. I am a Librarian I used it to plan and prep a program at work where we dicussed "good" bugs for the garden and why bees are important. We are going to be building a "bug hotel" and a few beehives using instructions found in this book. We can't use the paper provided since we want something sturdier for our garden at the library but it would be a great project for parents and kids to do and put up somewhere away from rain. Such a great book. Highly recommended.
June 19, 2018
What a fun book! As a teacher I've read about bees before for class and thought I knew about them, but I learned so much! I had no idea that most bees are not social and don't make honey! What?! While I read an online copy provided by Netgalley, I love that the cover and pages of the book (not the pages with the information) can be used to make a hive for Mason bees. There are tons of hands-on experiments and things to make for kids as well. Awesome book about awesome bees!
May 2, 2023
Cute introduction to bees for adults and kids alike. It includes some fun experiments for children to learn about bees. Note: the hive that the book turns into is not for honeybees. That would be a mess. It is for mason bees but worth doing all the same!
March 9, 2025
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
I've been worried about the health of the world's bees since reading Burns' The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe back in 2012. Like that book, Turn This Book into a Beehive gives a lot of facts and information about the crises facing bee populations, but also has a lot more information about how bees live, and plenty of interesting experiments and activities as well. Not only that, but the dust jacket can be taken off and turned into a hive for mason bees.
The descriptions of different types of bees and what they do. The activities support this; there's one involving getting cheese puffs out of cups to show how pollen gets dispersed, as well as instructions on how to dissect a flower. The list of fruits and vegetables and ingredients that depend on bees might astonish some younger readers, but the message is clear. Without bees, ALL of the food supply is in trouble.
The highlight of the book is, of course, turning the dust jacket into a hive for mason bees. About half of the pages in the book are supposed to be torn out and rolled up, then fashioned into the type of hive shown on the cover. The illustrations on these pages are very cute; there are single colored all over designs interspersed with solid color pages with little vignettes of tiny insect "houses" that are almost too delightful to roll up and put into the nest!
This series of nature activity books by Workman Publishing also includes Turn this Book Into a Bird feeder, and both would be great to use for a summer study project. For more information on bees, definitely check out Burns' book mentioned above, as well as Fleming's Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera or Socha's enormous (in trim size, not in length) Bees: A Honeyed History.
I've been worried about the health of the world's bees since reading Burns' The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe back in 2012. Like that book, Turn This Book into a Beehive gives a lot of facts and information about the crises facing bee populations, but also has a lot more information about how bees live, and plenty of interesting experiments and activities as well. Not only that, but the dust jacket can be taken off and turned into a hive for mason bees.
The descriptions of different types of bees and what they do. The activities support this; there's one involving getting cheese puffs out of cups to show how pollen gets dispersed, as well as instructions on how to dissect a flower. The list of fruits and vegetables and ingredients that depend on bees might astonish some younger readers, but the message is clear. Without bees, ALL of the food supply is in trouble.
The highlight of the book is, of course, turning the dust jacket into a hive for mason bees. About half of the pages in the book are supposed to be torn out and rolled up, then fashioned into the type of hive shown on the cover. The illustrations on these pages are very cute; there are single colored all over designs interspersed with solid color pages with little vignettes of tiny insect "houses" that are almost too delightful to roll up and put into the nest!
This series of nature activity books by Workman Publishing also includes Turn this Book Into a Bird feeder, and both would be great to use for a summer study project. For more information on bees, definitely check out Burns' book mentioned above, as well as Fleming's Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera or Socha's enormous (in trim size, not in length) Bees: A Honeyed History.
March 11, 2025
A great introduction to all things bee, this engaging exploration delves into the lives and varieties of bees and their pollinating cousins from around our world. Giving a well rounded introduction to a myriad of flying insect species, Jung’s vibrant and engaging illustrations add levity to the information dense text, focusing on pollinators’, their impact on the planet, lifecycles, and so much more, sure to inspire future melittologists. The ability to read chapters independently allows young scientists to focus on specific aspects of these amazing insects. The included supplies for building a hive offer an exciting hands-on activity for energetic bee lovers. Throughout, themes of conservation and environmental protection resonate clearly, This text provides a well-rounded introduction to a myriad of flying insect species that is sure to captivate curious readers. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
March 30, 2018
Not only is this a cute book, with fun experiments and crafts, it is an educational book that parents will enjoy sharing with their children. I know most people will want to buy more than one copy.
This is a wonderful idea for FFA groups, scout groups, church summer school activities and more.
Recently we attended several workshops at ecological parks and were impressed by the enthusiasm of young children for all things outdoors. This is the perfect book to be featured at venues of that sort, as well as state and federal parks, and other outdoor festivals.
Bees are so important to our lives, for far more than just beautiful flowers.
This book helps all ages understand about bees, what bees do for us, and how we can live together.
This is a wonderful idea for FFA groups, scout groups, church summer school activities and more.
Recently we attended several workshops at ecological parks and were impressed by the enthusiasm of young children for all things outdoors. This is the perfect book to be featured at venues of that sort, as well as state and federal parks, and other outdoor festivals.
Bees are so important to our lives, for far more than just beautiful flowers.
This book helps all ages understand about bees, what bees do for us, and how we can live together.
April 18, 2018
This book not only contains bee facts, experiments and activities, it can actually be turned into a beehive. With bold print and brilliant illustrations young readers will learn about bee behavior, species, and beneficial plants. Nature lovers’ ages eight to 12 to adult will love this wonderful book just in time for Spring.
May 21, 2024
Turn This Book Into A Beehive! is a much more comprehensive book than I initially thought it would be. I'll be honest - I'm not sure I can see too many younger kids picking up the book despite the cute illustrations mainly because this book has a LOT of information. The people I see reaching for this one are teachers!
This book not only looks at bees vs wasps and individual bee species, but also delves into great detail about their life, habits, importance, and place in the food-web. Not only that but this book includes many experiments and activities to learn more about bees. The instructions for these are clear and easy to follow and look like so much fun!
Overall, if you're a science teacher, or a casual, looking to expand your knowledge and have some easy experiments at hand then this is ideal. Also perfect for the homeschooling parent...or in my case, an older brother obsessed with bees!
Special thanks to Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy.
This book not only looks at bees vs wasps and individual bee species, but also delves into great detail about their life, habits, importance, and place in the food-web. Not only that but this book includes many experiments and activities to learn more about bees. The instructions for these are clear and easy to follow and look like so much fun!
Overall, if you're a science teacher, or a casual, looking to expand your knowledge and have some easy experiments at hand then this is ideal. Also perfect for the homeschooling parent...or in my case, an older brother obsessed with bees!
Special thanks to Workman Publishing Company and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance copy.
April 12, 2018
What a unique book! Turn This Book Into a Beehive is an informative book that includes not only a basic understanding of the types of bees and how they use their senses, but also fun facts about bees and how humans rely on bees. Throughout the book are adorable, colorful, and whimsical illustrations by Anna-Maria Jung that are sure to interest kids.
The book is full of hands-on science experiments that enhance learning. Also, you can use parts of the book to make a nest for mason bees. The back half of the book contains almost a hundred decorated pages for making the bees a colorful nest. This book is sure to make learning about bees fun.
I received an advance reading copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
The book is full of hands-on science experiments that enhance learning. Also, you can use parts of the book to make a nest for mason bees. The back half of the book contains almost a hundred decorated pages for making the bees a colorful nest. This book is sure to make learning about bees fun.
I received an advance reading copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
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April 30, 2018I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I learned a lot about bees while reading this book. I didn't realize how much I didn't know about these amazing and crucial insects. There is a lot packed into this book, but it is written in a way that makes it easy to understand, as well as engaging. There are simple, fun activities scatered thoughout the chapters that focus on the different speces of bees and give ideas for readers to help ensure that they surivive.
My one concern, from a library perspective, is about the 'shelf life' of the book. It really can be turned into a beehive! If the book is put in to circulation, most readers will undersand that the turning the book into a beehive isn't something they can do. But, if one borrower does this, then there won't be a book for the next reader!
I learned a lot about bees while reading this book. I didn't realize how much I didn't know about these amazing and crucial insects. There is a lot packed into this book, but it is written in a way that makes it easy to understand, as well as engaging. There are simple, fun activities scatered thoughout the chapters that focus on the different speces of bees and give ideas for readers to help ensure that they surivive.
My one concern, from a library perspective, is about the 'shelf life' of the book. It really can be turned into a beehive! If the book is put in to circulation, most readers will undersand that the turning the book into a beehive isn't something they can do. But, if one borrower does this, then there won't be a book for the next reader!
July 21, 2018
Turn This Book Into a Beehive and 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the amazing World by Bees is a children's nonfiction book written by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Anna-Maria Jung. This is a kid's hands-on guide to understanding the world of bees, in a book that turns into a working beehive to house a colony of friendly, efficient—and non-stinging!—mason bees. It includes 10 science projects.
Turn This Book Into a Beehive and 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the amazing World by Bees not only teaches young readers about the current decline in bee population and how we can all invite the pollinators to our yards. The different kinds of bees and wasps, how they live, how they are built and move, experiments, and more. The information is well organized and worded- making it understandable and accessible. The illustrations and experiment instructions are equally well done leaving readers with a wonderful balance of humor, information, and things to try and experiment with. I think the information here is very important, and things everyone should be aware of. Not just for the usefulness of pollinators, but for the health of the food web and our world in general. The jacket cover of the book is easily converted into a beehive with only a little tearing of the blank pages toward the end of the book, and there are more complicated plans for other. A flower chart and some hints and ideas to protect the hive once it is built and hung. There are also some resources for further research and companies that offer mason bee supplies included prior to the blank paged intended for use building your hive.
Turn This Book Into a Beehive and 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the amazing World by Bees is a well researched and organized book with a great deal of important information. I think this would be a great addition to classroom or home libraries in order to make the most of the experiments included. It would work well in a library setting as well- since it is only the jacket and some blank pages needed o build the hive advertised on the cover.
Turn This Book Into a Beehive and 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the amazing World by Bees not only teaches young readers about the current decline in bee population and how we can all invite the pollinators to our yards. The different kinds of bees and wasps, how they live, how they are built and move, experiments, and more. The information is well organized and worded- making it understandable and accessible. The illustrations and experiment instructions are equally well done leaving readers with a wonderful balance of humor, information, and things to try and experiment with. I think the information here is very important, and things everyone should be aware of. Not just for the usefulness of pollinators, but for the health of the food web and our world in general. The jacket cover of the book is easily converted into a beehive with only a little tearing of the blank pages toward the end of the book, and there are more complicated plans for other. A flower chart and some hints and ideas to protect the hive once it is built and hung. There are also some resources for further research and companies that offer mason bee supplies included prior to the blank paged intended for use building your hive.
Turn This Book Into a Beehive and 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the amazing World by Bees is a well researched and organized book with a great deal of important information. I think this would be a great addition to classroom or home libraries in order to make the most of the experiments included. It would work well in a library setting as well- since it is only the jacket and some blank pages needed o build the hive advertised on the cover.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews