At the moment in the depths of January, when the evenings are still dark and snow has been falling in parts of the country it is difficult to imagine Spring, sunshine and spending time planting, sowing and encouraging summer insects. Here are two thoughtful and cheerful books to help you look ahead, to plan and to share in readiness for when days are brighter and warmer.

Lulu Meets the Bees written by Anna McQuinn and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

The latest title in the gorgeous Booky Girl Lulu series perfectly incorporates learning into a charming narrative for young children. Lulu Meets the Bees gently introduces its readers to the world of beekeeping, inspiring curiosity about nature and promoting a caring attitude to our environment.

Lulu is excited! She is going to visit her Mummy’s friend, Zora, who is a beekeeper. This has prompted the little girl to try to find out all about bees and she now has lots of questions to ask Zora. Once at Zora’s Lulu watches the busy bees at work and puts on a special suit so that she can go with Zora to check on the hives. Her outing ends with a taste of the delicious honey made by Zora’s bees. Once home again Lulu is inspired to help bees where she lives and plants some seeds to encourage them. ‘As the summer goes by, Lulu’s wild corner is abuzz!‘

Lulu’s curiosity is infectious and I think young children will be swept along by her enthusiasm and want to try to emulate this lovable character. The narrative is pitched perfectly for the story’s young audience, simple enough for them to understand but effectively conveying information in a manner that feels natural. There is reference to how bees ‘spread the pollen‘ and the different jobs they do and the ‘clever dance’ by which they communicate. In this way Anna McQuinn manages to make pollination and honey-making accessible to young children. Rosalind Beardshaw’s illustrations, as with all the series, work in perfect harmony with the text. There is a warmth and kindness in the depiction of Lulu and the adults in her life which is both tender and reassuring to a young audience. Little ones may like to explore the pictures spotting bees on mugs used by Lulu and Zora. Lulu even resembles a small, happy bee in her stripy yellow and black striped t-shirt and pinafore!

I particularly like how both text and illustration highlight the possibility of nurturing nature in an urban environment and in your own home, even without a big garden. The reader is told that ‘The city is a great place for bees.’ There is mention of gardens and parks and Zora herself keeps her bees on the roof or her building. Lulu plants seeds in pots on a balcony and her wildflowers, swarming with bees, flourish in a relatively small space. In this way all children can feel as they can participate and will relate to the story. Lulu Meets the Bees was published by Alanna Max in October 2024 and is a perfect purchase for both Early Years settings and families. You may like to visit Anna McQuinn’s website to read more about the background to the book here.

Kind Little Hands written by Kathy Urban Illustrated by Sally Garland

Kind Little Hands is another delightful picture book about the importance of nature and showing consideration to our environment with its themes conveyed appropriately for young children.

When Noah is walking through the city one day with his Grandpa a small, tired and hungry bee falls from the sky into his outstretched hands. Luckily Noah is kind and his Grandpa is thoughtful so the small bee is gently transported home with them in a box and carefully fed a water and sugar mixture. As Noah waits patiently gradually the bee makes a recovery and eventually crawls slowly to the window and flutters away safely. Although Noah is sad that the bee has gone, when he and his Grandpa walk through the city afterwards talking about the bee’s journey to its home an idea begins to grow in Noah’s mind. A plan that brings glimmers of nature to the city as Noah and Grandpa plant seeds together.

There is a lovely, positive feel to this book and the delightful illustrations by Sally Garland fit the tone of Kathy Urban’s text well. In a similar way to Lulu and the Beekeeper it also highlights the possibilities for encouraging nature in an urban setting. In addition to the information conveyed within the text there is a section at the end of the story detailing information and key facts about bees plus a list of things children can do to help bees flourish in their locality. Also a proportion of the profits from the sale of the book supports projects pollinator habitat restoration projects by Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust. Kind Little Hands was published by Little Steps Publishing in October 2024 and would be a valuable resource for schools for Early Years and KS1

I should like to thank the publishers for providing my review copies.