When Mary Ellen complains to Grampa that she's tired of reading her book, he proposes they hunt for a bee tree. Assorted eccentric neighbors join them as they chase bees across the countryside, find the tree, build a smoky fire, gather the honey, and celebrate the occasion. Back at home, Grampa spoons a drop of honey onto Mary Ellen's book and bids her, Taste, saying, There's such sweetness inside books too . . . adventure, knowledge, wisdom. But these things do not come easily. You must pursue them. Just like we ran after the bees to find their tree, so you must also chase these things through the pages of a book! With a lively plot and a beautifully depicted backdrop of a rural Michigan community early in the twentieth century, this book delivers its lovely sentiment with originality and verve. (Reviewed Mar. 1, 1993)

On the day that Mary Ellen announces she is tired of reading, Grampa carefully traps and then releases a series of bees so that he and his granddaughter can follow the insects back to their tree. The fast-paced adventure story, which contains a moral about the value of books and reading, features a generous amount of white space and large, brilliantly colored pictures.

Surely Grampa, slouched cozily between bookcase and stove, isn't tired of reading, but Mary Ellen is—and Grampa has the perfect diversion: he catches a few bees in the garden, then frees them, one by one, so the two can trail them to their tree. In cumulative style, several colorful neighbors (Einar Tundevold''; `' `Klondike' Bertha Fitchworth'';Feduciary Longdrop'' and his goats) join them; together, they smoke out the bees, wrap comb honey in the clean diapers of Baby Sylvester (who has come along with his mom), and go home for tea, biscuits, and honey, as well as ``tall tales and raucous laughter as they all buzzed about the sweet adventure of that day.'' The illustrations set these cheery goings-on back when some folks in Michigan still wore clothes from the old country (and diapers were routinely boiled!); as is her wont, Polacco uses bold areas of white, swatches of bright patterning, and creative perspectives with unusual energy and good humor. In the end, Grampa also has a unique way to sweeten Mary Ellen's book. Another charming piece of Americana from an artist of rare warmth and originality. (Picture book. 4-8)"

Gr 2-6 In the Malaysian rainforest, 13-year-old Nizam prepares for his clan's annual honey hunt. This year he will climb behind his grandfather, Pak Teh, more than 120 feet up the tualang trees in the black of night to the branches where giant bees have built massive combs more than six feet wide. Before they start, the honey hunters recount the traditional tale that still guides their hunting practices. In fact, the entire process is infused with reverence for the gifts of the forest and respect for the insects that produce the golden honey. After the successful hunt, Nizam's designation as the next honey hunter leaves him proud but reverent. Mirocha's illustrations incorporate details of Malaysian culture and the lush landscape of the rainforest. Despite the fact that much of the story takes place at night, the illustrations are bright enough for group sharing. Equally fascinating are the concluding eight pages of information and photographs. Readers can see the real Pak Teh, the towering trees, and the huge comb wax nests, and learn more about the indigenous people, the giant honey bees, and the rainforest ecosystem. Although the story can stand alone, this additional information adds significantly to the book's effectiveness. For a look at a honey hunt in another part of the world, see April Pulley Sayre's If You Should Hear a Honey Guide (Houghton, 2000), which is set in East Africa. Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato