ALA Booklist (Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

Buzz is a happy bumblebee who loves honey, clover, and her hive, but especially flying. Sometimes she swoops low to visit Snail, and sometimes she swoops high to visit Old Owl in his tree til the day she spies a piece of newspaper with the headline BEES CAN'T FLY. Totally demoralized, Buzz is lamenting her plight to Snail when they both smell smoke and realize that Owl's tree is on fire. Buzz runs to help her friend with one panicked thought: Bees can't fly! Bees can't fly! But her concern for Owl overwhelms her insecurity as she finds herself flying ght into Owl's ear, saving both of them. Of course you can fly,' said Owl. You're a bee. Bees fly.' Delightful mixed-media illustrations incorporate painted oils and Photoshop to show the pixie-faced Buzz and stage the uncluttered story line with gentle and luminous images. This is a honey of a story with the simple message: be(e) who you are.

Horn Book

Buzz the bee loves to fly...until she finds a newspaper article claiming that bees can't fly. Convinced, she falls from the sky with a "PLIP." It's not until she's called upon to fly again--and save the day--that she gains her confidence. The text will ring true with the young worrying set; Nguyen's oil and Photoshop illustrations are vibrantly detailed.

Kirkus Reviews

Buzz , a busy little bee, enjoys flying around chatting with her friends about the latest town news. One day she comes across a newspaper on a park bench and learns some terrible news: A professor has declared that bees can't fly. Half of the newspaper article is torn away, and readers are led to believe the rest is about the miraculous fact that bees actually can fly, even though their bodies are too big for their wings. But Buzz just reads the first part—and suddenly she can't fly anymore. As she's lamenting this to her friend Snail, they notice Old Owl's tree on fire. Luckily, instinct takes over, and Buzz manages to get airborne; Owl is rescued, and so is Buzz. Spinelli's story moves nicely, and Buzz is a sympathetic character with a clear message. The plot turns, however, feel somewhat contrived and disconnected. Nguyen's Photoshopped oils give Buzz a high-tech yet painterly feel and a smooth commercial sensibility. Entertaining enough, but heavy handed. (Picture book. 3-5)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Bumblebee Buzz has a crisis of faith when a newspaper article points out that bees, with their too-small wings and cumbersome bodies, ought not to be able to fly. The effect is immediate: the pert, doe-eyed Buzz ""bobbled. And wobbled. And fell%E2%80%94PLIP%E2%80%94to the ground."" She stays earthbound until fire threatens her friend Old Owl's nest; an emergency is what it takes to get her to stop thinking and trust her own experience instead. While the factoid about bee flight is an interesting bit of trivia, it's perhaps not quite substantial enough for a whole story line. Spinelli (Princess Pig) refers to Buzz's relationships with other animals, but the focus is on Buzz and her dilemma. Nguyen's (The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater... That Grandma Knit) big oil landscapes feature inviting blue skies and warm, sunlit clouds. Buzz's face is colored yellow, but her wide eyes, pixie-cut bangs, and red lips suggest a girl dressed up in a bee costume, the better for young readers to identify with. Those in search of motivational tales need look no further. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (July)

School Library Journal (Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2010)

PreS-Gr 2 Buzz loves everything about being a bee, especially her ability to fly. Then a storm blows a sheet of newspaper her way, and the little creature is horrified by the headline: "Professor Declares Bees Can't Fly." Even though the rest of the article is torn away, Buzz believes the professor is right. And, of course, now that she's convinced she can't fly, all her attempts to take off end in failure. When a fire threatens Old Owl's life and walking proves too slow, though, Buzz forgets the article, takes to the air, and saves the day. This thin plot and abrupt resolution make for a less than satisfying read. Buzz's sudden inability to fly, her lightning-fast recovery of her powers, and Old Owl's need to be warned his tree is burning stretch credibility. While the rhyme, alliteration, and close-ups depicted in the large oil cartoon illustrations may provide some interest, youngsters might be better served learning some factual information about bees in Gail Gibbons's The Honey Makers (Morrow, 1997). Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT