Honeybees at Home

Even readers whose knowledge of honey is via the bear-shaped containers at the supermarket will likely find themselves abuzz with first-time author Harwood's enthusiasm for her subject. Drawing on her experience at her family's small New England farm, Harwood offers an abundance of detail on everything from history and habits of bees to how to care for them, all woven into an account of her own progress from novice to knowledgeable beekeeper. Harwood's lively style and impressionistic, intensely colored oil paintings are infused with the flavor of rural Maine. Her story, however, is a bit like an overgrown shrub, attractive in its own right but greatly in need of pruning. Selecting a few key events instead of presenting a complete rundown of the subject would have made for a more focused work. Nevertheless, readers may well leave the book stung by the bee-keeping bug. Ages 8-14. (May)