Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold is a children's poetry collection centered on animals and plants that survive winter conditions. The book pairs each poem with detailed scientific information about the featured species. Twelve poems explore creatures like bees, foxes, snakes, and chickadees as they employ strategies to endure freezing temperatures. Each spread includes Rick Allen's winter-themed woodcut illustrations in blues, browns, and whites. The combination of poetry and natural science provides insight into winter adaptations and survival in harsh climates. The poems and facts work together to reveal the resilience and ingenuity of nature's winter survivors.

Readers describe Winter Bees as an educational poetry collection that effectively teaches children about winter animal survival through verse. Teachers report successfully using it in elementary classrooms to combine science and poetry lessons. Readers appreciated: - Rick Allen's detailed linoleum block print illustrations - Scientific facts accompanying each poem - Clear explanations of winter adaptation concepts - Poems that work for both young children and older readers Common criticisms: - Some vocabulary too advanced for younger children - A few readers found the poems less engaging than Sidman's other works Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (683 ratings) Amazon: 4.8/5 (82 ratings) Notable reader comments: "The facts sections make this work as both a science text and poetry book" - Elementary teacher on Goodreads "Beautiful art but some vocabulary sent us to the dictionary" - Parent reviewer on Amazon "Not as captivating as Dark Emperor but still solid" - School librarian on Goodreads

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🌨️ Joyce Sidman spent hours observing animals in the Minnesota winter wilderness to research this book, tracking prints in the snow and studying their winter survival behaviors ❄️ The book combines two art forms: poetry and scientific prose. Each spread features both a poem and a detailed scientific explanation about the featured creature or phenomenon 🐝 Winter bees, unlike summer bees, can live for 4-6 months (rather than just 4-6 weeks) and have special fat stores in their bodies to help them survive the cold 🦊 The book received the prestigious AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books, which recognizes outstanding science writing for children 🎨 The illustrator, Rick Allen, created the artwork using hand-carved woodblock prints. He then digitally colored and layered the prints to achieve the final effect