The 5 Best Children’s Books About Beekeeping for All Reading Levels

Written by Angie Menjivar
Published: January 26, 2023
© iStock.com/nayneung1

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Key Points

  • The best children’s book about beekeeping is The Bee: A Kid’s Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping.
  • Explore a book for kids by a young author, one that teaches beekeeping terms along with the alphabet, and more!
  • Always check the reading level before confirming your purchase and be sure to consider books that incorporate creative activities or challenges.

You might have a kiddo who’s drawn to all things bees and befriends them wherever they go. You may have a kiddo on the opposite end of the spectrum who is terrified of bees. Either way, children’s books about beekeeping can help them learn more about the importance of bees for a healthy ecosystem. For kiddos who are afraid of bees, a good fear-dispelling book is in order.

These types of books take the mystery and fear away and explain bees in a way that’s easy to understand. For bee-loving kiddos, a beekeeping book may just lead them toward a lifetime hobby of helping bees live healthy, successful lives. We put together a list of our top five picks below for you to explore and get your kiddo better acquainted with everything related to beekeeping.

  1. The Bee: A Kid's Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping
  2. The Bee: A Kid's Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping
    • 50 pages.
    • Designed to be a beginner's guide to beekeeping specifically for children.
    • Written by an 8-year-old beekeeper.
    Check Amazon
  3. Discovering the Busy World of the Beehive (Happy Fox Books)
  4. Discovering the Busy World of the Beehive (Happy Fox Books)
    • 14 pages.
    • Recommended for children ages 2 through 5.
    • Seeks to teach children about bee colonies and how they operate.
    • Filled with charming illustrations.
    Check Amazon
  5. B is for Beekeeping: An Alphabet Book
  6. B is for Beekeeping: An Alphabet Book
    • 27 pages.
    • Teaches the importance of the role bees play in the ecosystem, while also teaching the alphabet.
    • Donations are made to bee-preservation organizations with each purchase.
    • A relatively new publication, first released in July 2022.
    Check Amazon
  7. David of the Bees: Kids Bee Book
  8. David of the Bees: Kids Bee Book
    • 41 pages.
    • Recommended for children ages 5 through 11.
    • Works to teach children all about bees, and with hope, dispel their fear of bees.
    • Explains that bees don't actively search for sting victims.
    Check Amazon
  9. Honey Teaches Beekeeping
  10. Honey Teaches Beekeeping
    • 59 pages.
    • Recommended for middle- and high-school students.
    • An in-depth look at beekeeping that goes beyond the basics.
    • A sister book, Honey Teaches Beekeeping to Kids, is also available, designed for younger kids.
    Check Amazon

Best Overall: The Bee: A Kid’s Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping

Best Overall
The Bee: A Kid's Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping
  • 50 pages.
  • Designed to be a beginner's guide to beekeeping specifically for children.
  • Written by an 8-year-old beekeeper.
Check Amazon

The best children’s book about beekeeping is The Bee: A Kid’s Guide to Getting Started in Beekeeping. If you have a child who is ready to learn about beekeeping, who better to teach them than an 8-year-old beekeeper? This book’s author is Hudson Dunlap. He put together this book to provide other children with some basics about beekeeping. It’s laid out in a very easy-to-understand manner and is a total of 50 pages in length. It comes in paperback format.

On average, customers rate this book 4.6 out of five stars. They appreciate that it delivers information in a digestible way for children. Children as young as six years old are enjoying the book. Dunlap does a wonderful job of answering their bee questions. Even adults who are reading this along with their children are learning new facts about these that they didn’t previously know. It’s rather short and isn’t overwhelming with detail, which is ideal for little ones as they get more acquainted with the practice of beekeeping.

Best Board Book: Discovering the Busy World of the Beehive

Best Board Book
Discovering the Busy World of the Beehive (Happy Fox Books)
  • 14 pages.
  • Recommended for children ages 2 through 5.
  • Seeks to teach children about bee colonies and how they operate.
  • Filled with charming illustrations.
Check Amazon

This next book takes children into the intricate world of a beehive. It’s a board book that’s only 14 pages long but it contains beautiful illustrations to give children a unique into the different roles bees have in terms of collecting pollen and producing honey.

There are a couple of cut-out accents along with all of the bright illustrations. The book is designed to teach kids new vocabulary words, and fun facts. It’s a board book so it’s ideal for children between two and five years old. It’s a great way to start instilling the love and appreciation for bees that may eventually turn into a beekeeping hobby.

Customers call this an educational and fun read. It contains some interesting facts and more detailed knowledge that an older child could appreciate. One customer shared that she has kids who are three years apart and both were able to get something out of this board book. Overall, customers appreciate that it offers them an opportunity to teach their kiddos about the importance of protecting bee populations.

Best for Learning the Alphabet: B is for Beekeeping: An Alphabet Book

Best for Learning the Alphabet
B is for Beekeeping: An Alphabet Book
  • 27 pages.
  • Teaches the importance of the role bees play in the ecosystem, while also teaching the alphabet.
  • Donations are made to bee-preservation organizations with each purchase.
  • A relatively new publication, first released in July 2022.
Check Amazon

This alphabet book is ideal for your young beekeeping enthusiast. It contains easy-to-understand vocabulary words along with cute illustrations. Kids learn the ABCs of beekeeping while they practice the alphabet. It’s a great buy because it also benefits bees. With each purchase, the author makes a special donation to different organizations that help to preserve bees.

This book has a 4.8 out of five-star rating. Your kiddo can read through this quickly and still learn tons of fun facts. The illustrations are colorful and draw the interest of children. Since children are constantly learning through this book, they can share with their classmates and parents to further cement their new understanding of beekeeping and the alphabet. One customer managed to circumvent a bee phobia after a bee stung her son. She helped to reframe the entire experience with the help of this book!

Best Fear-Dispelling: David of the Bees

Best Fear-Dispelling
David of the Bees: Kids Bee Book
  • 41 pages.
  • Recommended for children ages 5 through 11.
  • Works to teach children all about bees, and with hope, dispel their fear of bees.
  • Explains that bees don't actively search for sting victims.
Check Amazon

Some children naturally gravitate to bees. For others, it may take a little bit of learning before they feel comfortable around them. They may have experienced a sting or have had an otherwise unpleasant experience around bees. This is a fantastic book for children who are afraid of fees. The author answers questions like “Should we be afraid of bees?” and “What’s a beekeeper?”

It’s perfect for kids between the ages of five and 11. It’s an encouraging book that follows Kathy, a character in the book, who manages to get over her fear of bees in the end. Customers rate this book highly because it’s straight to the point and answers the questions children have about bees. It can be nerve-wracking for kids who are afraid of bees to go outside in the spring or summer and face them regularly.

Instead of letting that fear fester and grow, you can introduce them to a book that answers all those questions they have swirling around in their minds. They gain a better understanding of why bees do what they do. Customers appreciate that the book lets kids know that bees aren’t intentionally looking for people to sting. It also shares how a beekeeper in the story cares for his own bees.

Best for Middle- and High-School Kids: Honey Teaches Beekeeping

Best for Middle- and High-School Kids
Honey Teaches Beekeeping
  • 59 pages.
  • Recommended for middle- and high-school students.
  • An in-depth look at beekeeping that goes beyond the basics.
  • A sister book, Honey Teaches Beekeeping to Kids, is also available, designed for younger kids.
Check Amazon

This final book offers a more in-depth look into beekeeping and is specifically for older children who are in middle or high school. The book introduces Honey, who is the queen bee of her hive. The knowledge comes from her, and the book incorporates whimsical art along with live photos. Your kids learn about hive inspections, pests, and honey extraction. It’s a total of 45 pages in length.

Customers appreciate that this book is a part of a series. There is the first book that introduces Henry, a boy who meets Honey, the queen bee. You can pick up both and follow along into the second book as Honey takes over as the narrator and teaches beekeeping to children. A third book also highlights Honey as she teaches beekeeping, but that book is for elementary school kids. You can get the whole family to fall in love with these beekeeping books!

Criteria: What to Look for in Children’s Books About Beekeeping

Before deciding on the best children’s books about beekeeping, consider the following criteria:

Reading Level

This is by far the most important factor when deciding on the right book. You can find this information in the product description to be sure you’re picking up a book that the kiddo in your life can enjoy thoroughly. As your kiddo grows, you can pick up books that incorporate more vocabulary words and longer sentences.

Book Type

Some books help lay a foundation for further understanding. These encompass the basics and are ideal for younger readers. You can even get a toddler engaged with the topic of beekeeping to grow their interest! Other books are more complex and explore more in-depth and detailed aspects of beekeeping. Some books even help with other activities, like learning the alphabet while teaching beekeeping terms.

Up Next, Explore Some Other Children’s Books Titles to Keep Your Kids Intrigued with Nature…

About the Author

Angie is a writer with over 10 years of experience developing content for product and brand reviews, focusing much of her time on animals of all types. A cat owner herself, she enjoys writing articles on beloved pets that both inform and entertain her audience.

The 5 Best Children’s Books About Beekeeping for All Reading Levels FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

How do you explain to kids why bees are important?

You can explain that bees have an important job of pollinating different types of flowers that help with supplying the foods we eat! Accompany this explanation with a book that includes illustrations so they can experience the explanation visually as well.

How many beehives should a beginner start with?

Keeping beehives requires both artistry and scientific thinking. Beginners should start with two beehives for their first couple of years to gain the experience required for keeping healthy bees.

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