The Bee Tree

Based upon the stories of her own mother's childhood in rural Michigan, Patricia Polacco's The Bee Tree is an engaging tale of a girl and her grandfather's search for a bee tree, and the honey to be found therein. When Mary Ellen declares that she is tired of reading, her Grampa decides that it might be time for a bee tree hunt, in which one captures a few honey-bees in a jar, releases them one by one, and follows them to the source. As Mary Ellen and Grampa tear across the countryside in hot pursuit, a variety of community members join the chase...

Although I cannot say that this is one of my favorite Polacco picture-books - I just didn't feel the same kind of emotional connection to it, that I did to titles like The Lemonade Club, read show more at the same time, or to Thank You, Mr. Falker - I can see that it would make an entertaining read-aloud. I also appreciated the "lesson" that Grampa works into the adventure. All in all, one I would recommend to fellow Patricia Polacco fans! show less

Patricia Polacco is one of my favorite authors! I love the language she uses in her books. The funny noises and names she gives the characters keep the book light and funny. This book is great for teaching children that books can be as sweet and full of adventure as going on a bee chase and eating the honey!

When Mary Ellen tells her grand father she is bored and tired of reading, he takes her on an adventure to follow the bees to the bee tree where they will find honey. In The Gingerbread Man fashion, many friends and animals from the Michigan countryside drop what they are doing and follow along.

After their wild adventure, her grandfather places a dallop of honey on her book telling her that reading can be very sweet.

While not one of my favorites, I enjoy the unique artwork and Polacco's common thread of family and the joy of life

When Mary Ellen gets bored with her reading, Grandpa knows a hunt for a bee tree is just what she needs. Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it's not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for.

A little girl and her grandfather follow the bees to their tree, joined by friends and neighbors along the way. The ending includes a beautiful lesson from the grandfather on the sweetness of reading.

The Bee Tree was a very cute book that talks about the adventure in books! When Mary Ellen decides she no longer is interested in reading her book, her grandfather takes her on his own adventure following the Bee's to the Bee Tree. The whole community joins in on the fun adventure. After the Bee Tree is found everyone celebrates with delicious honey back at grandpa's house. Mary Ellen is reminded of the an adventure you can have with books. The plot is easy to follow along with. The characters are built up well for the short amount of time they spend in the story. The message behind the story is adventure can be anywhere and that there is an adventure in reading which is such an important message.

When Mary Ellen gets tired of reading, her Grandpa takes her on a wild adventure, leading a running chase after honeybees to find the honey hive. Along the way, several animals and neighbors join in the chase and everyone shares in the honey harvest. When the day is over, Mary Ellen's Grandpa instructs her to lick honey off of the cover of her book to make the point that sweet things like adventure, wisdom and knowledge can be found INSIDE the book, too; but, to get it, you must chase it through the pages of the book, much like the crowd chased the bees for the sweetness of the honey.

This book is a great book about books--a funny story to lead the readers to the message that reading is worthwhile.