Bee-Wigged
Kindergarten-Grade 2—Jerry is a very large and very sad bee. He is the size of a child and, though quite friendly, people are afraid of him. One day he finds a discarded wig, puts it on, and is immediately mistaken for a boy, which is amusing since he now looks like a bee with a bad toupee. Though the scruffy-looking hairpiece covers his tiny antennae, humorous pictures reveal two small wings on his black-and-yellow-striped back, which apparently cause no consternation. Jerry enters school and his courteous, complimentary, and helpful manner makes him extremely popular with his classmates and the staff. When his wig is accidentally blown off and it's obvious that he's really a bee, the old prejudices return and everyone runs from him. Fortunately, and amazingly, his wig turns out to be a particularly hairy guinea pig who saves the day by reminding everyone of Jerry's sterling qualities. Engaging, digitally combined ink and acrylic illustrations in bold colors with black outlines highlight this funny and ultimately cheerful tale of acceptance.—Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.