They Work: Honey Bees, Nature's Pollinators [Hardcover]

2026 GREEN EARTH BOOK AWARD SHORT LIST SELECTION

The newest addition to June Smallss nature series,They Workis a gorgeous nonfiction picture book about life for a hive of honey bees, complete with factoids

She is the queen. She fought for that position from the moment she broke out of her cell.
Her job is important, but she is not the leader.
A hive is only successful if many, many bees are working.

Experience the life cycle of the honey bee up close and personal with this striking picture book from June Smalls (author ofShe Leads, He Leads, andThey Lead) and illustrator Yukari Mishima.

Told in a poetic style along with fun facts on each page for older readers wanting a deeper dive,They Workis a beautiful exploration of life inside a beehive, as well as the dangers and predators bees face out in the worldincluding humans.

June Smallsis a children’s author of fiction and nonfiction, includingOdd Animal ABC’sandShe Leads: The Elephant Matriarch. She resides in Northern Virginia with her family and an ever-growing assortment of animals.Yukari Mishimawas born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan. She has always loved to draw and paint pictures. She majored in foreign language courses at university and worked an office job for 10 years after graduation. At the age of 35, she quit the corporate world and decided to pursue her passion and become a freelance illustrator."They Work: Honey Bees, Nature's Pollinatorsis fascinating, informative, and unreservedly recommended for family, elementary school, and community library Nature/Wildlife picture book collections for children ages 5-8."Midwest Book Review