Kaia and the bees by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

Kaia, a round-faced girl with a pug nose and bushy brown hair, has a problem. She is super brave except for one thing - bees. And her dad (black) raises bees on their roof. After a run-in with some neighborhood kids, Kaia decides to face her fears, and, getting dressed, joins her dad on the roof. Her mom (white) is a quiet but supportive presence. Things are going great, but then - a bee stings Kaia on her finger! Determined to never go near the bees again, she retreats. Her dad doesn't push her and, later, she and her mom help harvest the honey (without going near the bees!). Then Kaia sees... BEES! Three of them! Inside the house! Will she scream, swat them, and run away? Or will she find her courage to let the bees go, even if they might sting her?

Boelts does a wide range of picture books and she's done several with a "message" that I think work very well. This works equally as an instructional book about facing your fears and as a story. Facts about bees are woven into the story, as Kaia's dad explains to her how bees work. I loved that Kaia didn't immediately become brave after the first time she faced her fears - the worst thing DID happen, she was stung, and she's upset and unwilling to try again. Her parents don't push her (one wonders if her mom is equally nervous around bees, since she's never shown interacting with them) and eventually she figures out a way to cope.

Dominguez has drawn a vibrant city landscape and a warm, supportive family. In addition to Kaia's family, another neighbor with two kids in her building is shown with their caregivers depicted as an older, female Asian-American woman and a bearded white man with a cane.

Verdict: The text in this is longer, so I wouldn't use it in a typical toddler or most preschool storytimes. However, it's a great choice for a classroom teacher wanting to talk about bees or facing your fears. It's also a great choice for kids to read and discuss, whether they are afraid of bees or not. Kaia's gradual process towards managing her fear is beautifully drawn and this is a sweet and relatable story that elementary kids should find both interesting and educational.

ISBN: 9781536201055; Published March 2020 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library