Last month, BayNews began listing suggestions for Storytimes to go along with the Catch the Reading Bug Summer Reading theme. Of course, you can (and should) expand the theme to include other topics besides insects. To me, it naturally lends itself to all types of science and environmental themes, including habitats, recycling, nature, etc.

Start by singing “I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee,” then move on to some of these great picture books. For a craft, make the bumblebee paper plate craft located at: http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/bumblebee/plate.htm

Those titles marked T will be suitable for a Toddler Storytime as well as the traditional preschool storytime.

Carle, Eric. THE HONEYBEE AND THE ROBBER.
   A popup book with tabs and other moveable elements, about a bee who defends the hive from a bear out to steal the honey. T

Ernst, Lisa Campbell. A COLORFUL ADVENTURE OF THE BEE WHO LEFT HOME ONE MONDAY MORNING… T
   A concept book about colors.

McDonald, Megan. ANT AND HONEYBEE - WHAT A PAIR!
   The two insects choose costumes for a party, with disasterous results.

Smallman, Steve. THE VERY GREEDY BEE.
   Lots of sound effects words are included in this amusing story of a bee that eats too much nectar.

High, Linda Oatman. BEEKEEPERS.
   A girl helps her grandfather who is a beekeeper.

Yorinks, Arthur. HAPPY BEES. T
   With great rhymes, we hear about the easy life of the bee.

Wong, Janet S. BUZZ. T
   A young boy hears a buzzing bee outside his window one morning, then hears all the other things that buzz like dad's shaver, the juicer, the garage door opener, etc.

Lobel, Arnold. THE ROSE IN MY GARDEN. T
   A cumulative story about a bee, a snail, and other creatures on the rose in the garden.