Milk without honey

Through elegant yellow and black illustrations, Harms's powerful English-language debut traces the ecosystems that pollinators inhabit--and exposes the dangers that threaten their existence. A series of overlapping geometric panels shows a single bee's voyage from a small flower petal to a thriving hive, charting a "mental map of signposts" along the way. Harms contrasts this micro view with the larger systems that bees help sustain, which have been decimated by human behaviors. For example, global travel has spread bee-killing mites across the world, climate change has created dry spells that stall nectar production, and pesticides--no matter how they're regulated--eliminate colonies in droves. Suddenly, Harms's bursting yellow panels disappear and a colorless, desolate landscape demonstrates a gray future without pollinators. The solution, according to Harms, is no less than "a new world" where humans collectively respect and commit to a holistic, ecological mindset. Like the bee's journey, that new world starts with a small step: planting a few seeds. Readers will be convinced by this firm and vibrantly drawn warning call. (Sept.)

Gr 9 Up--Harms has crafted a captivating graphic novel about the plight of bees and what their decline means worldwide. While the book is certainly conveying a message, it is told in a straightforward way with only a touch of whimsy and incorporates a realistic tone that does not sugarcoat the issue. However, the work still gives readers a nugget of hope at the conclusion. The art has a beautiful simplicity to it, with clean lines and a limited color palette. Yellow predominates, of course, but is used with precision to elevate the point of the narrative. The graphic novel is bookended by comments from authorities who study bees, giving the story additional weight. VERDICT A must-buy for graphic novel collections that feature nonfiction, as it includes an important directive about our connection to our ecosystem that could spur readers to action.--Nancy McKay