Dalia Hardoff Renberg is the author of Hello, Clouds! and The Complete Family Guide to Jewish Holidays. Ruth Heller was the author and illustrator of many highly praised books for children, including Up, Up and Away. She was also the illustrator of Shirley Climo's The Egyptian Cinderella.
After King Solomon forgives a bee for stinging him, it returns the
favor by identifying the one real flower among a roomful of
artificial ones-one of the riddles set the great king by the queen
of Sheba. As Renberg explains in an excellent note, this story has
Talmudic roots but is based on 'The Bee' by Jewish poet Hayyim
Nahman Bialik ('since this account doesn't appear in the Talmud,
scholars are unclear whether Bialik based it on some other ancient
folklore or whether he invented it'). Renberg's simplified
retelling is straightforward and lively, a good match for Heller's
almost raucously colorful illustrations: Her statuesque,
classically draped figures, set amid a riot of blossoms in the
opulently appointed palace, are the stuff of legend.
Ages 5-8. Renberg retells a traditional tale with roots in the
Bible. King Solomon is visiting his garden when a small bee
accidently stings his nose. Solomon is angry at first and then
laughs when the bee says that someday he may be able to do him a
favor. That day comes when the queen of Sheba arrives to test
Solomon's vaunted wisdom with puzzles and riddles. The last test
involves bouquets of artificial flowers-and one bunch that is real.
Solomon is having trouble picking out the real flowers as the queen
requests, until the bee flies directly to them. This simple story
is fresh and appealing. The brightly colored pictures, accented
with masses of flowers on every page, are occasionally stiff, but
they do have child appeal. Kids will especially like the two-page
spread that is crowded with insects flying around the pages. An
author's note chronicles the interesting derivation of this
story.
In Renberg's adaptation of a tale recorded by folklorist and
storyteller Hayyam Nahman Bialik (1873-1934), a bee mistakes King
Solomon's nose, with its 'roselike fragrance and bananalike grace,
' for a flower and accidentally stings the royal schnoz. Solomon
flies into a rage, but eventually pardons the abashed bee. Humming
with gratitude, the bee eventually repays the king's mercy by
helping him answer the Queen of Sheba's greatest riddle;
unfortunately, while Renberg makes much of the queen's conundrums,
she never explains just why it is so important for Solomon to solve
them.... Heller (The Korean Cinderella; Chickens Aren't the Only
Ones) populates her illustrations with beautifully delineated,
jewel-toned flora and fauna as well as an assortment of bijoux
bugs. Period costumes supply atmosphere, and the overall ambiance
is indeed of a land of milk and honey.
This Talmudic tale is adapted from the writings of the Jewish poet,
Hayyim Nahman Bialik, who wrote And It Came to Pass, a collection
of folkloric or invented legends involving King David and King
Solomon. No matter what the official origins, this tale quickly
reveals King Solomon in all his wisdom with a little bit of help
from a small friend, of course. A young bee has had the great
misfortune of stinging the nose of King Solomon by accident. The
bee acknowledges his error, apologizes and then argues that instead
of punishment, the bee will one day repay the favor of the king's
benevolence. King Solomon is so amazed at the little creature's
confidence and courage that he forgives him. Soon the Queen of
Sheba arrives at Solomon's court intent on testing the famous
king's wisdom. After the King has answered numerous questions,
Sheba perplexes him with stunning flower bouquets, only one of
which is real. Solomon is baffled until he hears a slight buzz and
the little bee flies in the window and lands inconspicuously on the
real bouquet. King Solomon's fame as the wisest is intact and the
King's benevolence is repaid. This simple story guides young
children to realize that size and status are not as important as
one's courage and sense of honor. The book can be easily
incorporated into numerous lessons plans featuring the values of
fairness and justice across multiple age levels. Heller's
illustrations are vibrant and exacting: enhancing the visual
texture of the story. The decision by Crocodile Books to re-issue
King Solomon and the Bee in a paperback edition is greatly
welcomed. Educators and parents will be grateful for its return to
the library shelves, allowing this treasure to be more widely
shared with young readers. For ages 5-8.
PreSchool-Grade 3-In this adaptation of the traditional legend,
King Solomon is not only wise, but also able to talk to animals.
After being stung on the nose, he summons all manner of insects to
appear before him and demands to know who dared to attack him. A
small bee confesses and begs forgiveness, promising to do the king
a favor later. Solomon laughs, but the bee later helps him pass a
test put to him by the Queen of Sheba. Renberg bases her version on
a story in Hayyim Nahman Bialik's And It Came to Pass, but notes
that its origins are unclear. The text is smoothly written in a
direct style. Heller's realistic illustrations, full of decorative
floral and architectural detail, invite browsing. Their lush colors
and the interesting page composition attract and hold interest. The
result is an appealing picture book.--School Library Journal
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