Killer Bees

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6 This simply written introduc tion is timely, as scientists expect the African (``Killer'') bee invasion of the U. S. to take place within the next two years; however, its superficial text and mismatched illustrations will limit its usefulness. The book briefly describes the behavioral characteristics of the ``killer'' bees; their history in this hemi sphere; their probable invasion route; and the various plans scientists are de veloping to track and contain them. The text is clearly written and competently organized; however, it lacks scientific objectivity and omits important infor mation. While other sources explain that these aggressive bees will attack anything that moves, this title only characterizes them as ``angry.'' One paragraph alone suggests a reason for their aggressiveness (many natural ene mies); most of the text implies that they have a malevolent nature. While the bees' potential threat to humans is ex aggerated (only a few human deaths have been verified), their real threat to U.S. agriculture is not mentioned. The illustrationsa hodgepodge of color photos and paintings, black-and-white photos and diagramsvary in quality (the paintings are muddy; many of the photos are either fuzzy or over-ex posed) and most do not match the text. Pringle's Here Come the Killer Bees (Morrow, 1986) presents a more thor ough examination. Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library