Books

A short call-to-arm guide to protect essential bees and other stripy insects, for fans of Dave Goulson and BBC's Spring Watch. Proceeds will go to Bees for Development charity. Foreword by Kate Humble.

Our stripey friends need you!

Bees, wasps, hoverflies and other stripey insects are essential to keeping us, and our planet, alive.

Discover the simple ways you can help them thrive in all green spaces - from gardens to window boxes and pots - with insect champion Nicola Bradbear, from Bees for Development charity.

There are lots of fun things you can do whatever space you have. And these acts of kindness will all make a big difference.

With every book sold, proceeds will be donated to Bees for Development

About the Author
Based in Monmouth, UK, Bees for Development works in over fifty countries advocating simple methods for beekeeping to support essential biodiversity, and to provide sustainable incomes for families in remote locations. Nicola Bradbear PhD has worked for International Bee Research Association and the Bee Research Unit at Cardiff University before founding Bees for Development in 1993. She isalso a beekeeper.

Reveals for the first time the ancient tradition of bee shamanism and its secret practices and teachings • Examines the healing and ceremonial powers of the honeybee and the hive • Reveals bee shamanism’s system of acupuncture, which predates the Chinese systems • Imparts teachings from the female tradition and explores the transformative powers of the magico-sexual elixirs they produce Bee shamanism may well be the most ancient and enigmatic branch of shamanism. It exists throughout the world–wherever in fact the honeybee exists. Its medicinal tools–such as honey, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly–are now in common usage, and even the origins of Chinese acupuncture can be traced back to the ancient practice of applying bee stings to the body’s meridians. In this authoritative ethnography and spiritual memoir, Simon Buxton, an elder of the Path of Pollen, reveals for the first time the richness of this tradition: its subtle intelligence; its sights, sounds, and smells; and its unique ceremonies, which until now have been known only to initiates.

Buxton unknowingly took his first steps on the Path of Pollen at age nine, when a neighbor–an Austrian bee shaman–cured him of a near-fatal bout of encephalitis. This early contact prepared him for his later meeting with an elder of the tradition who took him on as an apprentice. Following an intense initiation that opened him to the mysteries of the hive mind, Buxton learned over the next 13 years the practices, rituals, and tools of bee shamanism. He experienced the healing and spiritual powers of honey and other bee products, including the “flying ointment” once used by medieval witches, as well as ritual initiations with the female members of the tradition–the Mellisae–and the application of magico-sexual “nektars” that promote longevity and ecstasy.

The Shamanic Way of the Bee is a rare view into the secret wisdom of this age-old tradition.

A delightful addition to the best-selling 'That's Not My' ... series. Babies and toddlers will love turning the pages, touching the feely patches and spotting the familiar little white mouse as they look for their bee.

About the Author
Fiona Watt has authored over 70 titles for Usborne. She completed a Bachelor of Education (Hons), specialising in art and design at Exeter University. After university she worked as a writer and researcher, and then as a teacher in Britain and the Netherlands. She joined Usborne Publishing as an assistant editor in 1989 and is currently the Editorial Director. Fiona lives in London.

About the Illustrator
Rachel Wells is a mother, writer and cat lover. She lives in Devon with her family and her pets and believes in the magic of animals. Rachel grew up in Devon but lived in London in her twenties working in marketing and living in a tiny flat with an elderly rescued cat, Albert. After having a child she moved back to Devon and decided to take the plunge and juggle motherhood with writing.She has always wanted to write and found her voice in her first novel, 'Alfie the Doorstep Cat'. She has always had cats as pets, ever since a young child.

Rachel is delighted to have been able to combine her two main passions at last. 'Alfie the Holiday Cat' is her fourth book.

Follow Buzzwing the honeybee on a beautifully illustrated journey through the world of bees filled with amazing science and intriguing folklore.Welcome to my honey hive home. It’s where I live with my family. I’m small and fuzzy and striped black and gold. I’m Buzzwing the hard-working honeybee! Did you know that bees love to dance? Or that they have an amazing sense of smell to help them find the best flowers? In The Secret Life of Bees, Buzzwing shares with you all the details of her life as a bee, in and out of the hive, starting with the day she was born. Sumptuous and detailed illustrations have pride of place in this magical guide to bees that mixes natural history with a splash of fantasy – a book to be pored over time and again.

Bees continue to fascinate and charm us all – from novice gardeners and nature-lovers to dedicated environmentalists – and today, bees need our help more than ever. Discover the story of these incredible creatures, with The Little Book of Bees. Bees first appeared on Earth an incredible 130 million years ago. Since the time of the dinosaurs, evolution has taken our beloved bees on an incredible journey – and today, there are 20,000 species on the planet. The Little Book of Bees is a lovely, informative book of all things bee – from evolution and communication, to honey, beekeeping, and saving the bees – all in a beautifully illustrated gift book. Contents Chapter One: The Story of Bees The Evolution of the Bee The Bee Life Cycle The Bee Family Tree Bee Anatomy Bee Nesting Behaviours Bee Factoids Chapter Two: Superorganisms Sociality in Bees Bumble Bees Honey Bees Stingless Bees Chapter Three: Honey What is Honey? Types of Honey Practical Uses for Honey Honey Healthcare Chapter Four: Beekeeping Why Keep Bees? An Introduction to Beekeeping Keeping Stingless Bees Chapter Five: Protecting Our Bee Buddies Why Are Bees in Decline? Supporting Our Bees in 10 Easy Steps Providing a Home for Bees

All the buzz on keeping backyard bees - an informative and inspirational handbook full of advice, experience and stories from experts and enthusiasts.

With bees worldwide in deadly peril, Australians are keen to lend a helping hand. Keeping a hive or three has become a popular lifestyle trend - and it's more achievable than you might think.

Whether you're in the inner city, suburbs or on acreage, keeping bees can be easy, low-fuss and fun for the whole family to get involved in - imagine bottling your very own honey! This lively guide features inspirational experiences and gorgeous photos from scores of enthusiasts across Australia who have sweetened their lives by keeping bees.

Practical chapters by a range of experts give the low-down on getting started, caring for your bees, harvesting your honey and wax (with recipes), troubleshooting, what to plant to help out your little workers, and great information on the popular option of keeping native stingless bees.

The Contented Bee will inspire you to help out the bees - and enrich your own life, too!

A reminder of what truly matter, as told through the adventures of four beloved friends. Based on Charlie’s daily Instagram. For fans of Winnie-the-Pooh’s Little Book of Wisdom.

A book of hope for uncertain times.

The conversations between the four characters in this book – the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse – have been shared thousands of times online, recreated in school art classes, turned into tattoos, they inspire parents and grandparents, comfort children, cheer people who feel lonely, are grieving, need courage, or a reminder that they are not alone and to keep going when life is hard.

Enter the world of Charlie Mackesy’s creations, these four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most poignant and universal life lessons. The book includes Charlie’s most loved illustrations and new ones too.

About the Author

Artist Charlie Mackesy was born during a snowy winter in Northumberland. He has been a cartoonist for The Spectator and a book illustrator for Oxford University Press. He has collaborated with Richard Curtis for Comic Relief, and Nelson Mandela on lithograph project, ‘The United States’. His first exhibition for the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse was in London in November 2018. Charlie lives in South London with his two dogs.

“Nature’s gifts are recognized and celebrated in this minimalist picture book that links gratitude with life itself.” — Kirkus Reviews Clouds bring the rain that makes puddles to splash in. Sheep give us wool for our sweaters and hats. The honey that sweetens our bread comes from bees (thank you, bees). With spare, repetitive text and bright, torn-paper collage artwork, this picture book gives even the youngest readers a subtle sense of how everyday things are related — and inspires an appreciation for life’s simple gifts.

Sustainable Home is a stylish, inspirational and practical guidebook to maintaining a more environmentally friendly household. Sustainable lifestyle blogger and professional Christine Liu takes you on a tour through the rooms of your home – the living area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom – offering tips, tricks and 18 step-by-step projects designed to help you lead a more low-impact lifestyle. Whether its by making your own toothpaste, converting to renewable energy sources, reducing your consumption of plastic, growing your own herb garden or upcycling old pieces of furniture, there are numerous ways – both big and small – to make a difference.

With environmental issues at the forefront of global politics, the desire to make small changes on an individual level is on the rise; this book will guide anyone hoping to make a difference, but who perhaps don’t know where to begin.

Real Sweet offers every dessert lover the delicious sweetness they crave in simple and delicious recipes using natural sugars that pack in subtly amazing flavors that elevate treats of every kind (and help us avoid over processed, one-dimensional white sugar).

Here are simple lunchbox treats suitable for all ages; whimsical candies and confections created on the stove-top; bake sale classics like cookies and cakes; and fragrant, exotic spoonable puddings and flans. Cookbook author and blogger Shauna Sever helps you introduce healthy touches into treats using natural, unrefined, readily available alternative sweeteners—from coconut sugar, agave nectar, orange blossom honey, and pure maple syrup to smoky turbinado, brown-buttery panela, and jaggery.

Written in Shauna’s fresh, modern, and charmingly funny style, Real Sweet lets every sweet tooth indulge without the guilt. Here are more than eighty sure-to-be-favorite recipes, including:

• All-Day Snacks and Lunchbox Treats: Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts, Cracklin’ Maple Popcorn, Fake-Out Caramel Dip
• Bake Sales and Edible Gifts: Dark, Fudgy Muscovado Brownies and Maple Sugar Butter Cookies
• Picnics and Potlucks: Maple Chocolate Cake, Oregon Berry Cream Crumble, Spiced, Bruleed Maple Pumpkin Pie
• Candies and Confections: Bonfire Toffee Pops and Sea Salt Caramels in the Raw
• Dinner Party Fancies: Honeyed Yogurt Cheesecake and Pistachio Sponge Cake with Honey and Citrus
• Scoops and Spoonables: Butterscotch Pots de Crème and Vegan Toasted Coconut Chip Ice Cream

Whether you’re entertaining, sharing a good meal with friends, contributing to the PTA, or looking for homemade holiday gifts, Real Sweet has the perfect treat for everyday and every occasion.

Popular urban beekeeper Hilary Kearney challenges nature lovers, science fans, and beekeepers alike to "spot the queen" in 48 amazing fold-out photo puzzles, accompanied by stories of the dramatic life of the queen honey bee and stories of swarm-capturing adventures.

At the heart of every bee hive is a queen bee. Since her well-being is linked to the well-being of the entire colony, the ability to find her among the residents of the hive is an essential beekeeping skill. In QueenSpotting, experienced beekeeper and professional "swarm catcher" Hilary Kearney challenges readers to "spot the queen" with 48 fold-out queenspotting puzzles - vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects.

QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee chronicles of royal hive happenings such as The Virgin Death Match, The Nuptual Flight - when the queen mates with a cloud of male drones high in the air - and the dramatic Exodus of the Swarm from the hive. Readers will thrill at Kearney's adventures in capturing these swarms from the strange places they settle, including a Jet Ski, a couch, a speed boat, and an owl's nesting box. Fascinating, fun, and instructive, backyard beekeepers and nature lovers alike will find reason to return to the pages again and again.

The essential guide to detoxing your beauty routine. Plant-based beauty is part of a growing global movement that is not just about the food we eat but the choices we make when it comes to what we wear and the beauty products we use. We are more aware than ever that our personal actions have an effect both on our own levels of wellness and the health of the world around us.

Plant-Based Beauty is a practical companion to your daily routine, helping you to truly understand the ingredients you are putting on your skin and replacing them with self-care rituals to look forward to. Jess Arnaudin helps to de-code the language, myths and science surrounding natural ingredients and shares recipes and her favourite beauty foods as part of her philosophy of ‘Inside Out Beauty’

Ever stopped to read the list of ingredients in the products you use every day? In Low Tox Life, activist and educator Alexx Stuart gently clears a path through the maze of mass-market ingredient cocktails, focusing on four key areas: Body, Home, Food and Mind.

Sharing the latest science and advice from experts in each area, Alexx tackles everything from endocrine-disruptors in beauty products to the challenge of going low plastic in a high-plastic world, and how to clean without a hit of harmful toxins.

Love Bees introduces why bees matter and how we can all help them survive in the modern world of many pitfalls perpetrated by Homo sapiens. A great read with content for all the family.’ – BugLife Bees need our love and attention! Help save bees and have fun along the way with Love Bees: A Family Guide to Keep Bees Buzzing. Bee colonies are fast declining and our buzzing buddies need our help urgently if they are to recover and thrive.

In this bright, bubbly book, full of activities for families to do together, Vanessa Amaral-Rogers focuses on how we can help our nectar-collecting buddies flourish — and why these important insects are so awesome — through a whole swarm of engaging facts and fun games. Teach your kids that conservation is cool – and what the awesome rules are to become a bee’s BFF (Best Friend Forever). Find out together how to make a bee hotel or a wildflower window box, and play the Waggle Dance board game. Pull-out activities include: 64 colour stickers Make your own bee mobile Waggle Dance board game Bee-spotter’s survey sheet Where do I live? wheel With exciting lessons in natural history and gardening, from planting pollinator-friendly flowers to growing a green wall, this is a call to action with a positively sunny outlook.

This influential guide by the Reverend L. L. Langstroth, ""the father of modern beekeeping,"" revolutionized the practice of beekeeping. Originally published in 1853, his work constitutes the first descriptive treatise of modern bee management - its innovations allowed people to engage in actual beekeeping, rather than simply handling bee domiciles and extracting the honey.

This book explains and illustrates techniques still employed 150 years later - including the author's patented invention, a movable frame hive that quickly spread into common use around the world.In his reader-friendly, nontechnical style, Langstroth addresses every aspect of beekeeping: bee physiology; diseases and enemies of bees; the life-cycles of the queen, drone, and worker; bee-hives; and the handling of bees. An infectious sense of wonder and enthusiasm suffuses Langstroth's accounts of natural and artificial swarming, the production of honey and wax, and the best methods of feeding bees and maintaining an apiary.

The manual abounds in practical and intriguing insights attained through the years of observation and experience, including ""the kindness of bees to one another,"" ""their infatuation for liquid sweets,"" and ""the warning given by bees before stinging.""This version of Langstroth's ever-popular manual is the fourth and final edition; it incorporates the author's own revisions and remains an unsurpassed resource for beekeepers.

Discover the lives and locations of trailblazing women who changed the course of history as you journey to the heart of women’s activism, history and creativity through the ages. From the temple of Queen Hatshepsut in Egypt and Empress Dowager Cixi’s summer palace in Beijing, to the homes and meeting sites of suffragette heroes Sylvia Pankhurst and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the creative workrooms of Frida Kahlo and Virginia Woolf, and the tennis courts where the Williams sisters first learned to play – we showcase female pioneers whose lives and actions continue to inspire today.

In Her Footsteps is not only a celebration of incredible women, but a travel guide to the places where they studied, lived, worked, reigned and explored. We’ll tell you where to find the secret feminist history of sites around the world. Activists include: Emily Wilding Davison, Epsom Downs, UK Rosa Luxemburg, Berlin, Germany Jane Goodall, Gombe, Tanzania Greta Thunberg, Stockholm, Sweden Manuela Saenz, Quito, Ecuador Rosa Parks, Alabama, USA Icons include: Michelle Obama, Chicago, USA Catherine the Great, Moscow, Russia Queen Nanny of the Maroons, Jamaica Catherine de’ Medici, Chenonceaux, France Empress Dowager Cixi, Beijing, China Artists include: Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Utopia, Australia Jane Austen, Chatsworth, UK Zaha Hadid, Baku, Azerbaijan Nadine Gordimer, Johannesburg, South Africa Patti Smith, New York City, USA Trailblazers include: Jacinda Ardern, Wellington, New Zealand Marie Curie, Warsaw, Poland Cornelia Sorabji, Pune, India Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Everest, Nepal Beryl Markham, Rift Valley, Kenya About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world’s number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973.

Over the past four decades, we’ve printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You’ll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

Kate Nelson has been disposable-plastic free for a decade. She started small: stopping her use of plastic bags and water bottles, refusing straws and carrying a reusable cup for takeaway coffee. But unhappy with how much plastic she still handled in her day-to-day life, she knew she had to do more. It took years, but Kate has developed effective strategies that others can easily adopt. This inspiring and practical guide to reducing your use of plastic is packed with information, how-to’s and tips to help you cook, clean, shop, wear, and live plastic-free.

Kate shows how to reduce your waste and live more simply and sustainably, no matter where you’re starting from. With over 60 recipes—covering nutrition, bodycare, hygiene and cleaning—Kate Nelson provides the tools you need to make small personal changes that have lasting global impact. Includes dual measures.

From honey experts C. Marina Marchese and Kim Flottum comes this comprehensive introduction to the origin, flavor, and culinary uses of more than 30 varietals of honey, from ubiquitous clover to tangy star thistle to rich, smoky buckwheat

A fun introduction to why the world needs bees.

Pedro, Nick, Yulee, Sally and Martin are buzzing with excitement today! The five friends are visiting Martin's neighbor, Mr. Cardinal. He keeps beehives in his backyard, and he's offered to show them how honeybees live. As the kids help Mr. Cardinal with his work, he explains how bees feed and pollinate, what happens inside their colony, how they build their hives and even why they like to dance! He also tells the friends why some bee populations are in trouble and what people can do to help.

And the perfect sweet ending to the day? Honey, of course! These children are sure to remember: it's best to ?bee a friend? to the bees of the world! This playful book mixes narration, facts and appealing illustrations to introduce young children to why the world needs bees, and how people can help them thrive. It's part of the critically acclaimed Exploring Our Community series from award-winning author and illustrator Scot Ritchie, which features the same five culturally diverse characters throughout.

Comprehensive yet entertaining, the book encourages children to look closer at the natural world around them, including in cities, and raises their awareness about how each person can do something to help the environment. It aligns perfectly with the early science curriculum, particularly sustainability and stewardship, and understanding life systems. Rounding out the information in the story are a full bee illustration with the parts identified, a glossary and two activities that can be done at home or in school.

AGES: 4 to 7

AUTHOR:
Scot Ritchie is an award-winning author-illustrator of over 50 books including Follow That Map!, Look Where We Live! and My House Is Alive!: The Weird and Wonderful Sounds Your House Makes. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Family food isn’t fancy or complex. Its roots are humble, stemming from recipes passed on through generations, and food rituals born from daily cooking. Most importantly, great family recipes are ones that nurture our souls, our hearts and our tummies. Family food is comfort food.

In Family, bestselling author Hetty McKinnon shares her approach to modern, uncomplicated, hearty and healthy food that is powered by vegetables. These classic recipes are the multicultural meals she serves around her own family table. Some are heirloom recipes passed on from her mother, others are old family favourites, and many are variations on much-loved comfort food, repackaged with a healthier outlook.

This could be a deconstructed falafel salad of crispy roasted chickpeas and fresh greens, drizzled with lemony tahini; an oozy savoury cobbler of summer tomatoes topped with parmesan-cornmeal scones; or an earthy miso brown butter sauce spiked with crispy sage and tossed through your favourite pasta. Finish things off with a simple dessert of sticky banana golden syrup dumplings, an indulgent choc-orange self-saucing pudding, or an addictive lime pie with anzac biscuit crust – sweet treats that are destined to become new family favourites. These irresistible recipes are interlaced with tender family stories from home cooks around the world.

Learn from yesterday. Cherish today. Dream big for tomorrow.

Thoughtfully curated by entrepreneur, author and speaker Lisa Messenger, these artfully presented quotes can be used as meditations, as musings, or as your daily dose of inspiration; one for each day of the year. Every daily message includes a quote, followed by Lisa’s personal take, and an affirmation that will help you to step into and ground your courage, spirit, wisdom and wit that make every day count.

Modern beekeepers - take notice! Here we have the answer to one of the most common questions related to beekeeping: what do I do with all of this beeswax? In fact, the possibilities are seemingly endless! As beeswax has multiple holistic and decorative uses, projects can vary from beauty and health products to household items. Beeswax Alchemy is your first step towards using excess beeswax to make beautiful, useful gifts for friends, family, and even yourself.

It offers a basic introduction to the art of extracting and purifying beeswax, as well as countless ideas for what to make with it. These include skin care creams, candles, and other home products like beeswax ornaments and wax fabric. So, get ready to suit up and collect some beeswax. There's so much that you can do with it - and now you know how!

About the Author

Petra Ahnert is the creative force behind Beehive Alchemy, a growing artisan soap, body care, and home goods business. After a serendipitous meeting with a beekeeper at the library in 2002, Petra soon had a couple hives of her own and extra honey to sell. Of course, with the honey, comes beeswax, too so she sought out ways to make good use of the wax she had on hand. Since that time, Petra has first looked to her own life and products she uses to replace them with items she could make herself with the honey and beeswax she had on hand. Eventually, those products made their way into the product line-up for Beehive Alchemy.

“You’ll never think of bees, their keepers, or the fruits (and nuts) of their labors the same way again.” —Trevor Corson, author of The Secret Life of Lobsters

From crayons to cough drops, cookies to candles, Beehive Alchemy offers a comprehensive introduction to incorporating the miracle of bees into everyday life. Beehive Alchemy is a continuation of Petra Ahnert’s best-selling Beeswax Alchemy.

With this new book, beekeepers (and bee lovers) will learn about the benefits and attributes of beeswax, honey, propolis, and more alongside a full range of projects and techniques to process and harness the amazing gifts of bees. Inside, you’ll find instructions to make Ahnert’s award-winning hand-dipped birthday candles, the classic French dessert canele bordelais, and much more, including: Alchemy for the Body Liquid soap with honey Beard balm Olive and honey lotion Alchemy of Light Taper candles Tea lights Pillars Alchemy for the Home Furniture polish Waxed cotton food wraps Woodcutter incense Alchemy in the Studio Beeswax crayons Encaustic Batik Alchemy in the Kitchen Cookies and candies Beverages Fermentations Whether you keep bees or just love them, Beehive Alchemy will become your go-to comprehensive guide for hive-to-home creations.