Kristen Niedzielski

A bee discovers just how little he really is, in comparison to the universe.

Brian is a very busy, and very fast bee. His friend, Sam the Snail, challenges Brian to fly to the end of the universe. Brian is confused, he has only ever known the meadow where he lives, and that is big enough. Brian asks his mom, What is the universe, and how big could it be? His mom explains that the universe is far bigger than the meadow, and much higher than the sun. It includes millions of planets and stars, and only some can be seen in the night sky. She explains that the universe is so big, no one has seen it all, and no one knows where it ends.  Brian tries to fly as far as he can to reach the end of the universe, but his wings soon get tired, and he doesn’t get very far.  When Brian explains to Sam just how vast the universe is, Sam apologises to his friend for being mean.  One evening, Brian watches all the sparkling stars in the night sky and realises that he is a very small bee, in a very big universe. His mom teaches him about the solar system, and the names of all the planets. Brian decides that he would like to be a scientist bee when he grows up, and study the stars, moons, and the planets in the solar system.

A Bee in a Big Universe is an entertaining and insightful picture book, written and illustrated by Kristen Niedzielski. This is a fun, engaging and accessible picture book that will help younger children learn about the universe and help build vocabulary about the solar system, planets, and seasons. The book provides additional resources for parents and carers and will hopefully inspire young children to learn more about science and astronomy.

The digital illustrations are bright, fun and attractive for the target reader group.  

Star rating: 5 Stars

Summary: A fun, engaging and accessible picture book for younger readers about the solar system and the universe.