Thrilled to see Clan Apis back, and in color, too. An insightful way to teach the importance of the honeybee through the biography of one. Gripping and informative.

I found this to be an informative and wonderfully illustrated book. Definitely did not shy away from the somewhat more messy bits of bee life, but I appreciated that.

The Way of the Hive by Jay Hosler is an interesting and engaging graphic novel fusion between anthropomorphized animal fiction and cleverly incorporated science nonfiction about honey bees. I understand that this is a colorised rerelease previously published as Clan Apis, but as I never read the original publication, I don’t have much perspective beyond that. However, I enjoyed The Way of the Hive–the art is bright and cheery and evocative, with so many details that back up the scientific data we are learning about the world of honeybees from our narrator, the honeybee Nyuki. We follow Nyuki from the beginning of her life to the end, and along the way learn about the entire life cycle of honey bees and the world they inhabit. It’s heavily anthropomorphized, as I mentioned, with humorous dialog and a goofy but likable main character, as well as her friendship with other bees and even a dung beetle. I’m not sure what the name Nyuki means, but later in the story, her friend is named Melissa, which means “bee”, so I found that clever too. It was a fun read.

I think this book is smart enough, with nice enough art, to be enjoyable for adults, but interesting and compelling enough, without being too complicated, for younger readers to enjoy as well. I could see it being a good addition to school libraries. I enjoyed this quick and easy read, which I finished in one sitting. Thank you to #NetGalley and Harper Collins for sharing a temporary advanced digital copy of The Way of the Hive with me in exchange for an honest review.

This juvenile graphic novel is a great example of what narrative non-fiction can be. The story is well told and imparts factual information about honeybees and other insects in an interesting and memorable way. The tale is surprisingly humorous and kids will be quickly caught up in the story. There is also a lovely theme about death being part of the natural order of life. Highly recommended.

Honey bee Nyuki learns what it means to be part of Clan Apis, as she experiences a bee’s life cycle. Accompanied by sister bees Dvorah and Melissa, Nyuki navigates perilous circumstances and grows to learn the way of the hive. Nyuki’s friendships with creatures outside the hive, like Sisyphus the beetle and Bloomington the flower, provide Nyuki with new encounters, which lead to Nyuki learning an insect’s life cycle, along with its many factors and participants. Nyuki’s story is a great example of a honey bee’s life and the many processes which accompany it, both in and outside the hive.

Jay Hosler’s The Way of the Hive is a perfect mix of science and entertainment. Hosler presents the science behind the life cycle of bees, both their creation and survival, with comedic dialogue and lively imagery. The use of detailed illustrations emphasizes the actions and movements of honey bees to the reader, such as Nyuki’s nectar dance and the laying of the Queen Bee’s eggs. Both circumstances would be difficult for readers to imagine without a visual representation. Paired with the dialogue, the illustrations humanize the bees and the intricate cycle of nature they partake in. To me, the personification of the bees is impactful because it provides educational context for movements like Save the Bees. Ecological campaigns will often change into trends, and as they continue to be shared, sadly lose their initial message. This graphic novel is a perfect accompaniment to movements like these because the humanization of the bees also fosters the necessary compassion and care that should follow this movement. Hosler’s The Way of the Hive is a novel that will inspire readers to continue to care for the Earth’s bees and learn more about their role in nature.

(Pine Reads would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Read more graphic novel reviews at www.graphiclibrary.org.

In the beginning, there was the World Flower, spouting planets and stars into existence like pollen. On one of these planets (Earth) is the hive in which we find ourselves. In it, Dvorah is capping the cell of young larva Nyuki, who is scared of metamorphosis and what the rest of life will mean for her. After metamorphosis, Nyuki emerges as an adult bee but is rather scared of the outside world. That is going to work out poorly because there is a new queen in the colony, which means the old queen must lead some of the colony away to a new site. Dvorah is going, and Nyuki must decide. It turns out, Nyuki loves flying, but there are many perils of the outside world, including praying mantis, spiders, and birds! As Nyuki grows up, she finds a special flower with the best nectar and helps cross-pollinate it with a flower across the field. Nyuki inspires a younger forager, Melissa, to become a great forager for the colony.

To begin, I don’t like bees. I enjoy what bees do and appreciate that we wouldn’t be able to eat without them. However, they scare me despite constant reminders that they aren’t out to sting me. That being said, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this story. This was a wonderful graphic novel with a lot of hidden science facts. I learned so much about the evolution of a bee and the life of a colony, and the many predators who are out to make a bee into a snack. There were some really emotional moments as well, despite it being a story that young readers would enjoy. The author was successful in getting me to care about Dvorah and Nyuki, and a little bit Melissa, so their story was touching. The first chapter of this review copy was in color, and it was absolutely stunning. I missed the color initially when the illustrations were just black and white, but within a few pages, I didn’t miss the colors and I enjoyed the illustrations for the details, different line weights, and beautiful expression of the world of these bees.

Sara’s Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 4-8

I went into this expecting an educational book on bees and hivelife, and while I did receive that I also ended up loving the characters. I felt for the individual bees and characters. I've learned more about bees while reading this than I've learned anywhere else, and had a great time while doing so.

Ever since the emergence of colony collapse disorder, we've seen a big push to educate people about the importance of bees. We can be inclined to think of them as simple creatures that serve a single function or as an annoyance. Books like Hosler's show us the complexity of bee society. We follow a bee from it's metamorphosis through a series of jobs within the colony. The book's structure is something of a mix between "A Bug's Life" and an entry in the Science Comics series. There is a narrative structure, following Nyuki as she grows and learns more about her colony. It's these lessons about the jobs she will hold that teach the reader. We get a fair amount of detail without being overwhelmed by technical language and there's enough plot to keep the reader engaged.

I love the format of this graphic novel! Educational and heartwarming at the same time. I loved the relationships that developed. I can't believe I'm feeling so much about bees!!

A well-crafted graphic novel that will appeal to middle-grade readers. The subject is important and the format will help younger readers understand the issues facing bees.

Nyuki is an inquisitive honeybee larva who has a lot of questions for Dvorah, an older bee who ends up being her mentor. Why does her cell have to be capped off? Why does she have to go through metamorphosis? Why are some of the bees getting ready to leave the hive? Can she go? Should she go? Is Dvorah going to go? Dvorah patiently answers Nyuki's questions, and helps Nyuki develop into an independent member of her colony. The story follows the life journey of one honeybee and the members of her hive. Nyuki is childlike in her interactions, and never loses her sense of wonder and curiosity, making her a wonderful character. She struggles with anxiety about the unknown and adapts, always puzzling over the "inner voice" that spurs her on to adventure. The story is sweet, funny, and moved me to tears. Illustrations are realistic, but Jay Hosler manages to make these realistic depictions of bees simply adorable; readers will want to cherish them and care for them. The science is solid, but never, ever feels like a lecture or a textbook. It's simply a great story. An absolute must for your graphic novel collections, and perfect for Science Comics readers. Back matter includes even more information about bees.


Did you know World Bee Day is May 20th this year? Visit the Bee Culture website for some resources on bees and celebrating them on their special day. The National Parks Service has a great middle school curriculum for Bee Week available. Author Jay Hosler's website is a treasure trove of information on using comic books in the classroom (yes!!) and links to more science comics.


The Way of the Hive has a starred review from Kirkus. It was originally published under the title, Clan Apis, in 1998.

This was an interesting story that takes you through a life cycle of a bee. I learned a lot about them, but I also thought the dialogue writing could have been stronger. I do think this has a place in schools, and I will be purchasing it for my library!

I received an electronic ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books through NetGalley.
Hosler takes readers through the life cycle of one particular honey bee, Nyuki. We see her from larvae stage to death and decomposition. He offers informative text wrapped within this story. Readers will become invested in her life and watch as she overcomes fears and deals with grief as she loses one of her sisters and mentor/protector in a fashion that would happen in nature. They will travel with her as she moves from role to role including mentoring younger bees and forming a bond with a special one who will bring her home to the hive after death.
The illustrations are realistic and offer further information about honey bees. Hoskins book design clearly identifies the stages in a honey bee's life and offers readers a full view of what happens during these phases. Death is part of the stages and is addressed in a straightforward manner throughout.
A companion or starter book to move readers on to non-fiction accounts of honey bees.

This gave me flashes of The Very Impatient Caterpillar. I loved all the questions and the slight humor in the text. This was an entertaining and informational text that my students will love.

"The Way of the Hive" was incredibly well written and heartwarming. I never thought a story about a bee would make me teary-eyed. (Well maybe I did, but still...). The art style is consistent and lively, the story is cute and educational, and the characters of each insect is well thought out and relatable. Nyuki presents such good parallels to how we go through life asking questions and learning. I really enjoy that, while she still adheres to the "way of the hive" mindset, she subverts expectations of what her role is and finds new ways to help her family.

The way this story is told I definitely think it's going to be enjoyed by teens and up but I simply think any age can enjoy the story. This has potential to be an incredible tool for science/biology teachers for kids of any age.

The graphic novel exceeded my expectations and I can't wait to order a copy for my library and myself!

Okay, this was really hecking cute. I did not expect this book to bee (sorry, I promise that's the only time I'm going to do that) so enjoyable. I've seen it advertised as a children's book, but it's definitely for older kids. It's full of science as well as humor, stuff even I - a Big Bad Adult - had to go back and reread a couple of times. But it's a GREAT book. I learned so much about how bees work, and I wasn't bored once! It's honestly amazing how the author managed to give these bees - each drawn pretty much exactly the same - so much personality. I'm still giggling with delight over bee shenanigans. The art is fantastic as well. Vivid and detailed, extremely captivating.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley from HarperCollins Children's Books. I’m such a nerd because when I saw this book coming out I got SO EXCITED! I absolutely love the way Jay Hosler incorporates learning about science into a graphic novel narrative. This did not disappoint me at all. Through the coming-of-age story of Nyuki from larva to forager reader’s learn all the aspects of life as a honeybee in a truly creative an engaging way. From swarms to predators, we can really respect the entirety of the insect world.

This is great for tweens and teens. The illustrations and colors were fabulous. Through a life long journey with one bee, readers learn about this precious insect in the most memorable way. They will also learn about friendship and the beauty of life itself. Highly recommended!

I must preface this with the fact that I am not a science person, nor have I ever enjoyed insects. Jay Hosler's The Way of the Hive really made me change my mind. I am always looking for nonfiction texts that will engage my fifth graders, and this is an excellent choice for anyone looking for that engagement in a nonfiction text.
It is told in the form of a graphic novel, making it a quick, but informative read. It centers around a honeybee with a lot of questions named Nyuki and the big sister that mentors her named Devorah. The way the author weaves literary story into an informational text about honeybees and the natural world truly is genius.
The love of the characters creates an overpowering need for the reader to turn the page. Kids will identify with young Nyuki and learn with her in spite of their best efforts. I read an excerpt to my fifth grade students and they were chomping at the bit to read it themselves. A quick, engaging read that will resonate with middle grade students. I can't say enough good things about a book that taught me a thing or two about a subject I previously knew nothing about.

This coming of age story about a bee name Nyuki, and their journey from birth. Nyuki is a very curious bee, and asks all the questions as they age. Through Nyuki’s story, the reader gets all of the questions answered and learns along the way.
Jay Holser explains the life cycle of bees in a cool way, as this nonfiction story reads like a piece of fiction. At one point, Holser goes over the math in beehives, allowing learning about bees to be fun.
The artwork is stunning and simple. Holser’s panels are uniquely used to tell this story.
As a MS librarian and parent of a child obsessed with bees, this book is perfect for those needing a narrative to learn about the life of a bee.

An education graphic novel that imparts its facts through the life journey of one bee in an incredible endearing, anthropomorphized hive. It touches on the different jobs a bee will do in its life, the way the queen is both a sovereign and a hostage, the threats of predators and others bees, and the way that bees are closely interconnected with flowers and other animals. A little too much exposition-conversation at times, but still a lot of fun.