Review Detail

Not many people knew, but at one time, bees lived atop the famous Notre Dame Cathedral. After the devastating fire of 2019, the bees were moved for their safety. During the fire, the workers who tended the bees watched in fear as the cathedral burned. They feared for the bees because there's no way to know how they were faring on the rooftop. When it was deemed safe, the workers went in and, to their surprise, found them unharmed.

THE BEES OF NOTRE-DAME gives us insight to a piece of history that could have easily been lost. Looking upon Notre Dame, nobody would imagine bees sitting on the roof. Bees are important to the health of the gardens in Paris and the bee-tenders know this. They joy they felt once discovering the bees were safe is palpable even through the pages. It's fascinating to learn of this story and it also spreads awareness of how important bees are. They are the universal pollinators and without them, nature would struggle to grow. The illustrations are a blocky watercolor with dulled coloring except in regards to the gardens and the fire.


Final Verdict: Overall, this is a very interesting historical story that young fans of history and nature will enjoy. As an adult, I'm thankful the author shared this information with us because it reminds us to look for the victories when in the face of disaster.