“You can’t sting the cat!” Shouts the narrator – A swarm of angry bees have taken over the town creating chaos everywhere they go as they follow a little boy who looks just like them. But why does the little boy have a wagon full of tomatoes? Splat!

In Lemony Snicket’s latest picture book, we learn that anger is an emotion we should not let take over. But the damage has been done to this peaceful town. Who will the bees try to sting next?

Anger is an emotion all young readers have to learn to live with and find ways to overcome it. I love how Snicket tackles the subject with simple yet a powerful story that ends in love and comfort. The illustrator Rilla Alexander helps the story flow with primary colors done in a rubber stamp, ink and collage format allowing everything to come to life.

If you enjoy Eric Carle’s The Grouchy Ladybug or David Shannon’s No David!, then you will connect with Swarm of Bees. Ages 4-8.