OMFG, BEES!

Thank you NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this eARC.

This is NOT a kids book, just so you are aware.

I don’t think I have ever laughed so much or flown through any educational book so fast. The writing style is that of talking with a humorous friend. The drawings are filled with humor and smile inducing. If you don’t at least crack half a smile at some point reading this book, you are a broken human. Go take a spoonful of honey and try, try again! I love bees and love learning about them. I had no idea about many species being ground dwellers and some are so tiny, a microscope os needed to see them. The fact that there is a teddy bear bee makes me so very happy.

Plant trees and flowers for our bees!

Thank you for the E Arc NetGalley & Chronicle Books. I adore Matt Kracht’s books. Who doesn’t need a good laugh while also learning about nature and the world around us? This book is particularly important because it reinforces how important bees are to our every day lives and it gives us our daily giggle. The illustrations and comments are also beautiful and charming. I will pick up anything Matt writes because I know it’s going to be a good time all around. Go read his others too!

Honestly? I love bees, but I didn't think a book about them could be this much fun. It's a bit...shall we say, sweary, so it's not really for kids, and though I'm not usually a fan of vulgarity in my nonfiction (well, what did I expect with the title, really?). but here it just made the text relatable, like you were talking with a friend and not reading a stuffy and condescending academic text. At yet you learn so much all the same. The illustrations were lovely as well. This is a book I'd definitely buy as a finished copy.

Special thanks to Chronicle Books for making a copy of this available to review through NetGalley.

Oh, I love Matt Kracht and his wonderfully funny books! I love to read non fiction and learn new things but sometimes the books are so boring and tedious. His books make you laugh out loud while actually learning something. I will read any subject if he has written it. Give me more!!!

Bees are amazing and we need to do everything we an to help save them. Unfortunately not everyone realizes how amazing they are and this book helps give you an idea of that…it’s a must read! Sure they hurt if they sting you, but they really don’t want to sting you…so learn a little more about them and you’ll see how critical they are to our lives. This book will make you into a Bee lover too.

This was a very informative and entertaining book, and a great introduction to learning about the world of bees. Divided into different sections detailing different types of bees, their lifestyle, how they create honey and pollinate, and more, the book has an easy to read and lighthearted tone that makes it enjoyable. The accompanying watercolor illustrations are charming and humorous as well. A good choice for anyone looking for a fun lesson about bees.

I loved this book! I didn't have high hopes for this book. I was expecting a really cheesy book, but I was surprised how quick I flew through it. I was surprised to find out how little I really knew about bees. I absolutely loved the illustrations. The author also does a good job to educate the reader on bee conservation as well as overcoming fears of bee. Thank to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of this book. Well done! Please do pick up a copy!

This book was very informative and helped me learn a thing or two. The artwork in it was also very helpful for me to understand the information that was given to me. It also had a hint of humor which made it even more enjoyable to read.

OMFG, BEES!: Bees Are So Amazing and You're About to Find Out Why
by Matt Kracht
I was so excited when I saw this on NetGalley and very happy they let me review this! I reviewed Kracht's two other bird books, "The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America" which was nominated for Best Humor in '19. In '22, 'The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World' made Best Humor nomination too! I laughed out loud and giggled all through these books. I loved them enough to buy them when they came out!

Now come bees! Kracht's hilariously put down birds but with bees he tells us all about them and praises them. He really goes after any of their nemesis, hilariously of course! Not only is it funny but educational. Now don't get me wrong, this is not a book you want your kids to read! This is an adult book, or older teen, because it has adult language. If that offends you then don't pick this book. The way he uses it is absolutely priceless!

He has his drawn pictures which are fantastic and funny! It really draws the book together! I can't help but snicker and giggle at his side notes or pictures themselves! I think this book is better than his bird books and that saying something! I love them!

Feeling down? Need a pick me up? Grab this book! You will feel better in no time! This is true humor therapy! Again I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for letting me have humor therapy with this book!

This is a fantastic AF book. Bees are a very under rated creature and it is great to see a book do them such sweet justice. The author covers different bees, how they make honey and wax, some history, and paints a very dire picture of a world without bees. With humor, puns, and swears, this non-fiction title comes off as light as well as solidly educational for adults. Must have in library collections. Save the bees!

Thank you NetGalley for early access to this title.
I don’t think I’ve ever finished an educational book so quickly and with a stomach sore from laughing. I was hooked from page 1 by the humor. I have picked up Matt Kracht’s first two books but never got around to reading them – man have I been missing out and need to go back and rectify that mistake. The illustrations are wonderful, and the little blurbs added to them were some of my favorite parts. Despite the humor being the highlight for me I also felt that I learned a lot as well. Overall, a wonderfully humorous nature book that everyone should read.

Illustrated with charming watercolors, this book is a humorous look at bees. It will serve as a great introduction to further study of the important insects.

I had way more fun with this book than I thought I would!

I was, of course, drawn in by the title. Do I have a special interest in bees? Insects? Not really, no. But I could tell that the author would include humor in his writing by the title alone, so I was more than willing to learn.

I walked away from this book with more respect for bees, which I didn't really consider being an outcome of reading a humorous fact-driven book about these insects. I learned a ton of fun facts that I can now randomly share with coworkers, family, and friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I really enjoyed this book. It made me want to learn more about bees in general. They are so fascinating. I loved the little drawings.

It did seem that some of the topics/chapters were out of order or should be placed else where.

Otherwise, awesome book!

Thank you NetGalley, Matt Kracht and Chronicle Books for the ARC of OMFG, BEES!. This is my personal review.
This book was amazing and full of so much information on bees. Bees are a vital part of all our lives and now I am so much more knowledgeable about them. It was packed with facts about bees in a way that was so easy to understand.
The pictures of the bees were eye opening. Matt Kracht did a great job of making bees something we all need. He gave information in a way that made it fun to learn about bees.

This book is packed full of information about bees and illustrated with beautiful illustrations. Written with humor and an obvious passion for bees this book is great for those who want to learn more about bees and those who are already entranced. It is well researched and chock full of information, but balanced with snarky asides and stunning artwork keeping it fun and lively to read.

This marvelous book is chock-full of happy drawings of bees, easy to understand information and descriptions of bees, and is just generally really excited about bees.

But don't buy it for your kids unless you want to encourage them to cuss like sailors.

But really, why shouldn't adults get to have a fun book that's a delight to the eyes, educational, and totally pottymouthed? That's right! There's no reason not to treat yourself to this celebration of bees! OMFG indeed!

My favorite chapter? "Great Paintings, if They Had Put Bees in Them". The author gleefully tears into the pretentiousness of a handful of classic paintings... and yes, adds bees to make the artwork really pop. What the actual #%$*!

My thanks to author Matt Kracht, Chronicle Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advance review copy of this book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

OMFG, BEES! Bees Are So Amazing and You're About to Find Out Why
by Matt Kracht

Thank you to @NetGalley and @ChronicleBooks for this little buzzer. This not quite NSFW guide to bees is a fun and informative read. The illustrations are lovely watercolors with captions that fit this fun and slightly weird book (there is a small section dedicated to adding bees to famous paintings). If you are interested in reading, gardening, or just having funky conversation starters, this book would do well on most coffee tables. It would also be an excellent gift for the friend that wants or has an apiary, or a home warming, or a garden party (no one wants your oversized uncooked zucchini, KEVIN)

OMFG, this book is absolutely amazing! If you love bees, this book is for you. If you hate bees, this book is also for you because OMFG, BEES will change your mind (or at least make you appreciate them more). I am a huge fan of Kracht's Bird Guides. Unlike birds which he has a great disdain for, Kracht loves bees. His enthusiasm is evident and infectious. I've always been a fan of bees, but Kracht's hilarious zeal made me care even more. This book is full of facts, but it also has Kracht's signature drawings and his humorous commentary. It has ways to help bees, what to do if you need help with bees, and even a section of famous artwork that could benefit from some bee action! I highly recommend this book to everyone! OMFG, BEES will have you head over heels about bees before you're even halfway through the book!

This book was so funny! I am super appreciative of the time it took to explain what isn't a bee, since I'm always telling people they mean hornets and not bees and I felt very justified in that.

I loved this book. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful, and it is packed full of fun and interesting information. As a former "person that does not like bees," I think this book is wonderful at describing the importance of bees. There are also some simple suggestions on how anyone can make life just a little bit easier for these busy, efficient creatures. The illustrations excellently portray the cuteness of many bee species. I love the humor and asides. It makes the information feel even more accessible and interesting. I look forward to reading more books by this author. I would recommend this to nature lovers and environmental enthusiasts that like their information with a side of humor.

Do you want to know about bees? If you said no you're wrong and should read this book. Kracht has a way of making learning so enjoyable. The illustrations are on point and include his signature hilarity. If you've read his bird guides you will know about his hatred of birds. However, in this book you will clearly see Kracht's enthusiastic love of bees. This book would be a great gift for any nature lover who also enjoys humor. Thank you to netgalley for providing me with an electronic copy of this book.

Informative without being boring - enough said! This was a fun read that taught me a lot about pollinators!

This is a wonderfully entertaining book which will tell you most that you wanted to know about bees. The author uses humor from the start which makes you want to read more. I knew a bit about bees prior to reading this but I laughed out loud at times. The illustrations are lovely. I think this book is one that anyone can read and educates them about bees and their importance. It is easy to read and is written for adults. I will be on the look out for this book for myself and would recommend to others.

Kracht does it again. I already own his bird books, and this'll be another to add to my collection.

In what might actually be the best (adult) quick-guide on general bee education out there, Kracht succinctly again folds together his patented humor, nibbles of legitimate education, and zest for nature into a package that's not only hard to deny as an impressive work and top-notch coffee-table material, but wields high re-read potential.

Unlike the birds, who he never fails to proclaim his detestation for (and leads to a great callback or two in this book), he praises the bees here almost all of the way across the board (which you'd surmise from the title); this change of pace was welcome, as he delivers with the sunny optimism of your favorite schoolteacher growing up.

We again get those neat illustrations with snarky notes, breakdowns of bee species and, honest to God, that "F-BOM matrix" should be sold as a poster. I'd love to have it on my wall.

I learned an absolute ton and loved every minute of it. I'll be recommending this at every opportunity. I expect that this will fly (no pun intended) off of the shelves when it hits stores.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for the advance read.

This book is an entertaining summary of why bees are wonderful. It includes colorful sketches of different bee families with funny, penciled-in comments and hilarious handwritten graphs and lists. The language is salty, but that is the vibe of Kracht’s humor. If falling in love with these marvels of nature is on your bucket list, this is the book for you.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

GREAT book!! I love the illustrations and the style is really funny. I’ve always been fascinated with bees, and this book really just sums up all the information in an informal format. It starts out with “Not-Bees” which is a constant Spring and Summer crisis of “Is it a beeeee??!” “Is it a Not-Bee??!…talks about the murder hornets too. Then Kracht proceeds to walk through all the technical aspects of bee society and the hive. This would be a fantastic gift for a gardener or homesteader with a sense of humor and some sass.

Thank you, NetGalley!

It was illustrated nicely and this is something i can share to my friends too. Bees are often overlooked but this book gives a whole new meaning and appreciation to them.

What a fun, informative little book about bees! Absolutely gorgeous illustrations with so much humor and spunk. We’re in the process of starting our own homestead and bees are one of the creatures we want to raise. This book was exactly what I needed to give me information about everything I need to know about these friendly little world savers.

I’ve always loved bees and acknowledged their importance. Matt Kracht used a combination of wit and details to bring their importance to life. Graphics drew in my attention and the writing kept it.

This was my first book by Matt and I have to admit I’m drawn to his creative writing style, humor, and engaging tone. I’m eager to explore more of his works.

A big thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for giving me a copy of this book for an unbiased review.

4.5/5 - Really liked it.

I recently discovered Matt Kracht and I am so glad I did. His books bring me so much genuine joy and wonder, and "OMFG, BEES!" is the best one yet. I do have to add a disclaimer that I am obsessed with bees, so delighting me with an entire book about them isn't exactly difficult. However, this was one of the best bee books I've ever read (is it weird that I've read multiple? probably). The book is written in Kracht's signature irreverent humorous style, but it's a bit more tame than his bird books. The content is fairly straightforward - explanations of what bees are, how they form their structures and societies, a few examples of different species of bee, and a highlight of why bees are critical to our planet and what we can do to protect them. There were also a few sections that I wasn't as fond of, such as bees in art, because they seemed wedged into what otherwise was a very cohesive story about bees. But I didn't mind - it was still silly and funny, just not my favorite part given how it fit with the rest of the book.

The illustrations are beautiful and the facts about bees are presented in a way that is both interesting and hilarious. I hope Matt Kracht writes more books about my favorite animals (do goats next!).

I never thought science could be so hilarious. I laughed out loud many times reading this book, while also learning a ton of bee facts. Thanks to Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

OMFG, this book was delightful! I learned more than I ever wanted to know about bees, but now that I've learned these facts, I"m glad I know them. The illustrations are whimsical and cute. This book is great for adults or older kids, as there's some gently swearing and such. Would make a great present for your favorite gardener or bee fan. A really informative, fun, and quick read! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Chronicle Books for an advanced copy of this book on bees, raw honey, raw language and lots of information and fun.

I am lucky that I worked with a young lady who relaxed from being in retail by spending time in her garden taking care of two maybe three different bee hives. At wintertime her holiday gifts always including honey from her hives, and because I took an interest in her travails with the bees I would get two very large containers, perfect for cooking, or putting on yogurt or toast. After reading this I know a lot more about what her bee friends had to do to get my bland yogurt tasting so good, and I have a better appreciation for what she did taking care of the bees. Plus I know what I am getting her for her birthday cause she is going love this book. OMFG, BEES!: Bees Are So Amazing and You're About to Find Out Why takes a look at the life, importance and humans needs for bees, written in a very earthy way filled with lots of barbs, stinging commentary and a lot of cussing. Author Matt Kracht is both writer and illustrator of this bee primer, sharing information, jokes, and sketches of our pollen bearing buddies.

This is not a book for young children, unless you don't mind them picking up a few words and how to use them in variety of ways. Older kids interested in the subjects and adults with my mentality will enjoy the humor, the information and the layout. Matt Kracht introduces us to the world of bees, the numerous kinds of bees, which I had no idea there were that many different kinds of bees. Some bees lack stingers, some have mandibles that bite and dip poison, some live in the earth and others just bumble along. Illustrations show the different bees and what to look for. Plus Kracht has pictures of what to avoid, like wasps, hornets and especially Murder Hornets. Kracht explains also how to make your backyard friendly to bees, and what to do if one comes a long a bee that is in need of help. Which one might be seeing a lot of as bees really seem to need help.

The title of the book might make this look like a joke, but it is anything but. As funny and as sassy as the writing might be Matt Kracht is very serious about his subject, and wants other to share in not only the love but the appreciation that we should have of bees. Kracht also describes the live of bees, how they pollinate plants, create honey, and can direct other bees to places that would be of interest and use to other bees through dance. The science of this way of giving directions and also of how a nest is created is told well, and clearly. Kracht has a very conversational style, maybe slightly hyper on royal jelly, but this is a book for laymen, and the information is conveyed very well. Also Kracht is very good at detailing the risks that bees face from humans, the environment, and others, while what risks that a lack of bees would have on agriculture and food for humans. Again it is not good.

A very funny, informative book that is perfect for a person who wants to know more about nature but does not know where to start. I know my nephews would like this, one for the nature aspect, the other because of the jokes, but both will learn alot. As will other readers. This is the first that I have read of Matt Kracht, but I see he has quite a few books on nature, and I am looking forward to reading those too.

As a beekeeper, I read A LOT of books about bees. And I have to say that this one was not only informative but also pretty much the most fun!

I was able to access this title as an advance copy through Netgalley and I devoured it straight away. Not only is the writing cool, the illustrations are KICKASS. I would definitely purchase prints of some of the bees if they were made available!!

I had not read anything by the author Matt Karachi before but after reading this one, I went and looked up the rest of his insanely original books and let me tell ya, I am already thanking my lucky stars that I have more of his writings to read.

I will literally be referring this book to everyone I meet. They will say, hi and I will say, HI I LOVE BEES AND YOU SHOULD TOO SO READ THIS BOOK.

If every textbook or information book I had to read were like this, I would have problems acing every test. With colorful and consistently beautiful pictures, this book is easy to follow for anyone who wants to learn more about bees and have a good laugh at the same time.

Fun light read with interesting and educational information about bees. With the number of swear words throughout this is definitely an adult book (which is hinted at from the title). However, the light scatterbrained commentary felt more like a children’s book. Loved the imagery throughout.

I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard while reading a non-fiction book!

Indeed, the book contains many facts about many species of bees and related insects or ones which are frequently confused with bees – their classifications, their habits, their descriptions, as well as how they live, their role in maintaining the ecosystem. The wording is humorous, and some of the markings on the drawings or diagrams are hilarious. The book can be read over a few hours, and while full of facts is understandable by the general public – from middle schoolers through senior citizens who have at least a middle school education. It’s got enough new facts, and presented in a manner that held the interest and taught me some new things although I kept bees as a hobby years ago.

There is a section on "Murder Hornets", which we've all seen in the news about their invasion of the Pacific Northwest - both in the US and Canada. They are native to Asia. There were vivid descriptions of what they do, and some horrific descriptions of their actions - as well as one way to report observing them to appropriate authorities.

I especially liked the "F-BOM Matrix". It looks like something that belongs in The Journal for Irreproducible Results. Personally, I find myself near the bottom of the lower-left quadrant of the "F-BOM Matrix". There are some great puns throughout.

The book has a good reference section at the back. This includes books from which some of the information in this book was obtained, or if the reader wants more information. There are also a list of websites to which a user can go to find out more about bees, or get involved in something involving bees, their ecology, their protection, or keeping bees themselves - so long as they live near Puget Sound. I’m sure that someone with interest could find a local beekeeping society or club through the group in Puget Sound.

Thanks to NetGalley for access to this advance copy for my honest review.

I absolutely adore the humor, watercolor illustrations, and bee information included in this book. People have a love/hate relationship with bees. Matt Kracht does a great job recognizing that yet still provides great information and interesting facts. This book covers various bees and not bees, bee jobs, bee families, honey, and other interesting bee topics. One section I found very humorous was the section titled; Great Paintings, If They Had Put Bees in Them. I couldn’t help but laugh at not only the reimagined famous paintings but also the author’s explanation for each. All laughing aside, the author also included a very important section on ways to help save the bee population. This book is a great addition to his books on dumb birds, which were equally as entertaining.