The Best Beekeeper of Lalibela: A Tale from Africa

Long ago in the mountains of Ethiopia, the bees arrived in Lalibela, and people poured in from all around to procure their sweet honey. A young girl named Almaz vows one day her honey will be the best of all. When she shares her dream with the current beekeepers, they laugh her away and tell her it''s men''s work. Almaz is determined to prove them all wrong, but she can barely climb the trees to reach the hives. The men think she''s learned her lesson, but they don''t know Almaz. She''s steadfast in her pursuit of the honey. In this spirited text by Cristina Kessler, with stunning illustrations from Leonard Jenkisn, perseverance is the key to achieving one''s dreams.

Leonard Jenkins received his B.F.A and M.F.A. from the American Academy of Art in Chicago. He has illustrated a number of popular children''s books, including A Kenya Christmas by Tony Johnston and A Good Night for Freedom by Barbara Olenyik Morrow. School Library Journal raved the Jenkins''s illustrations "will dazzle viewers. Even the shadows pulse with colour and pattern. Jenkins has a gift for figural painting and an exciting sense of composition." 

Cristina Kessler, an author, photographer, and world traveler, has written both fiction and nonfiction books for children, all set in Africa, where she lived for many years. Her books have earned spots on a handful of prestigious lists, such as Book Links"AFew Good Books of the Year,"Bank Street Best Books of the Year, and American Booksellers Pick of the Lists. Booklist has praised her stories as "lyrically told...with cultural particulars woven gracefully into the text."