K-Gr 2-Jerry is a very large and very sad bee. He is the size of a child and, though quite friendly, people are afraid of him. One day he finds a discarded wig, puts it on, and is immediately mistaken for a boy, which is amusing since he now looks like a bee with a bad toupee. Though the scruffy-looking hairpiece covers his tiny antennae, humorous pictures reveal two small wings on his black-and-yellow-striped back, which apparently cause no consternation. Jerry enters school and his courteous, complimentary, and helpful manner makes him extremely popular with his classmates and the staff. When his wig is accidentally blown off and it's obvious that he's really a bee, the old prejudices return and everyone runs from him. Fortunately, and amazingly, his wig turns out to be a particularly hairy guinea pig who saves the day by reminding everyone of Jerry's sterling qualities. Engaging, digitally combined ink and acrylic illustrations in bold colors with black outlines highlight this funny and ultimately cheerful tale of acceptance.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Jerry is a pretty sweet guyhoney-sweet, in factbut he's also the most enormous bee anyone has ever seen. And people can't see past that giant stinger; despite the fact that he's never used it, Jerry is friendless. Fate drops a wig at his feet one day, which he promptly puts on his head. "This wig makes me look just like a boy," Jerry thinks. He actually looks like a giant bumblebee with a cow pie on his head, but therein lies the charm. The people, clueless, accept Jerry, and he gets to showcase his fine qualities. It is not an ill wind that blows Jerry's wig off, for it turns out to be "Wiglet, a very hairy guinea pig," who reminds the panicking citizenry that Jerry is kind, funny and generous. The daffy winsomeness of Bell's art is given aesthetic heft by her gorgeous use of color, bold outlines containing saturated blues, greens and, of course, bumblebee-yellows. Is Jerry a little too cute to serve as a vehicle to combat prejudice? Hardlyno one's about to kill this messenger. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.