King Solomon and the Bee

In Renberg's ( The Complete Family Guide to Jewish Holidays ) adaptation of a tale recorded by folklorist and storyteller Hayyam Nahman Bialik (1873-1934), a bee mistakes King Solomon's nose, with its ``roselike fragrance and bananalike grace,'' for a flower and accidentally stings the royal schnoz. Solomon flies into a rage, but eventually pardons the abashed bee. Humming with gratitude, the bee eventually repays the king's mercy by helping him answer the Queen of Sheba's greatest riddle; unfortunately, while Renberg makes much of the queen's conundrums, she never explains just why it is so important for Solomon to solve them, and her narrative, accordingly, loses its oomph. Heller ( The Korean Cinderella ; Chickens Aren't the Only Ones ) populates her illustrations with beautifully delineated, jewel-toned flora and fauna as well as an assortment of bijoux bugs. Period costumes supply atmosphere, and the overall ambiance is indeed of a land of milk and honey. Ages 4-8. (June)