The Dog Who Saved the Bees

K-Gr 3–The inspiring nonfiction account of a dog, Mack, who finds purpose in learning to use his ultrasensitive sense of smell to detect a deadly, highly contagious bee bacteria called foulbrood that spreads from infected hives to healthy ones, killing entire colonies. When Cybil, a Maryland apiary inspector, finds Mack abandoned and unloved, she decides to give her beloved bees and the lonely dog a new chance of survival. Cybil patiently trains Mack to sniff out the foulbrood while, at the same time, owner and dog develop a strong, loving bond. A rescue story for both Mack and the bees, Gibeault’s informative tale catalogs Mack’s training and growing success as it educates readers about the environmental importance of bees. Audiences familiar with the more traditional uses of trained dogs will delight in learning about Mack’s highly specialized work, especially through the warm watercolor and ink illustrations that cleverly connect his growing skills directly to the life of the bees. Love and mutual respect radiate from the text and pictures—“Cybil had found her detection dog. But Mack had found his home”—which will make readers root for both Cybil and Mack’s bond and the survival of the bees. Back matter offers further information on foulbrood and bees.