Hummingbird

Even if you’ve never seen a hummingbird, this beautiful book – words by Nicola Davies, illustrations by Jane Ray – will make them feel not just familiar but family. It describes the extraordinary journey these tiniest of birds make twice every year, flying from Central America to the north of the USA and Canada then back again – each trip over 3,000 kilometres. It takes us with them on their journey and introduces readers to different people who see the hummingbirds as they make their way north, starting with a little girl and her grandmother, in the garden of the grandmother’s house in Mexico. The little girl is going on a journey too, as far as the hummingbirds, and the little birds become a means to show that love is not interrupted by distance. As the hummingbirds visit more gardens, or are seen by more people, their journey serves to remind readers of how connected we are to nature too, and how much it does to brighten our lives. There’s a huge amount of information conveyed in the book about ruby-throated hummingbirds, facts about their size, their feeding habits, courtship and nesting (did you know for example that a hummingbird nest is the size of a walnut-half, just big enough for two eggs but able to stretch as the babies grow).
Nicola Davies is a superb narrator and turns the hummingbird’s migration into an unforgettable story, while Jane Ray was born to paint hummingbirds: the delicacy and detail of her illustrations, their jewel-like colours, and sense of movement bring these tiny birds to life on the page. She invests as much life and character in the human protagonists too, presenting so many different people with warmth and understanding.
Produced in association with the RSPB, there’s both index and bibliography in the book, and no doubt many readers will want to spend more time reading about these amazing, beautiful birds.