Books For Keeps
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Articles
  • Past Issues
  • Latest Issue
  • Authors and Artists
  • Latest News
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
July 1, 2019/in Picture Book 5-8 Infant/Junior /by Ellie
BfK Rating:
BfK 237 July 2019
Reviewer: Andrea Reece
ISBN: 978-1406379273
Price: £11.99
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Genre: Picture Book
Age Range: 5-8 Infant/Junior
Length: 32pp
Buy the Book

Hummingbird

Author: Nicola DaviesIllustrator: Jane Ray

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.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png 0 0 Ellie http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/bfklogo.png Ellie2019-07-01 17:09:452021-03-18 17:12:44Hummingbird

Search for a specific review

Author Search

Search







Generic filters




Filter by Member Types


Book Author

Download BfK Issue Bfk 272 May 2025
Skip to an Issue:

About Us

Launched in 1980, we’ve reviewed hundreds of new children’s books each year and published articles on every aspect of writing for children.

Read More

Follow Us

Latest News

‘Exceptionally talented illustrators’ Shortlist announced for the 2025 Klaus Flugge Prize

May 15, 2025

Next stop Shakespeare’s Globe – finalists of Poetry By Heart competition 2025 announced

May 8, 2025

School Library Association announces Information Book Award longlist and new nationwide Book Club

May 7, 2025

Contact Us

Books for Keeps,
30 Winton Avenue,
London,
N11 2AT

Telephone: 0780 789 3369

ISSN: 0143-909X (this is our International Standard Serial Number).

© Copyright 2025 - Books For Keeps | Proudly Built by Lemongrass Media - Web Design Buckinghamshire
Mighty Min King Otter
Scroll to top