A HUMMINGBIRD ON MY BALCONY

A small boy has an up-close encounter with wildlife.

On the balcony of a 22nd-floor apartment, an Anna’s hummingbird raises her offspring as tan-skinned, brown-haired youngster Noah watches. Groc’s sumptuous, close-up photographs track the young hummingbirds’ progress as they feed, grow, and eventually fly off; in an author’s note, she explains that she met Noah and his family while studying these birds. Throughout, Noah’s compassion, surprise, and empathy for the birds come through clearly. “Yuk!” he says while watching the mother bird regurgitate bugs and nectar into her babies’ mouths. “I would not like to be fed like that!” Readers will certainly agree. Accompanying the narrative about Noah and the hummingbirds are paragraphs of information about the birds. The author goes beyond typical facts about anatomy and behavior; she also discusses how the hummingbird got its name (from Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli, whose husband owned one), advises readers on what to do if they discover abandoned or wounded chicks, and explains how hummingbirds contribute to pollination. The narrative is a bit complex for fledgling readers to take in on their own, but they’ll enjoy sharing it with caregivers or educators. Just as the hummingbird returns to Noah’s balcony the following year, little ones will eagerly come back again and again to this charming account.

A delightful reminder that nature is all around us.