BRAVE BABY HUMMINGBIRD

An orphaned hummingbird tells his story.

In this addition to a shelf full of successful invitations to wonder at the natural world, Montgomery presents a hummingbird’s life from the bird’s perspective. She bases her account on the lives of two real-life Allen’s hummingbirds, raised by an experienced rehabilitator. An orphaned nestling describes how a rescuer (“The Voice”) nurtured him and his sister until they were grown. He describes learning to feed himself nectar and catch fruit flies and moving from perching to actual flying—hovering and flying backward and even upside down! “No other bird can do that,” he brags. In the fall, the two birds journey south to Mexico, returning to California in December to raise another generation. Grown hummingbirds, he exults, “rule the sky.” The writer has chosen details that are accurate, appropriate, and appealing for the audience. One moment may be confusing for young readers; soon after hatching, the avian narrator says that “every twenty minutes, we wait for the breeze. Food!” It isn’t clear from the text that the nestlings are reacting to the breeze from the mother’s flapping wings, though on the next spread, we see the shadowy face of the rehabilitator blowing on their basket. While adults may need to add some context, overall, it’s an enticing, enlightening tale, featuring gloriously detailed illustrations.

A charming bird’s-eye view of one bird’s rescue and rehabilitation.