Several months later, having returned to New York, the youngster spies the remnants of the nest of one of the avian travelers. Davies details these journeys within a tale of a young girl who visits her grandmother in Central America and encounters hummingbirds feeding in the garden. Weighing less than three-quarters of an ounce (or, in Davies’s spot-on comparison for young readers, “less than a nickel”), the ruby-throated hummingbird migrates annually between Central and North America, approximately two thousand miles each way. A wonderful addition to any informational picture book collection. The book, a colorful blend of fact and fiction, raises the bar for its genre and will leave many readers hopeful to hear the “Tz’unun! Tz’unun!” of hummingbird wings in their own gardens. Perfect for a read-aloud, this picture book is educational while providing opportunities for readers to connect with a story about human migration and family relationships. Though the girl and her grandmother are almost immediately separated, the hummingbirds’ journey from Central America to New York and back again make that great distance seem less vast.

Ray’s bright watercolor illustrations bring out the warmth in the interactions that characters have with one another and with the hummingbirds. Davies seamlessly weaves facts about hummingbird migration into a fictional narrative, with each aspect of the book enhancing, but never outshining, the other. Though short, the back matter consists of an informational page, index, and bibliography that supplies additional information. Factual details about hummingbirds are showcased in bolded text without detracting from the story. But the girl must leave for the United States and say goodbye to her grandmother, just as the ruby-throated hummingbirds must say goodbye to Central America and fly north. More details about hummingbirds, along with a bibliography and an index, are available at the end to budding ornithologists.The book’s narrative opens in a garden, as a girl and her grandmother bond while watching and listening to hummingbirds. In an engaging text sprinkled with facts, zoologist Nicola Davies introduces readers to this valiant bird, lighter than a nickel, while Jane Ray's lush, intricate illustrations, accented in gold Pantone, highlight its jewel-like beauty. Watch as it spreads joy to all who encounter it along its two-thousand-mile trek.

It's a hummingbird! And it's just about to begin its long migration, heading north to its nesting ground. There's a very special visitor in Granny's garden. Follow a tiny hummingbird on its journey from Central America to Central Park in a captivating tale with exquisite illustrations echoing the creature's jeweled tones.Tz'unun! Tz'unun! A buzz of wings, a flash of color.

Hummingbird nicola davies