What do you think?
Rate this book
Hummingbirds: Facts and Folklore from the Americas
Hummingbirds have fascinated people since ancient times and have inspired native peoples to weave them into folklore. Jeanette larson and Adrienne Yorinks combine hummingbird facts with retellings of hummingbird tales from various peoples of the Americas to give readers an informative and cultural look at these amazing birds. each folklore story offers a cultural explanation for a specific characteristic of these unique birds.
64 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
2 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 7, 2021
A nice little book about hummingbirds in both fact and legend. The text intersperses textbook information about the birds with short legends about hummingbirds from numerous indigenous cultures of North, Central, and South America. An especially unique feature of this book is the illustrations: they are all actual quilts. Must have been quite a lot of work to create the colorful pieces that highlight the information in this book. Quaint and informative, as well as visually exciting.
April 15, 2011
Informative and well written text. Beautiful artwork. Will make you fall in love with hummingbirds.
January 23, 2019
I love hummingbirds and picked up this book to learn more about these little creatures. This book was a bit difficult to read at some parts but very informational and the folklore is so fascinating. I would have appreciated a variety of artistic visual pieces vs quilted art throughout.
July 6, 2021
A charming little book from the juvenile section with facts and folk tales about h-birds. Illustrated with quilts by one of the authors.
August 5, 2022
LIVE hummingbirds!! So obviously had to read this book. It had facts about them and some folklores. LOVED EVERY PAGE!
February 15, 2025
Lovely art, basic bird facts, and fine tales from indigenous people of why hummingbirds are the way they are.
September 13, 2016
Hummingbirds Facts and Folklore in the Americas
Take a peek into the intriguing world of hummingbirds and go on a learning adventure. Not just for nine- to-twelve-year-olds, this book will appeal to teachers, parents, birders, and anyone interested in discovering more about hummingbirds.
Author Jeanette Larson provides insights into this diminutive bird’s aerial acrobatics, biology, and historical cultural role. She vividly discusses how they “fly with their body held upright, unlike other birds, which fly parallel to the ground….and propel themselves backward, right and left, and even upside down.” Statistics add impact to the explanations. For example, “ Hummingbirds start their flight before even leaving their perch. After only three wing strokes, they are almost at top speed, all in 7 ⁄1,000 of a second!
Readers will relish Adrienne Yorinks’ stunning mixed media quilt illustrations. Ms. Yorinks’ masterfully brings the hummingbird’s story to life. Her beautifully rendered quilt illustrations also show a variety of habitats, plants, and animals.
Ms. Larson deftly unravels the mysteries of the hummingbird by explaining the science behind its abilities, behaviours, migration and ecological role as a pollinator. She weaves nonfiction text with ancient folklore to reveal the hummingbird’s historical role in symbolism, beliefs, and culture. These delightful legends also reveal how native cultures explained the extraordinary bird’s size, abilities, speed, etc.
The book’s conclusion offers a brief explanation about human-caused threats to hummingbird survival. A listing of conservation organizations, provided in the back pages, will be useful for those interested in environmental stewardship projects. A listing of websites that offer learning activities are included. One site has a hummingbird camera and audio of the variety of sounds different species make. The backmatter has a handy glossary and resources for further exploration.
The book Hummingbirds Facts and Folklore in the Americas will supplement a unit on wildlife and ecosystems throughout the Americas. It will also make a valuable addition to classroom, school, home, and community libraries. The book’s artwork, charming folklore, and scientific facts will engage readers and whet their appetite for more explorations.
Take a peek into the intriguing world of hummingbirds and go on a learning adventure. Not just for nine- to-twelve-year-olds, this book will appeal to teachers, parents, birders, and anyone interested in discovering more about hummingbirds.
Author Jeanette Larson provides insights into this diminutive bird’s aerial acrobatics, biology, and historical cultural role. She vividly discusses how they “fly with their body held upright, unlike other birds, which fly parallel to the ground….and propel themselves backward, right and left, and even upside down.” Statistics add impact to the explanations. For example, “ Hummingbirds start their flight before even leaving their perch. After only three wing strokes, they are almost at top speed, all in 7 ⁄1,000 of a second!
Readers will relish Adrienne Yorinks’ stunning mixed media quilt illustrations. Ms. Yorinks’ masterfully brings the hummingbird’s story to life. Her beautifully rendered quilt illustrations also show a variety of habitats, plants, and animals.
Ms. Larson deftly unravels the mysteries of the hummingbird by explaining the science behind its abilities, behaviours, migration and ecological role as a pollinator. She weaves nonfiction text with ancient folklore to reveal the hummingbird’s historical role in symbolism, beliefs, and culture. These delightful legends also reveal how native cultures explained the extraordinary bird’s size, abilities, speed, etc.
The book’s conclusion offers a brief explanation about human-caused threats to hummingbird survival. A listing of conservation organizations, provided in the back pages, will be useful for those interested in environmental stewardship projects. A listing of websites that offer learning activities are included. One site has a hummingbird camera and audio of the variety of sounds different species make. The backmatter has a handy glossary and resources for further exploration.
The book Hummingbirds Facts and Folklore in the Americas will supplement a unit on wildlife and ecosystems throughout the Americas. It will also make a valuable addition to classroom, school, home, and community libraries. The book’s artwork, charming folklore, and scientific facts will engage readers and whet their appetite for more explorations.
October 31, 2011
My Review: This is my third book review regarding the Hummingbirds. Authors Jeannette Larson and Adrienne Yorinks give us more detailed information about Hummingbirds useful to students and birdwatchers, who are interested in hummingbirds. This book gives an account of their ecology, behavior, flight pattern and vocalizations. It answers questions like “Why the Hummingbird’s Throat is Red? How the Hummingbird drink nectar? Why Hummingbird is a Fearless Warrior amongst others. Do you know that Hummingbirds has been the inspiration for legends and stories? One of the stories tells about how fire came to the world a second time and why the Hummingbird’s throat is red.
This story about the scientific facts and folktale of the Hummingbirds is told on beautiful fabric illustrations. The last few pages includes a glossary, additional reading for kids, bibliography, tale sources, resources, a list of hummingbird sanctuaries, websites and art notes for Hummingbird: facts and folklore from Americas. Recommend for classroom teaching and school libraries.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way
This story about the scientific facts and folktale of the Hummingbirds is told on beautiful fabric illustrations. The last few pages includes a glossary, additional reading for kids, bibliography, tale sources, resources, a list of hummingbird sanctuaries, websites and art notes for Hummingbird: facts and folklore from Americas. Recommend for classroom teaching and school libraries.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way
September 25, 2017
I thought this book would have more information on individual species of hummingbirds however that disappointment was overcome by the delightful rectangles of quilting which featured hummingbirds. Illustrations were made delightful by Adrianne Yorinks quilting. The book had a delightful sensation of pictures and origin stories of native Americans-South, North, and Central-to explain how the hummingbirds got their features. A beautiful book which should be enjoyed by children and by textile appreciators.
November 23, 2011
Copyright 2011
This books is an interesting mix of facts about hummingbirds and folklore from the Americas. Information information about hummingbirds. The illustrations are almost quilt-like. There are many external resources about hummingbirds and folktales.
This books is an interesting mix of facts about hummingbirds and folklore from the Americas. Information information about hummingbirds. The illustrations are almost quilt-like. There are many external resources about hummingbirds and folktales.
November 23, 2018
Informational, but the folklore stories weren't written in an engaging way, and sometimes the stories seemed to end suddenly. It left one with the feeling if the stories were made up by the author, because they only heard a scrap of a story and decided to make the rest up.
April 5, 2011
A beautifully illustrated collection of folklore and information about nature's most interesting and unusual bird.
Read
July 7, 2011Beautiful fabric illustrations.
Text alternates between folklore about hummingbirds and factual data about hummingbirds.
Text alternates between folklore about hummingbirds and factual data about hummingbirds.
August 29, 2012
This book is a wonderfully clever, informative, and engaging amalgam of science, art, and literature. It is at once fiction and non-fiction, fact-filled and creative. HIghly recommended.
Read
July 7, 2016Beautiful artwork. Nice mix of folklore and facts.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews