It's a Hummingbird's Life

by Irene Kelly

Offers an intimate view of the fascinating world of the hummingbird--a tiny bird that, from morning to night, spring to winter, works nonstop.

Genres: Science, Childrens, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Birds, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2003

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nonfiction children's book about hummingbirds. The words on the page wave around artistically but are sometimes hard to follow. The book highlights hummingbird nests, diet, migration, mating, egg and newborn care, threats, acrobatics, and flying skills and varieties.

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Although this book is over 2 decades old, it was a fun read for my girls and I. Very informative and some fun artwork.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice little book which looked at one year in the life of a Ruby Throated Hummingbird. We see what this "busy" bird is doing during each season. We follow them as they migrate (by using a map you could throw in some geography too).

My boys were really surprised at all the things the hummers do. There is a brief section on mating but it mainly deals with the swooping in the air and facing the sun so their feathers glisten and then "mating lasts 3-5 seconds and then the male goes back to searching for food and the female returns to the nest."

The illustrations were nice and gave us a good perspective on size. I do wish the pictures had been clearer though - you wouldn't be able to identify the bird from the drawings. So we pulled up some actual pictures and we're good now.

I don't consider this a necessary book but it is well done and if your library has it it would make a lovely read or a great addition to a bird unit.

[Jennifer Gass · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a Hummingbird's Life provides readers with all the information they need in order to better understand the life of a hummingbird. Throughout this text you will learn about where they live, how they build their nests, and the process of their lifecycle. The author does a wonderful job presenting the information in a very unique and child friendly manner. Irene Kelly uses a variety of print features and colorful illustrations that truly capture the life of a hummingbird. This text would be a great tool to use with a class when learning about different life cycles in science.