My Tiny Life by Ruby T. Hummingbird

A Nature Diary Series #4

by Paul Meisel

Tiny but mighty! A ruby throated hummingbird tells his own life story in this funny, bright, informative entry to the critically acclaimed Nature Diary science series.

May 15: Today I poked my way out of this tiny egg.

With Mom feeding him insects and nectar, Ruby T. Hummingbird is soon able to beat his wings and fly--up, down, backward, and forward--and forage for himself. But don't be fooled! This elegant creature can turn into a fierce fighter if another hummingbird tries to feed on his flower--or his hummingbird feeder.

June 21: This flower is MINE! No you don't.

A second test of his strength comes when he migrates to a warmer climate in the fall and a cooler climate in the spring.

March 1, 5 a.m.: I'm off! Wish me luck.

Children will love poring over the bright, highly detailed illustrations and pondering ideas about nature.

The book includes a glossary and further information in the back of the book. Both art and text have been vetted for accuracy by an expert.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, Childrens, Juvenile

40 pages, Hardcover

Published April 13, 2021

About the author

I See A Cat and See Me Run, two books written and illustrated by Paul Meisel, received the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award from the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association.
Potty training can be a challenge. YOU POOP HERE by Paul Meisel can help lessen a child's fear of using a potty: Elephants poop in the grass. Fish and alligator poop in the water. Where do you poop (and pee)? In the potty of course. In a starred review SLJ said about You Poop Here: "An excellent first purchase for anyone looking to expand their potty learning collection, and an ideal complement to Taro Gomi’s classic Everyone Poops."
Paul Meisel is also the author/illustrator of My Awesome Summer by P. Mantis (Holiday House Publishers) which was named by the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes as a 2018 finalist for best books of the year in the Children's Science Picture Books category. My Happy Year by E. Bluebird (about Eastern Bluebirds) and My Stinky Summer by S. Bug (about brown marmorated stink bugs) are two other books in this Nature Diary series.
Other books that Paul Meisel wrote and illustrated are: See Me Dig, See Me Play, Anna And Samia, and Good Night, Bat! Good Morning, Squirrel!

Reviews

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a bird watcher and a bird feeder, and one of my triumphs this year is getting a few glimpses of Ruby Throated hummingbirds on the purple salvia in front of my house! This is a charming look at the incredible life cycle of hummingbirds, from jelly bean sized egg to ocean crossing traveler,not anthropomorphized, but still told in a way that makes a good story. It's always great to see books that combine non-fiction with good storytelling, and this belongs in that category.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a 3.5 for me, and it's delightful on several levels. As he has done in his previous three Nature Diaries books (My Awesome Summer, My Happy Year, and My Stinky Summer), the author/illustrator describes a year in the life of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird from mid-May when it emerges from its egg to early May the next year when it returns home after a long migration and finds a mate. What makes this book and series so special are the impressive illustrations, created with watercolors, acrylics, and gouache, as well as the unique point of view for such a book. Each day's adventures are described by Ruby T. Hummingbird in his diary, and readers watch as he learns to fly in many different directions and then sets forth to find food. Since hummingbirds are drawn to nectar, especially when it is easily accessible through hummingbird feeders, there are several scenes in which the narrator is sipping from one or fighting with others of his species for a space. Readers will probably love the double-page spread showing him zooming in the air, fending off another bird and then a later one in which he tries to fend off two birds. Eventually, as the temperatures begin to cool, he heads South for several month before starting for home. The trip is not without challenges, especially for such a tiny creature. Additional information about hummingbirds, including a list of their predators, food preference, and range can be found on the endpapers. Readers interested in enticing hummingbirds to their own back yards will find a recipe for nectar there as well. Elementary science teachers will want to add this book and the others in the series to their classroom library because it prompts curiosity and appreciation for the natural world in an unusual way.

[Peaches & Sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeously illustrated slice-of-life story about a baby hummingbird. I had three issues:

Because this book tells readers how to feed hummingbirds, it also needs to specify what “often” means in the instructions to change homemade nectar often. What works for Connecticut in the spring won’t work for southern states during the hot summer, so give conservative instructions that make the food safe for all hummingbirds. Instructions should also indicate that filtered water should be used.

Readers need to know that adding red dye to nectar is bad for the birds. It’s too easy to find people saying otherwise online, so call it out.

My library’s copy had a noticeable odor (which I’ve never noticed in a book before, even when I’m the first to read it). I read this book with a potential gift recipient in mind, but now I’m less inclined to buy it.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Upon opening this delightful book I saw information on the beautiful, tiny hummingbird that is perfect for the parent to read prior to reading My Tiny Life to a child. It educates the parent (or older individual who is reading to the child) enabling them to better educate the child. Wonderful!

Then the story of this tiny life begins and it takes one through the year as the hummingbird emerges and develops into an adult that migrates to its Winter home and back to its seasonal, summer home. Such a strong tiny bird and such a wonderful life.

I think children will enjoy the territorial contest between the tiny hummingbirds.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Shani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and fun!

Told from the perspective of a young hummingbird from birth to adulthood, this story follows the life of a hummingbird from learning to fly to migration. The illustrations tell most of the story with limited text. A glossary and index are included at the end of the story. The story teaches readers how to grow gardens that hummingbirds will visit and how to spot different kinds of hummingbirds. What I like most about this story is on the front and end pages, there are facts and illustrations of hummingbirds before the story begins!

The text is good for storytimes or confident young readers.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4.5 STARS
2021; Holiday House Publishing

I really enjoyed this picture book. The illustrations are gorgeous and learned some things about Hummingbirds. I recently started to keep a nature journal, and get back into drawing and using watercolours. Meisel has provided me inspiration. If you interested in nature or birds this is a great book. I am looking forward to more in the series.

I initially got this book from the library and then noticed that Edelweiss had a copy to review.

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

[Erin Buhr · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY TINY LIFE is the diary of Ruby T. Hummingbird, part of the Nature Diary series. It is a little random, as I suppose reading a diary would also be, but I like this delightful little book. Hummingbirds are my favorite birds so it's possible I'm a little inclined to like it regardless, but the bright illustrations, constant action, and reference to information about hummingbirds, such as their annual migration are all intertwined well. More information about hummingbirds is also included in the back that would work well to extend this book into a science or math lesson.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wonderfully illustrated picture book is packed full of information about hummingbirds. It has lengthy explanations about hummingbirds on the inside of both the front and back covers that supplement the simpler information found in the actual book. Reading this book will have you preparing a garden - even if it is only a few plants in a container - to attract these fascinating birds!
One thing I learned - hummingbirds have very tiny feet. They can't really stand or walk very well but their small feet help them to fly the way they do because they don't weigh them down.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the wonderful book series that includes Diary of a Worm, this book is one in a series where the reader learns about the life of an animal from that animal's perspective because the animal shares their journal with us. I learned wonderful facts about the hummingbirds from the end pages as well as the text and the illustrations. They are considerably more interesting and complicated than I thought which is why books like this are so wonderful for students to read and learn about the strengths and challenges faced by all creatures on our planet.

[Heydi Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very cute book that is packed with information about hummingbirds. Perfect for a bird or migration storytime. The illustrations aren’t my favorite but the facts and story of this little birds life more than make up for them. At the back of the book there are more facts about these beautiful birds.

Complimentary books would be Sing by Joe Rasposo, Sylvia by Jennifer Sattler, and More by I.C. Springman.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found in the picture book section of our library but could easily be in J non fiction. Beautiful illustrations of hummingbird and its life from birth to migration and back. Good for a preschool or school age program. Part of Paul Meisel's Nature diary series. Really enjoyed it especially since I love hummingbirds.

[Iris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute account of a ruby-throated hummingbird's life in the words of, well, a ruby-throated hummingbird! It's one of four books in the Nature Diary series written and illustrated by Paul Meisel so the main text is written as dated journal entries. Prepare yourself to be charmed by this delightful yet pugnacious bird, he's quite scrappy!

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dairy of a humming bird from egg to adulthood. Also includes winter migration. This would be a great book to compliment migration or bird lifecycle curriculum. The pictures are a little small so it would make a better one-on-one story.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect way to introduce a hummingbird life cycle. Illustrations? Great. Text? Great.

I especially love the way the illustrator indicates the bird has migrated to Mexico for the winter. *chef's kiss*

[Abby Johnson]

A pleasant diary-style story written from the perspective of a young hummingbird that takes the reader through the first year of his life.

[H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming childrens book about the life of a ruby-throated hummingbird.

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A diary of the first year of a hummingbird's life. The endpapers are used cleverly by filling them with additional information about hummingbirds.

[AnnieM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome illustrations

[Stephanie Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations, Fantastic read!!!

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hummingbirds are incredible creatures.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An elementary and up diary of a hummingbird first year of life with a good afterward.

[Marhosha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I like about this book is that they tell about humming birds at the last page of the book, and the birds are very very cute.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

diary, hummingbird, migration

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A year in the life of a ruby-throated hummingbird.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

AR?

[Rebecca Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great dated story of the hummingbirds life and typical lifestyle.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Educational and fun