The Bottom Line
First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird’s Story is just that – an intimate story of one black-chinned hummingbird mother’s untiring dedication to raising her chicks from eggs to adulthood. The captivating text and photos lead readers along on a visually stunning and verbally rich life journey perfect for birders, mothers and nature lovers.
Pros
- Superb photography captures intimate details from nest to adulthood
- Picture book size and short chapters suitable for sharing with young readers
- Includes intimate details not found in traditional guides or descriptions
Cons
- Lacks a general fact sheet on black-chinned hummingbirds
- Does not offer conservation tips or how to attract hummingbirds
Description
- Title: First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird’s Story
- Authors: Noriko and Don Carroll
- Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing, Inc.
- Publication Date: March 2006
- Format: Hardcover
- Page Count: 100
- ISBN: 978-0-7407-5707-5
- Price: $14.99
Guide Review - Book Review: First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird’s Story
“Honey was the first neighbor to greet us.”
That sentence on the first page of First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird’s Story sets the tone for the intimate look at a black-chinned hummingbird’s nest, a bird that would become far more familiar to the Carrolls than any ordinary neighbor. Through outstanding photography and vibrant text, the Carrolls share that relationship with readers, from the mother hummingbird industriously crafting her nest until her two chicks, Ray and Zen, are mature enough to make their first flights into the world. Twelve chapters document the first weeks of life for these hummingbirds, but the scant 100 pages will remain with readers long after finishing the book.
A blend of close and distant photos from different angles and scenes creates a stunning tableau of these birds’ lives, and the details are covered not only through the clarity of the photos but also through the vast amount of information shared in the text. Through their descriptions of Honey and her chicks, Noriko and Don Carroll share size comparisons of the hummingbird eggs, favorite hummingbird flowers, preening behavior and other information that can’t be found in any generalized field guide or brief bird profile.
Beautifully documented, First Flight is a perfect book for anyone who loves hummingbirds, and it is an inspiring story for any birder who dreams of more than just a simple connection with their backyard birds.
For more information on First Flight, visit HummingbirdStory.com.
