Thursday, May 23, 2013

Growing Up Humming by Mike Spinak


Fans of David Attenborough will enjoy experiencing the wonders of nature through Mike Spinak's pictures and words.

Imagine witnessing hummingbird chicks being raised on the nest from front row seats, with every step shown as it unfolds, accompanied by fundamental explanations of the "whys" behind what you're seeing. In Mike Spinak's "Growing Up Humming", you'll see hummingbirds as you've never seen them before.

The elder chick has flown from the nest, and now follows her mother while learning how to live like an adult. The younger chick hasn't yet fledged, and life will be easier for her mother when both are flying. What happens when a mother hummingbird wants her chick to leave the nest, but the chick isn't ready? This fact-filled, true story, photo book shows the answers in a heartwarming tale the entire family can enjoy.

*****
 
Growing Up Humming is an absolutely lovely book, chronicling life inside an Anna's Hummingbird nest. Each gorgeous photo is captioned with interesting information, written so anyone, young and old alike, can enjoy this little family's journey from chicks to adults.



It's hard to imagine possible, but a hummingbird egg is about the size of a pea, and the nest built by this Mother sits atop a seed pod!

As you can see from the photos above and below, it doesn't take long for a nest to become cramped quarters.


This charming book is informative and beautiful, and took no time at all to read. Through pictures and journaling the growth of these chicks, Mr. Spinak makes Growing Up Humming a fun learning experience!

And on a side note, when Mr. Spinak contacted me about reviewing this book, he noted that it "It does not have a romantic element, in line with your general interests." Well, while this isn't technically a romance, it spoke to my excitement and adoration for hummingbirds, so in the end, it really is all about love.

All photos used with author/photographer permission

My thanks to Mike Spinak for providing me with a copy of this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review.

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