Published: 2022
Series: N/A
Author: Natalie Lloyd
Illustrator: N/A
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Disability, Audiobook, Friendship, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Family, Adventure, Young Adult
Audience (Grade Levels): 5-6, 7-8, Middle School
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: Hummingbird
Triggers: Bullying, chronic illness/medical vulnerability, themes of isolation
Review By: MaryAlice Brennan-Steere
Publisher’s Summary:
Twelve-year-old homeschooled Olive is tired of being seen as “fragile” just because she has osteogenesis imperfecta (otherwise known as brittle bone disease) so she’s thrilled when she finally convinces her parents to let her attend Macklemore Elementary. Olive can’t wait to go to a traditional school and make the friends she’s always longed for, until a disastrous first day dashes her hopes of ever fitting in.
Then Olive hears whispers about a magical, wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives near Macklemore. It’ll be the solution to all her problems! If she can find the bird and prove herself worthy, the creature will make her most desperate, secret wish come true.
When it becomes clear that she can’t solve the mystery on her own, Olive teams up with some unlikely allies who help her learn the truth about the bird. And on the way, she just might learn that our fragile places lead us to the most wonderful magic of all . . .
Review:
When twelve-year-old Olive, who suffers from brittle bone disease and has been homeschooled all her life, finally attends school in person she soon discovers fitting in is not that easy, but if she can find the magical wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives nearby, and prove herself worthy, maybe her deepest wish will be granted.
Olive Miracle Martin has been homeschooled all her life due to her brittle bone disease, but now desperately wants to attend school in the hopes of meeting her future BFF (best friend forever). Olive has a whimsical personality, a kind heart, and a sureness of self, and it’s this endearing personality that will compel readers to root for her throughout the novel. She enters Macklemore Middle School in a bedazzled wheelchair that she has named Dolly (for Dolly Parton) and soon meets other middle school students…some who are accepting of her, and true to life, some who are not as open. This book falls under the magical realism genre because central to the story is a golden wish granting hummingbird who occasionally appears to a select few and who only grants the truest wish in a person’s heart.
Readers who adored Wonder will find this novel to be very appealing, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is nominated for a Newbery award. The author, Natalie Lloyd, shares a personal connection with Olive’s experiences. Like Olive, she also lives with brittle bone disease. This adds authenticity to Olive’s story and allows readers to connect with the message of hope and self-expression. Olive’s personal philosophy is that “My body is made of stardust and lace and dreams and constellations. My bones are fragile. But I am not.” This heartfelt story sends a powerful message of hope and the importance of embracing one’s true self.
I highly recommend this stunning novel to school librarians, reading specialists, and upper elementary or middle school classroom teachers. Lloyd’s writing style is lyrical, evocative, and deeply moving, maintaining a swift and engaging narrative pace. It perfectly balances the stark, lived realities of living with a physical disability alongside the sparkling wonder of neighborhood folklore. It is a triumphant, necessary addition to any campus library collection.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): The book acts as an exceptional foundation for discussing self-advocacy, identity vs. perception, and building true empathy. Olive’s inner strength teaches students to look past external vulnerabilities to find internal resilience.
- English Language Arts (ELA): A beautiful mentor text for studying the balance between realistic fiction and magical realism. Students can analyze how Lloyd utilizes the allegorical nature of the golden hummingbird to represent the characters’ innermost motivations and personal growth.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: This title is an excellent selection for an independent reading program, school-wide read-aloud, or a middle-grade literature circle. As an extension activity, libraries can host a “Truest Wish” creative writing or art workshop, where students construct their own origami or illustrated hummingbirds inscribed with their ultimate hopes for their school or global community, mirroring Olive’s own journey of self-discovery.
- Diversity & Representation: Hummingbird provides vital, authentic disability representation. Because the author shares the same diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta as the protagonist, the depiction of wheelchair navigation, medical boundaries, and societal biases avoids tokenism and instead delivers deep nuance. It beautifully displays how inclusive spaces allow disabled youth to thrive as active agents of adventure rather than passive subjects of pity.
Readalikes:
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio
- Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
- The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
