Hummingbird Season
$17.99 USD
hardcover
A poignant and necessary novel in verse about finding hope during difficult times, set in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Archie’s life—and the whole world—is turned upside down by Covid-19. Suddenly there are no Friday night dinners out, no going to school, no hanging out with friends . . . no leaving the house at all.
Even though he’s inside with his family all day every day, Archie feels more alone than ever before. While everyone else seems to be adapting to their new normal just fine, it’s like Archie is permanently on mute, unable to find words to describe how he feels—and unable to find someone who will listen. The bright spot of Archie’s days is the hummingbirds that feed outside his window. But then California experiences its worst wildfire in history, and Archie’s favorite hummingbird disappears. In a time when hope is hard to hold on to, Archie must find his voice and find hope once again.
Stephanie V. W. Lucianovic is the author of The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral; Hello, Star illustrated by Vashti Harrison; and middle grade novel The League of Picky Eaters. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area with a few kids, a few cats, and one husband.
"Extremely well written and filled with colorful phrases . . . Young readers who have experienced COVID (and who like birds) are sure to enjoy." —Booklist
"Lucianovic beautifully crafts this novel in verse, giving voice to a boy who is boisterous at times but often feels left on mute, lost in the shuffle of a changing world. Archie, his family, and Ruby remind readers there's comfort to be found in being together, even when everything else feels like it's falling apart." —BCCB
"This beautifully written novel in verse offers a sensitive reflection on the pandemic and its emotional toll, even for those families who were able to stay healthy and financially stable during lockdown." —School Library Journal
"Lucianovic portrays Archie’s interior world in straightforward first-person verse that effectively captures the voice of an elementary schoolboy living through extraordinary times." —The Horn Book
"Readers will identify with {Archie's} struggles with long-distance learning and feelings of isolation. His discovery of and growing fascination with a hummingbird propels him toward positivity and eventually helps him make the empathetic connections he longs for." —Publishers Weekly
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