COVID.

March, 2020. It hit fast and hard. None of us were prepared for what was about to unfold. Teachers and parents often struggled providing support for children during this difficult time when we were locked in and shut out from our normal lives. But it was our youth who perhaps suffered the most, and in many cases continue to emotionally and academically suffer from those blank years.

HUMMINGBIRD SEASON, a novel in verse, gives readers a first person view of COVID times from young Archie in this tender story of survival.

Set in California where Archie lives with loving parents and an older teen brother, the story begins with a quick look at how it was before COVID. Fun times with family and friends, eating out, and going to school in an actual school building.

When the shut-in begins, Archie feels alone as his brother is no fun anymore and he can’t seem to find anyone who will listen to how he feels. Then he discovers a hummingbird and researches all the aspects of this unique creature. He calls the most frequent visitor Ruby and provides a place for Ruby to feed outside his bedroom window. Archie is beginning to feel better about his family and life going forward thanks to having Ruby, but then a California wildfire adds more sadness to the already difficult times.

Archie will win you over with his compassion and emotional lyrical outpourings. HUMMINGBIRD SEASON is a tough time to revisit so soon, but it is a story you can relive now and then tuck it away, ready to be shared with future generations.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: Feb. 13, 2024  PAGE COUNT: 272

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: HUMMINGBIRD SEASON by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic

1. The hopeful ending was also a reminder of the changes each character showed, Especially true for older brother, Hank, Archie and his mom.
2. Archie’s take on “not real school” when looking at a computer screen instead of being there in person.
3. The background information on hummingbirds will motivate young readers to learn more about these birds, maybe by even providing a nectar feeder like Archie did to observe them up close.
4. Archie was 9 years old at the time of this story. He would now be in Middle School. A perfect question came to mind for discussion possibilities: Is Archie succeeding in school and life today? (I would hope so, but his peers may not be so fortunate)
5. The layout of the poetry was well done as was the occasional illustrations. They effects added even more emotion to the words.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic writes books in the San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by a few kids, a few cats, and one husband.

She is the author of SUFFERING SUCCOTASH: A PICKY EATER’S QUEST TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE HATE THE FOODS WE HATE (2012); THE END OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL (PB 2019); HELLO, STAR (PB 2021); THE LEAGUE OF PICKY EATERS (MG 2021); WHAT IS HOPE (PB 2023); HUMMINGBIRD SEASON (MG 2024), TOUCH THE SKY (PB 2024), ZOMBIE AND BRAIN ARE FRIENDS (PB 2025) and WHEN BREATHING IS TOO LOUD (PB 2025).

Stephanie still sleeps with the teddy bear she had as a baby, she has a bellybutton phobia, and she was born with six wisdom teeth. She doesn’t think this makes her any wiser than the average chewer but it does give her a biting sense of humor. Her favorite words are “knelt” and “cloak.”

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