The Hummingbirds' Gift

 


Published on April 1, 1994, this traditional book is written by Stefan Czernecki and illustrated by Timothy Rhodes. The reading age ranges from 5- 8 years old. This book earned the "Américas Award in 1994.


This tale and traditional book clarifies how Mexican people of Tzintzuntzan, Mexico, were taught to weave and make straw figures, which was inspired by Indians, specifically the Tarascans. A Mexican family one day experience a drought and are not able to provide for the hummingbirds, and their wheat is now drying up and dying. As they make pots decorated and fill them with sugar and water for the hummingbirds, they start to worry about their children having enough. Realizing how stressed the family is, the hummingbirds gather straw and show the family how to weave straw into figures. The family then decides to sell the figures they make at the Day of the Dead festival and they make enough money to last a year. Rain finally comes to their village which gives them hope and joy about the river being filled, the wheat growing, and flowers growing for the hummingbirds.


I would use this book to teach my students about part of Mexican heritage. This books sheds light on part of their culture and gives students ideas about how different other cultures are to each other and how they also stick together. This book is appropriate for Pre-k -- 5th grade students. In an art class, if the unit was abstract art, I would provide my students with straw and as an activity, they can make their own abstract figures to share and keep at home.





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