Sy Montgomery is a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and author of 31 books of nonfiction for adults and children, including the National Book Award finalist The Soul of an Octopus and the memoir The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood, which was a New York Times bestseller. The honors she has received include lifetime achievement awards from the Humane Society and the New England Booksellers Association. Her latest work explores hummingbirds, beautiful and intriguing creatures that fascinate people worldwide. The lightest birds in the sky, hummingbirds are capable of incredible feats, such as flying backward, diving at speeds of 61 mph, and beating their wings more than 60 times per second. They are also incredibly vulnerable when they first emerge from their eggs. In The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings (Atria Books), Montgomery tells the story of Brenda Sherburn, who – with tenderness and patience – rescues injured and abandoned hummingbirds and nurses them back to health until they can fly away and live in the wild. In relaying the extraordinary care that Sherburn provides her peanut-sized patients, Montgomery also shows us just how truly amazing hummingbirds are. Noted Booklist: “Montgomery’s bright, richly illustrated chronicle stirs renewed appreciation for human empathy, skill, and wonder (for) a miraculous winged species.”
