Flight of the Hummingbird: A Parable for the Environmen… (2024)

Definitely interesting! Good as a sort of intro to the idea of taking care of the environment.

Book 13 of 30 for my 30 day reading challenge.

Illustrated storybook with accompanying notes by The Dalai Lama and Nobel Laureate Wangari Maatha. Yahgulanaas adapts the Quechuan myth of the "Flight of the Hummingbird" into this short work, richly illustrated by his signature Haida manga style.

Yahgulanaas is a First Nations artist from Haida Gwaii in the Pacific Northwest, an archipelago off the coast of colonized British Columbia, Canada. His artistic style is a fusion of traditional Haida carving and art, blended with Chinese style brush works and Japanese manga graphics. This book showases the art in the signature red, black, and white colors of the Haida people.

This book is so short, it qualifies almost more as a poem--and is equally beautiful.

Lushly illustrated, each of the 5 short chapters speaks eloquently to social and environmental responsibility. While this may sound dry or preachy, it is neither. The beauty of the book is matched by the precise writing involved in each of the 5 short chapters, the message therein.

The parable of the hummingbird, how such a small and seemingly insignificant creature, could take on a forest fire serves as a jumping off point for brief discussions, thoughtful musings, about how each one of us need not forget the power in simply trying to change our world (or our situation) for the better.

Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Wangari Maathai and HH the Dalai Lama each contribute to this wonderful little book.

Short and simple story that carries a message that is both universally known and ignored, which is that small individual deeds matter. And collective individual actions of small members of the community can outweigh the doings of the few greater members.
The book added nothing new to me and probably everyone else. But that doesn't mean that its message was not important! I guess people will always have to state the obvious until other people finally consider it and that is the humble effort of this book.
The illustrations were good. And I'm rating 3 stars even though I've gained nothing out of it, just because I appreciate the effort. And looking forward to read more detailed books of this sort.

This is very short parable followed by some thoughts on the three collaborators who brought it together. I liked that it doesn’t center one particular lens. There are stories about what the hummingbird means to many peoples, across the globe. It’s probably more profound when originally published - as anyone who is aware of or “believes in” the reality of the climate crisis probably has internalized this message already, and those that haven’t never will.

But it’s still a worthy read. Quick. Gets it’s message across. Stunningly gorgeous artwork. Executes what it is trying to do perfectly well.

Short but powerful story about doing whatever you can, no matter how small. The hummingbird story itself was an inspirational poem with great accompanying artwork. I enjoyed the inclusion of Haida, Quechua, and Tibetan culture (those three cultures are among the ones I admire most, so it was fate that I picked this up in a tiny shop one day). I longed to experience more, but alas, it was only a 30-min read.

Illustrations magnifiques, message simple et efficace invitant à la réflexion et bien nourri par la postface du Dalaï-Lama.

The smallest of the birds, the hummingbird, shows the rest of the jungle how to turn a tragic forest fire into an act of salvation. When a huge fire starts to devastate the animal’s habitat all but the hummingbird flee to a safer spot to watch their home be destroyed. With great speed and determination the hummingbird takes one drop of water after another to attempt to douse the flames. As the parable ends the Big Bear asks the hummingbird, “What are you doing?” Where the hummingbird responds, “I am doing what I can.”

This book shows in strong graphics by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, wisdom from the Dalai Lama, and experience from 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Wangari Maathai what can happen when the smallest or weakest are motivated into action.

The parable, The Flight of the Hummingbird, is perfect for children because it shows how the smallest with determination can outperform the strongest with none. The book also tells the story of Wangarie Maathai, a modern day Johnny Appleseed, who started the Green Belt Movement in Kenya that has planted over 30-million trees.

This is a fable that we all need to take to heart.

As the Dalai Lama writes in his contribution to this book: “In order to succeed in the protection and conservation of the natural environment, it is important to first of all bring about an internal balance within human beings themselves.” This is what the parable of the hummingbird serves to illustrate – the state of mind we must adopt if we are to prevent environmental disaster. While I am not entirely sure that “right thought” must come before “right action” (I really think it’s more a chicken-and-egg thing) I applaud the message that one must do what one can, as well as staying optimistic despite seemingly overwhelming circ*mstances.

simply lovely. beautiful art, thoughtful story, critical message. a very fast read for such an important theme.

This is a beautiful little book, which I particularly love because of the original Haida Manga artwork by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. Besides the tale, the book has wonderful afterwards by the Dalai Lama and Greenbelt Movement founder Wangari Maathai, both Nobel Peace Prize winners.

The overall message is, of course, especially pertinent as Hummingbird Greta Thunberg has flittered into the scene. In fact, the Dalai Lama predicts in this book, "One of our foundational narratives describes a dark time when all the light in the universe is stored away inside the smallest container and is released only when the greatest hero becomes a small child."

Yet the message of this book isn't that a loan child superstar individual can become a hero. The message, according to the Dalai Lama, is that every one of us "shares a sense of universal responsibility for both humankind and nature." You can be like the hummingbird Dukdukdiya who explains why she works on the seemingly impossible task of putting out a forest fire one drop of water at a time, "I am doing what I can."

"The survival of life on earth as we know it is threatened by human activities that lack a commitment to nonviolence and humanitarian values," writes the Dalai Lama, "Humanity–and every individual within that–must take the initiative to repair and protect our world."

Wangari Maathai brings to our attention the wonderful concept behind the Buddhist word mottainai, "it embraces the practice of not wasting resources and of using them with respect and gratitude." She says it captures in one term the environmentalists' 'three Rs:' reduce reuse recycle, to which she wants to add to mottainai, "repair." She is now working to build a global campaign around the word.

So what about you? Our polar ice sheets are at the point of no return. Our you going to leave all the hard lifting to our beautiful butterfly, Greta Thunberg, and her friends? What are you doing with the rest of your day, today?

“Those who are not afraid to act, and who are aware of what is at stake, can make the biggest difference.”

The actual story is very short, of the hummingbird, and beautifully illustrated. It is sweet and I deeply believe it should be made into a children’s book if it’s not already.

It’s a story about a hummingbird doing what it can in a time of crisis as other animals watch in fear, preventing themselves from doing what they can. Although the hummingbirds contribution was small, it still increased the likelihood of success and that if all the animals did what they could, the chance of success would likely increase.

A beautiful story of the hummingbird as a metaphor for little efforts that we need to do for the environment. I found this book in the Canadian Museum of History as it was on display. The "Haida Manga" by the first people artist "Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas" was reallyt good. Did not know this earlier.

This book was elegantly designed, beautifully crafted, passionately written and illustrated. In truth, it is a work of genius. Not really a kids book unless it’s read with a parent or teacher. The issues discussed are deep and complex and they require a gentle hand in guiding younger readers through them.

Lovely illustrations. My copy was a gift, and I appreciated the gesture. I'm not sure who this book is for though; neither a child nor an adult. Seemingly antithetical in its existence to the environmental principles it espouses, no? Made to last, but not sure the world needed this oral parable in such a resource intensive form. Curious.

Simple, poetically told tale, with a couple of accompanying essay commentaries. The illustrations are fantastic. The moral is not new (do what you can), but it is well-told here, and the references to Haida, Tibetan, and Quechan cultures are lovely.

3.5 beautiful illustrations and i love the sentiment behind it but it doesnt really resonate if you only put strain on the individual's good heart, we can clearly see for ourselves how it doesnt work like that

This is the story of a small bird doing what it can to make a difference. The book also contains some context around the parable and a call to action in order to save the environment. Its message is more important than ever. I will definitely be sharing this beautiful parable with my students.

This is a beautiful little book with a small but powerful message. Like the hummingbird we can each do what we can for the earth.

Okay, so this was faster than fast. Beautiful art, though and a nice re-telling of a story. Couldn't escape the feeling that I have read this story before.

A parable for the environment - indeed, we need to all be like the small hummingbird, doing what we can.

Lovely little book with hugely important message about taking care of our world and the significance of small acts

Rating : 2 stars

The basic parable was very good but the rest ? Meaningless crap lol took me forever and a half to read 30 pages .

Nothing revolutionary, but still an important reminder.

This is a great book. The parable is short, but the essays are worth the book. I love the Haida manga illustrations.

What a wonderful book and message I highly recommend it to everyone. The message "I am doing what I can" can apply to many aspects of our life!

As we face the realities of global warming, this book is an optimistic look at the power we have to make change, no matter the size or effort. The animated version of this story is also powerful.

Absolutely beautiful.

"We sometimes underestimate what we can accomplish as individuals, but there is always something we can do...We can all be like the hummingbird, doing the best we can."

Sólo merece la pena el diseño de las ilustraciones y la parábola