Hummingbird

Hummingbird is a 2022 middle-grade fiction novel by Natalie Lloyd that explores living with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI or “brittle bone disease”) using magical realism. Set in a Tennessee town with folkloric influences, Hummingbird follows 11-year-old Olive Martin as she pursues a legendary hummingbird said to grant a wish. Lloyd’s own experience with OI and life in Tennessee inform Olive’s story.

This study guide refers to the 2022 Scholastic hardcover edition.

Plot Summary

Hummingbird takes place in Wildwood, Tennessee. As Olive Martin’s family pull up to church on a Sunday morning in April, Olive’s Uncle Dash is overcome by “flutters”—unease over change. Eleven-year-old Olive, who uses a wheelchair due to osteogenesis imperfecta (a condition that makes her bones brittle and vulnerable to breakage), hopes Uncle Dash’s flutters mean her wish to attend Macklemore Middle School will come true. She has been homeschooled since kindergarten and longs to socialize with peers. Although her parents, Mama and Jupiter, support her endeavors, they fear a conventional school environment will put her at greater risk. When a churchgoer comments on Olive’s “fragility,” she becomes more determined to attend Macklemore. A storm of

Unlock all 45 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App

+ Printable PDF

+ Literary AI Tools

Unlock Full Library