Mia and the Hummingbird is beautifully illustrated and tells a parallel story of a little girl and a hummingbird. In the story, Mia, a young girl, immigrates to a new country and learns to accept a new life. She sees the hummingbird building her nest for her babies and thinks that she and the bird are similar as they learn to adapt to their new homes. Mia and the Hummingbird includes information about hummingbirds, environmental and social reasons for immigration, our changing climate, persistence and resilience. Included is a glossary about these issues, a bibliography, and references.
Targeted Age Group:: The audience for this positive and hopeful story is K-4th grade
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
I am truly inspired by young people who have the resilience and persistence to adapt to a new environment. That is one focus of this book. I study a foreign language as an adult and know how much persistence this takes. I also serve as a volunteer teacher for English as a Second Language (ESL) and mentor fist generation college students and am inspired by these students.
I have focused my 38 yr career on the environment and sustainability and now am inspired by the next generation’s commitment to these issues. I want to contribute through writing and illustrating, hopeful stories on environmental topics.
Book Sample
Foreword:
“Little by little, the bird makes its nest.” This French proverb applies to many things in life including learning a new language, culture or skill. In this story, a persistent girl and a resilient hummingbird cross paths as they build their new homes.
Excerpt:Nancy Carlisle is an author, illustrator and retired architect and manager. She writes hopeful books for kids that interweave facts and fiction about the environment and global responsibility. During her 38 year career, as an architect and researcher, her focus was on the environment. She led work nationally and internationally on sustainable and energy efficient buildings and communities and won awards for collaboratively designing award-winning sustainable buildings, a laboratory campus, and work with others to improve the energy efficiency of U.S. laboratories.
Since retiring from her career, she has worked as a volunteer teaching English as a Second Language and mentors first generation college students. She is a strong advocate against plastic waste.
She enjoys the outdoors and international travel. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writer and Illustrators and the Society of Environmental Journalists. She continues to study Illustrating and Frenc
Mia rode her bike through her new neighborhood. All of a sudden, nothing looked familiar. “Oh no! I’m lost!” She panicked. She stopped and took a deep breath and thought about what to do. “I know how to say hello, I’m lost, and help me. I know my address and phone number.” She approached a nearby woman. With a shaky voice and tears in her eyes, Mia asked for help.
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Author Bio:
Nancy Carlisle is an author, illustrator and retired architect and manager. She writes hopeful books for kids that interweave facts and fiction about the environment and global responsibility. During her 38 year career, as an architect and researcher, her focus was on the environment. She led work nationally and internationally on sustainable and energy efficient buildings and communities and won awards for collaboratively designing award-winning sustainable buildings, a laboratory campus, and work with others to improve the energy efficiency of U.S. laboratories.
Since retiring from her career, she has worked as a volunteer teaching English as a Second Language and mentors first generation college students. She is a strong advocate against plastic waste.
She enjoys the outdoors and international travel. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writer and Illustrators and the Society of Environmental Journalists. She continues to study Illustrating and French.
