Starred Review Born with incurable brittle bone disease, 12-year-old Olive has done well with homeschooling, but she longs to attend middle school and hopes to make at least one good friend there. After she promises to use her wheelchair at school, and Hatch, her stepbrother and soon-to-be classmate, reluctantly agrees to help Olive, her parents give consent. Immediately, a storm of white "feather-snow" begins outdoors, heralding a phenomenon from local lore: a hummingbird will soon appear to certain people in their Tennessee community and grant their wishes. In the drama group at school, Olive and her new friend, Grace, prepare for a play. Along with Hatch, they begin to search for the hummingbird. Each has a cherished wish, but when magic intersects with reality, odd things happen. With eccentric family members, a distinctive setting, and a supernatural element that is strangely believable within this otherwise realistic story, there's a lot to love here. Inspired by Lloyd's childhood experiences and disability, Olive's first-person narrative transports readers into her world, from the ordeal of a bone break to the triumph of a transformative stage performance. Her active mind, wit, and unerring sense of what matters make this a memorable novel, and the strikingly beautiful jacket art will surely draw readers.

Gr 5–8 —In her latest novel, Lloyd calls on personal experiences to create a realistic and magical adventure for middle grade readers. Twelve-year-old Olive has been homeschooled her entire life. She has osteogenesis imperfecta (also known as brittle bone disease) and uses a wheelchair, and her mother has always feared for her to leave the nest—but Olive is determined to go to public school and make a friend. When her mother relents and Olive starts public school for the first time, she must deal with so much more than she bargained for. Then she hears about a magical hummingbird that grants wishes, and it seems like finding this creature will be the answer to all her problems. With a few new companions along the way, Olive tries to discover the secrets of the hummingbird. This is an uplifting story for readers who enjoy realistic settings with magical threads. Olive is developed beautifully as a main character, giving older elementary and middle school readers plenty to relate to and love. The authentic voice that Lloyd crafts in Olive shines throughout the book. VERDICT A must-have for any elementary school or middle school library, this magical and heartening novel will keep readers engaged until the end. A perfect fit for fans of realistic fiction and fantasy alike.—Elizabeth Pelayo