The Littlest Drop

Written by Sascha Alper and illus. by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

It is an inevitable part of childhood that the real world, with all its seemingly endless problems, will make itself glaringly known, leaving little ones feeling unseen and helpless. And all too often, a child’s efforts to offer up possible solutions are dismissed by adults, convinced youngsters have little to offer in a big world with big problems. Such a situation plays out in this month’s Big Picture, when a hummingbird tries to save a burning savannah, only to be confronted by her fellow animals’ mockery and unwillingness to accept a solution from a creature so small. Inspired by a talk from Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai about a fable originating from the Quechua people of South America, Alper’s debut picture book celebrates how one simple act can have a powerful and meaningful impact, no matter how little it seems.

In a beautiful African savannah where animals of all sizes thrive, a tiny hummingbird prepares her nest for her future eggs, but the idyll is soon threatened by an encroaching wildfire. Most of the other animals flee to the river, but amidst the chaos, the hummingbird flies back and forth alone, filling her beak with water and dropping it on the flames. Despite the bewildered animals’ insistence that her actions are futile, the hummingbird stays hopeful, refusing to give in to despair as the stakes are too high. When a wise elephant asks why she continues, the hummingbird answers in a quiet voice, “I am doing what I can.” The elephant then thoughtfully looks at her own grandchildren, realizing she is not the only one who will be affected by the fire if it continues to spread. Soon she joins the hummingbird, and one by one the other creatures do as well.

While the tone is fable-like, the story itself has complexity that prevents it from becoming too didactic. Alper takes care to not villainize the doubting animals, instead offering a compassionate look at what happens when fear takes hold in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. Their survival instinct is valid, but the hummingbird’s motivation eclipses her own fear, as her thoughts of her eggs compel her to continue. It’s that small act of courage that spurs on the others, thematically linking the ideas of individual choices and collective action. The repeated refrain that each animal “did what they could” adds urgency and emphasizes the importance of shared responsibility even in a time of crisis.

The story’s message of persistence is made especially resonant by the art, a masterful collaboration between father and son in which the elder Pinkney’s final detailed sketch work is polished and finished by the younger. In an illustrator’s note, Brian Pinkney explains that he took inspiration from the hummingbird, starting with one little brushstroke at a time to bring his father’s work to fruition and continue the Pinkney legacy. A rich, delicate blend of brush strokes, made with opaque watercolor, paints the natural, serene atmosphere of the grasslands and wildlife. When the hummingbird’s light, rhythmic movements bring energy to the spreads—from the swift fluttering of her wings to her diving into the water and rising back up—her graceful, poised aura is captured by distinct swirling lines of aqua blue and white. These lines create a ripple effect that extends encouragingly to the other animals when they try to overcome the roaring inferno, which consumes a double-page spread—blazing layers of orange-red flames and gritty waves of gray smoke rise over the scorching trees. Elsewhere, an aerial perspective expands the reader’s view of the animals running, flying, and crawling with their renewed strength in numbers as they tirelessly run back and forth with water until the fire is gone.

Like our courageous hummingbird heroine, young children possess unique gifts that have the power to transform the world, and this moving tale reminds readers that the strength and bravery they carry within their hearts should not be underestimated. Contributing to the greater whole with good intentions, even if the actions seem small, is worth the effort—the littlest drop can create an endless sea of change.

—Danica Ronquillo, Reviewer