REBECCA LIVICK, LIBRARIAN at the Niagara Public Library, holds up a copy of the cover of her new children’s book, “The Mean Hummingbird,” which is expected to be published in January. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

NIAGARA, Wis. — A little bird helped inspire Niagara Public Library’s librarian, Rebecca Estelle Livick, to write her first children’s book.

“The story is called ‘The Mean Hummingbird.’ The idea for the story started in 2018,” Livick said.

“My husband and I were waiting for our house to be finished and they were way behind schedule. We had to move up to his family’s camp for six months. I started feeding the hummingbirds and watching them all the time, and there was this one that would land on the clothesline rope by the feeder and if any other hummingbirds came by he would just dive bomb and knock them right out of the way.”

She first wrote it as a haiku poem for her online friends group. “Over time, I expanded it up to a book,” Livick said.

“That was the easiest part — the writing went really smooth and I sent it to two of my girlfriends. We all grew up together, and they each read it and ripped it apart,” she said, laughing. “They gave me all sorts of good feedback, but they weren’t afraid to say what they really thought, which was very cool.”

The story is about a hummingbird named Spike who’s mean, ornery, selfish and won’t let any of the other hummingbirds have any nectar, Livick said.

“Finally, realizing he has no friends whatsoever, he talks with this dove named Delilah, who helps him learn to be nicer,” she said.

Once she had the book written, Livick didn’t know how to get it published, so turned to several other area authors for help and advice.

“I have authors come and talk at the library and a couple of children’s authors came. I had ideas, but I didn’t know the process,” she said.

One local author, Stacy Lantagne, told Livick about her illustrator, Lynne Lillge at Upper Peninsula-based Italic Illustrator, who also is a publisher.

The book is expected to be published the second week of January by Three Kiddos Publishers. “The Mean Hummingbird” will be available for purchase online Jan. 1 through Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Walmart.

She has several other stories already written. Throughout the year, she plans to unveil additional tales featuring lovable characters and timeless lessons.

“They’re all birds. I call them Rebecca’s Feathered Friends,” she said.

For more information, contact Livick at livicksfeatheredfriends@gmail.com.