The Starling's Song - by Octavie Wolters (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

A STARLING ASKS ALL THE OTHER BIRDS FOR ADVICE ON WHAT TO INCLUDE IN ITS SONG IN THIS STUNNING, POETIC PICTURE BOOK

A starling wants to sing an ode to all the wonderful things he sees as he flies over fields and forests. To make sure he won't forget anything, he asks all the birds he knows for advice: what should I definitely not forget to include in my song? The beautiful linocuts and touching text by author and artist Octavie Wolters inspire us to pause for a moment and look at the world around us. There is beauty to discover in the smallest of things, if only you look properly...

"I am going to sing a song, the starling thought, a song about the beauty of everything, seen through my eyes.
And I want to sing it for everybody who wants to hear."

Review Quotes

Listen to the lyrical conversations of a starling bird with his fellow, wondrous birds of the earth. This beautifully painted picture book opens with a starling flying over the stunning views of mountains and fields. The starling sings of his witnessed beauty to the woodpecker, owl, kingfisher, robin, swallow, duck, peacock, and all the starlings he knew. The listening bird sings back to the starling telling him not to forget to sing about their favorite elements of the earth such as trees, colors, water, flowers, rocks, and life. The delicate illustrations support the natural wonders described in the text. All of the images are in black and white except for the orange of the starling's beak and legs. The unique illustrative techniques are powerful to make the main character of the starling stand out as well as expose the alluring perspectives of all his fellow birds in the book. Engaging lyrics and illustrations are beneficial to English curriculums for poetry, Art programs, Social Studies curriculums for geography, and Science curriculums for birds and habitats. Perfect as a read-aloud for young children and elementary students.
-- Children's Literature

About the Author

Octavie Wolters is a writer and artist, mainly working in lino and woodcut. The Starlings Song has been shortlisted for two major Dutch awards and is on the longlist for the World Illustration Award.

Michele Hutchison is a British writer and translator from Dutch who has won both the International Booker Prize and the Vondel Prize.