Starbird by Sharon King-Chai

Moon King has heard the story of the legendary Starbird. When his baby daughter is born he is determined to capture this fabled creature and gift it to his daughter. The Starbird sings to the young princess every evening but one day "she noticed a sadness colouring Starbirds voice."  The Princess sets the beautiful bird free but her father is furious. He is determined to bring Starbird back. The chase is on. Starbird travels to the jungle, into the depths of the ocean and onto the desert but the Moon King will not give up and one day Starbird is recaptured. How can this story reach that all important happy ending?

Sharon King-Chai uses the most delicious vocabulary in her sparkling book:

worthy, perilous, magnificent, befriended, descended, piercing gaze, engulfed, omnipresent, revelled.

Which cover do you like?  The top one is the new paperback edition and the second image is the hardcover version. This would be a beautiful book to share with a group of students (aged 7+) and it is also a book to share with an art teacher who is sure want to use these stunning illustrations to inspire students.

The illustration and design of this story is stunning and it stands out as a particularly special book because of it. Striking landscapes in pale colours alternate with patterned pages where animal shapes can be made out it the blank space between different designs. Silver foil detail is used to great effect throughout. There is a particular focus on skies – starry heavens, and swirling Arctic lights and pale sunsets over the mountains. Book Murmuration

This story reminded me of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale - The Emperor and the Nightingale.

When I saw Starbird at Gleebooks yesterday I immediately recognised the beautiful art of Sharon King-Chai which mesmerised me in the Julia Donaldson book Animalphabet. There are now two books in this series: