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The Wishbird
A novel for children 10 +
Two extraordinary heroes.
One magical journey.
Oriole's beloved Wishbird is dying and she must leave the Forest to save him. But in the City of Soulless there is danger everywhere. Can Oriole and Boy save Soulless and the Wishbird, or will the city's darkness prove too great even for magic?
Two extraordinary heroes.
One magical journey.
Oriole's beloved Wishbird is dying and she must leave the Forest to save him. But in the City of Soulless there is danger everywhere. Can Oriole and Boy save Soulless and the Wishbird, or will the city's darkness prove too great even for magic?
200 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 2013
3 people are currently reading
603 people want to read
About the author
Gabrielle Wang
30 books71 followersGabrielle Wang is an award winning children’s author born in Melbourne of Chinese heritage. Her great grandfather came to Victoria during the Gold Rush, settling in the town of Wahgunyah on the Murray River. In her twenties Gabrielle lived in China and Taiwan where she studied Chinese language, traditional painting and calligraphy. After working as a graphic designer she discovered a love of painting pictures with words. Since then she has written 16 books for children and young adults. Gabrielle’s stories are a blend of Chinese and Western culture with a touch of magic. She has twice won the Aurealis Award for Best Children’s fiction, and her books have been named Notables in the CBC Awards and highly commended in the Prime Minister's Awards. She is also published internationally in US, UK, China, Korea and South America.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 2, 2013
I love Gabrielle Wang’s work and I love listening to her speak, so I was very happy to be sharing a stage with her at the Melbourne Writers Festival. Her new novel The Wishbird is a magical adventure for young readers, and has the added bonus of illustrations by Gabrielle as well, including the gorgeous cover.
Boy is an orphaned street urchin in the grim City of Soulless who makes a living as a pickpocket. One day he has a chance encounter with Oriole, a girl with a ‘singing tongue’ who was raised by the Wishbird in the Forest of the Birds. The Wishbird is dying, and Oriole has come to the city to try and find a way to save him. She finds herself imprisoned for her musical voice, however, and Boy must find a way to help her. What follows is a simple but beautiful fable about courage, beauty, love and trust that reminded me of old Chinese fairy tales.
Boy is an orphaned street urchin in the grim City of Soulless who makes a living as a pickpocket. One day he has a chance encounter with Oriole, a girl with a ‘singing tongue’ who was raised by the Wishbird in the Forest of the Birds. The Wishbird is dying, and Oriole has come to the city to try and find a way to save him. She finds herself imprisoned for her musical voice, however, and Boy must find a way to help her. What follows is a simple but beautiful fable about courage, beauty, love and trust that reminded me of old Chinese fairy tales.
August 4, 2013
From the moment I started reading The Wishbird the words enchanted me. The prologue begins with Mellow "The Wishbird" drawing near to the last threads of life. He doesn't worry about where he will journey next, he worries for Oriole, sweet Oriole.
Oriole is a 12 year old girl who has never lived among humans. She came to live with The Wishbird as an infant and has been raised by the birds of the forest ever since. Her clothing is woven from silk spun by orb weaving spiders. Her every word is said in sing song fashion, as she has never ever spoken to another human being, only her bird friends. When Oriole realises her Wishbird is dying, she embarks on a quest towards the city of Soulless to alert the King to the Wishbird's conditon. The King and the Wishbird are forever tied together by the fabric of the universe and Oriole believes the King will have a solution. Soulless is an evil place, full of despair unlike anything Oriole has ever known and even the sound of her voice, places Oriole in great danger.
Her simple quest turns sour and Oriole finds herself in the dungeons, awaiting death. A chance meeting with a small orphan named Boy is her only way of escape. Boy has troubles of his own, on the run from his adopted and ruthless family of other orphan boys. Boy helps Oriole escape and joins her quest to save Oriole's precious Wishbird. Treachery is everywhere, and the city itself is under attack. Oriole and Boy find new friends who reveal the secret of Oriole's origins and together, they unite in their quest to save the Wishbird and the City of Soulless. The enemy is formidable, but one little girl with a sing song voice has the power to change it back to become a city of Solace.
This was a wonderful book with such intricate and vivid descriptions. From the loveliness of Oriole and her enchanted Forest of Birds to the rotting and desolate City of Soulless. There are some violent and dark moments which help to build the tension and fear not just for Oriole's quest but for her life. Every page of this enchanting tale gripped me to the very end. The illustrations that Gabrielle personally created for this book are stunning. They helped me visualise sweet Oriole and her plight throughout the story so beautifully. I would recommend this to upper middle grade (10+)
5 Stars.
Oriole is a 12 year old girl who has never lived among humans. She came to live with The Wishbird as an infant and has been raised by the birds of the forest ever since. Her clothing is woven from silk spun by orb weaving spiders. Her every word is said in sing song fashion, as she has never ever spoken to another human being, only her bird friends. When Oriole realises her Wishbird is dying, she embarks on a quest towards the city of Soulless to alert the King to the Wishbird's conditon. The King and the Wishbird are forever tied together by the fabric of the universe and Oriole believes the King will have a solution. Soulless is an evil place, full of despair unlike anything Oriole has ever known and even the sound of her voice, places Oriole in great danger.
Her simple quest turns sour and Oriole finds herself in the dungeons, awaiting death. A chance meeting with a small orphan named Boy is her only way of escape. Boy has troubles of his own, on the run from his adopted and ruthless family of other orphan boys. Boy helps Oriole escape and joins her quest to save Oriole's precious Wishbird. Treachery is everywhere, and the city itself is under attack. Oriole and Boy find new friends who reveal the secret of Oriole's origins and together, they unite in their quest to save the Wishbird and the City of Soulless. The enemy is formidable, but one little girl with a sing song voice has the power to change it back to become a city of Solace.
This was a wonderful book with such intricate and vivid descriptions. From the loveliness of Oriole and her enchanted Forest of Birds to the rotting and desolate City of Soulless. There are some violent and dark moments which help to build the tension and fear not just for Oriole's quest but for her life. Every page of this enchanting tale gripped me to the very end. The illustrations that Gabrielle personally created for this book are stunning. They helped me visualise sweet Oriole and her plight throughout the story so beautifully. I would recommend this to upper middle grade (10+)
5 Stars.
November 17, 2015
An evocative fairytale atmosphere shimmers through this two-strand story.
For Boy, light-fingering plump purses and tiny treasures from the well-fed wealthy, life is hard in the City of Soulless. He's an orphan who has vague memories of his parents being bundled off in the Song-Stealer's Cart. There is no music, no song, no lilting voice or rhythmic sound in all of Soulless.
But for Oriole, a strange girl from the Forest of Birds, the City is called Solace. It contains her one hope for saving her friend, the Wishbird named Mellow. All she has to do is get to the King.
But the moment she opens her mouth at the city gate, she's discovered to have a 'singing tongue'. In an instant, she's under arrest.
While in prison, she becomes aware that the king's chancellor has designs on the throne and is prepared to ally himself with a barbarian invader to achieve his desires.
The king is dying, the walls of the city are crying and the people have lost heart. If only song could return to the city to give them courage; if only Mellow could be re-united with the king who banished her...
A gorgeous tapestry spun of legend, heroism and hope in the midst of darkness.
I felt the fine weave of story-telling was considerably marred by the frequent 'head-hopping' between different characters' viewpoints.
For Boy, light-fingering plump purses and tiny treasures from the well-fed wealthy, life is hard in the City of Soulless. He's an orphan who has vague memories of his parents being bundled off in the Song-Stealer's Cart. There is no music, no song, no lilting voice or rhythmic sound in all of Soulless.
But for Oriole, a strange girl from the Forest of Birds, the City is called Solace. It contains her one hope for saving her friend, the Wishbird named Mellow. All she has to do is get to the King.
But the moment she opens her mouth at the city gate, she's discovered to have a 'singing tongue'. In an instant, she's under arrest.
While in prison, she becomes aware that the king's chancellor has designs on the throne and is prepared to ally himself with a barbarian invader to achieve his desires.
The king is dying, the walls of the city are crying and the people have lost heart. If only song could return to the city to give them courage; if only Mellow could be re-united with the king who banished her...
A gorgeous tapestry spun of legend, heroism and hope in the midst of darkness.
I felt the fine weave of story-telling was considerably marred by the frequent 'head-hopping' between different characters' viewpoints.
July 25, 2014
Loved Gabrielle's latest book, The Wishbird. A delightful and lyrical fairytale style story set in fantastical China. Oriele has been raised in the forest by a bird, Mellow, but when his health fails she travels to the city to see the king to help him. She finds birds have been banished and she also is in danger, then she meets Boy. This is lovely stuff: magic realism, music, love, hope and gorgeous artwork by the author. A beautiful package.
February 14, 2014
The Wishbird and tales like it always take me back to the books I used to love as a young reader – of fables, legends and fantasy. Whether it be Greek myths and legends, or Arabian tales, I was wrapt in the possibilities of the heroes and anti-heroes portrayed within. Wang has again taken me to these places, though with her Chinese heritage, she has changed the location.
See more at: http://crewsreviews.edublogs.org/2014...
See more at: http://crewsreviews.edublogs.org/2014...
April 29, 2015
Beautifully written children's story.
July 20, 2021
A young orphan thief called Boy and a girl raised by birds called Oriole team up to save the city of Soulless, or Solace as it was once known. Oriole wants to give the king a message from the Wishbird, but the king has banned all birds and forests and music, so she is locked up in the dungeons until Boy helps her escape.
This is a fable-like fantasy, told in a slightly distant fairytale style - quite broad strokes. It's quite pretty and some of the images are lovely, though I doubt I will revisit it.
This is a fable-like fantasy, told in a slightly distant fairytale style - quite broad strokes. It's quite pretty and some of the images are lovely, though I doubt I will revisit it.
June 13, 2018
This was a gr8 book. I read it for school and I was not expecting to enjoy it whatsoever. I think the author shows gr8 creativity and I would recommend it to others but it is still not something that I would have chosen to read on my own. It is not a very complex book and it lacks action and suspense. Above all it is still a gr8 book.
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August 5, 2020Gabrielle Wang writes an amazing book about friendship and trust, with Oriole, the bird girl having been raised in a forest by Mellow, the Wishbird, finally journeying to the kingdom belonging to her ill grandfather. She meets Boy and Lord Taku, as well as discovering more about her past and her family.
Definitely recommend this for 9-12 yrs old!
Definitely recommend this for 9-12 yrs old!
January 31, 2019
A magical fantasy story set in China, this book explores family, friendship and fighting for what is right.
May 29, 2022
Obligatory 5 stars for saving my ERP project
December 6, 2024
Beautiful. Like a fairytale for grown ups (I actually found it in a children's library, but it is tween at the youngest in my opinion). Magical and just beautiful.
January 14, 2022
For a novel that is in the category of children’s, ‘The Wishbird’ is an incredibly deep book. This book covers topics like love, family, war, death and loss in such a beautiful way that when reading you forget that it’s a children’s book. It is also written so poetically and vividly that you are transported to this world. I think this book is perfect for both children and adults. It’s the book you will keep wanting to come back to.
January 13, 2014
This and more reviews, interviews etc on Dark Matter Zine, an online magazine. http://www.darkmatterzine.com. This review was written by Nalini Haynes for Dark Matter Zine.
The Wishbird is a gorgeous change of pace, a lovely children’s fantasy with an oriental setting.
Boy was abandoned as a baby then rescued, Tymon and Poomba-style, by two older boys with less heart and more abusive manipulation (‘can we keep him?’). Boy grew up on the streets of Soulless, a city without birds, wildlife or gardens by decree of the ruler. Boy begs and steals to survive.
Oriole lives happily, far away with the bird refugees in a wood until the Wishbird ails. Fearful for the Wishbird’s imminent demise, the other birds beg Oriole to travel to Soulless for a cure.
The birds weave a carpet in which they carry Oriole to Soulless to beg assistance from the king. Upon arriving in Soulless, Oriole is arrested for talking in a musical voice as one would when raised by birds.
Boy tries to help her; from Oriole he learns Soulless used to be Solace before birds and music were banned.
Conflict ensues, revealing corruption in the royal court.
The setting, along with the few line drawings scattered through the book, reveal an oriental setting with upturned eaves, layered architecture and flowing garb.
Protagonists of both genders unashamedly work together. Apart from the birds who could be any gender, there are very few speaking characters in the story, most of whom are male. I’m not sure this is a cause for concern as Oriole is a girl-hero. Working together, Oriole and Boy are apparently oblivious to any battle of the sexes.
The Wishbird is a beautiful engaging fantasy for primary children to read or to have read to them.
I’d love to see the Wishbird made into a full-colour picture book and even a short film.
Highly recommended; a possible gateway drug leading to the Hobbit.
The Wishbird is a gorgeous change of pace, a lovely children’s fantasy with an oriental setting.
Boy was abandoned as a baby then rescued, Tymon and Poomba-style, by two older boys with less heart and more abusive manipulation (‘can we keep him?’). Boy grew up on the streets of Soulless, a city without birds, wildlife or gardens by decree of the ruler. Boy begs and steals to survive.
Oriole lives happily, far away with the bird refugees in a wood until the Wishbird ails. Fearful for the Wishbird’s imminent demise, the other birds beg Oriole to travel to Soulless for a cure.
The birds weave a carpet in which they carry Oriole to Soulless to beg assistance from the king. Upon arriving in Soulless, Oriole is arrested for talking in a musical voice as one would when raised by birds.
Boy tries to help her; from Oriole he learns Soulless used to be Solace before birds and music were banned.
Conflict ensues, revealing corruption in the royal court.
The setting, along with the few line drawings scattered through the book, reveal an oriental setting with upturned eaves, layered architecture and flowing garb.
Protagonists of both genders unashamedly work together. Apart from the birds who could be any gender, there are very few speaking characters in the story, most of whom are male. I’m not sure this is a cause for concern as Oriole is a girl-hero. Working together, Oriole and Boy are apparently oblivious to any battle of the sexes.
The Wishbird is a beautiful engaging fantasy for primary children to read or to have read to them.
I’d love to see the Wishbird made into a full-colour picture book and even a short film.
Highly recommended; a possible gateway drug leading to the Hobbit.
January 25, 2014
Lyrical and compelling like the very best of songs, The Wishbird is a triumph of simple storytelling and immediately engaging characters. So drawn into this story of Boy and Oriole was I, that I ended up finishing it in one day!
Boy is a child of the streets, forced into a life of crime to survive when his parents are taken away for being musical - illegal in the City of Soulless (once known as the City of Solace). Oliver Twist and Boy have much in common - both orphans who are forced to work for a hard and cruel task master and live in squalor.
Oriole has lived in a Banyan tree in the Forest under the care of The Wishbird, Mellow, for as long as she can remember. She, too, is an orphan, but cared for by the gentle and simple birds she has led a very different life to Boy. She has the "Singing Tongue" and when she uses her voice it is magical.
Mellow is dying, and Oriole is sent to the walled city of Soulless to see the King and beg him to reunite with his Wishbird, Mellow in order to save them both.
Oriole and Boy connect and together they start a quest to save the kingdom, the King, Mellow and themselves.
There are villains, and heros in disguise, all supported by the beautiful, lilting language of Gabrielle Wang. I could not put this story down once I had met the characters. Gabrielle's delighful drawings appear throughout, which was an added bonus - helping me to see the characters as she imagined them.
I would give this 10 stars if I could!
For ages 10 and up. Wonderful.
Boy is a child of the streets, forced into a life of crime to survive when his parents are taken away for being musical - illegal in the City of Soulless (once known as the City of Solace). Oliver Twist and Boy have much in common - both orphans who are forced to work for a hard and cruel task master and live in squalor.
Oriole has lived in a Banyan tree in the Forest under the care of The Wishbird, Mellow, for as long as she can remember. She, too, is an orphan, but cared for by the gentle and simple birds she has led a very different life to Boy. She has the "Singing Tongue" and when she uses her voice it is magical.
Mellow is dying, and Oriole is sent to the walled city of Soulless to see the King and beg him to reunite with his Wishbird, Mellow in order to save them both.
Oriole and Boy connect and together they start a quest to save the kingdom, the King, Mellow and themselves.
There are villains, and heros in disguise, all supported by the beautiful, lilting language of Gabrielle Wang. I could not put this story down once I had met the characters. Gabrielle's delighful drawings appear throughout, which was an added bonus - helping me to see the characters as she imagined them.
I would give this 10 stars if I could!
For ages 10 and up. Wonderful.
February 11, 2014
The Wishbird is a gentle, poetic read, beautifully written and exquisitely illustrated by the author Gabrielle Wang. The inspiration for the story came from a book read and remembered from childhood. The story grew from this seed into an enchanting fable that Yr 7 & 8 students will love.
The story is a magical one and moves from the Forest where Oriole lives with the Wishbird, to the city of Solace, known now as Soulless, where the King, heartbroken at the loss of his son, has banned music and destroyed all the trees and birds.
Oriole meets Boy, another orphan, and together they must save the city from an invading barbarian army and do all that they can to restore the health of the ailing Wishbird and the dying King.
This is a fantasy story of a world without music - without soul. It deals with loss and how power can be used for good or evil, of friendship and courage to overcome life's hardships, of birds and their mythical significance to cultures around the world. It is also the story of two remarkable heroes who endear themselves to readers as we follow them on their journey.
Highly recommended read for upper primary and lower secondary students, and suitable for a class text. Teacher support notes are available.
The story is a magical one and moves from the Forest where Oriole lives with the Wishbird, to the city of Solace, known now as Soulless, where the King, heartbroken at the loss of his son, has banned music and destroyed all the trees and birds.
Oriole meets Boy, another orphan, and together they must save the city from an invading barbarian army and do all that they can to restore the health of the ailing Wishbird and the dying King.
This is a fantasy story of a world without music - without soul. It deals with loss and how power can be used for good or evil, of friendship and courage to overcome life's hardships, of birds and their mythical significance to cultures around the world. It is also the story of two remarkable heroes who endear themselves to readers as we follow them on their journey.
Highly recommended read for upper primary and lower secondary students, and suitable for a class text. Teacher support notes are available.
September 9, 2013
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. This was a great book! Even though it was written for younger children than me, the story was great, and the characters were very believable. I always enjoy fable-type stories, and this one held my interest all the way through. And I like the happy ending! Oriole was a perfect heroine, and Boy, or Hero, was the one who made the day. It is good that he learned and wanted to change his thieving ways. I am also glad he found his parents in the end. Plus, Rabbit became honest too. Wonderful story. I reccomend it to everyone!
July 20, 2013
This was a quick read for me (the span of only a couple hours!) but the story was original, and sweet. There is room for interpretation at the end while still giving us a happy ending. Things are resolved easily (too easily, perhaps?) but for the audience, it makes for an easy ending without too much drama.
November 21, 2015
I originally entered to win this book in GoodReads Giveaways for my daughters. I won a copy and was promptly rewarded with a signed copy. I have just finished reading it and I must say Gabrielle Wang has not only given me a great read but she has given my family a wonderful gift. I highly recommend it to everyone young and old.
January 30, 2014
When I picked this book up I wasn't sure what it was about, read the first couple of chapters and was very interested. I'm glad I picked it up it was very easy to read, but I still had to concentrate on the characters. I highly recommend this to both children and adults
August 6, 2013
A beautiful balance of enchantment and wonder weaved into believable relationships and personal sacrifice. Loved it.
July 20, 2019
It could be either for adults or children. It is a very moving book and really makes you think. I would recommend for ages 13+
September 29, 2013
Gabrielle Wang has done it again. Her creation of mythological worlds with intriguing characters makes this an enchanting book. Gabrielle's own illustrations throughout the book serve the story well.
April 13, 2014
Sweet jfic tales of orphan boy & special girl raised by birds like a fairy tale
June 6, 2014
Gently written with beautiful vocabularies which build a sentimental story! I like this book so much! :)
May 10, 2015
Elegantly written and illustrated. I loved every page.
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December 4, 2016it was a sweet book. i loved it. couldnt put it down.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews