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Starbird
A stunning gift to treasure from the astonishingly talented illustrator of Animalphabet by Julia Donaldson.
Starbird is an original fable about freedom and love. This unique book shimmers with shiny silver foil throughout its pages, and Sharon King-Chai's intricate illustrations of plants and animals are utterly beautiful.
Starbird's songs weave the richest dreams and delight all who hear him, but when the Moon King traps him in a cage, the colour and life in his voice begin to drip away. What follows is a story with the feel of a timeless myth, with the message that that captivity dims even the brightest star.
A heartfelt, lyrical story, and an exquisite gift for any child or adult.
About the Author
Sharon King-Chai is an enormously talented designer, illustrator and writer. Having grown up in Australia, she moved to London in 2003 and since then has brought her style and eye for beautiful design to album artwork, book covers, stationery and her own books Lucy Ladybird, Snail Mail and Animalphabet , a collaboration with Julia Donaldson. Sharon has a passion for innovation, and her artwork and clever use of paper cutting and finishes encourage the reader to think differently about the pages they hold in their hands.
Starbird is an original fable about freedom and love. This unique book shimmers with shiny silver foil throughout its pages, and Sharon King-Chai's intricate illustrations of plants and animals are utterly beautiful.
Starbird's songs weave the richest dreams and delight all who hear him, but when the Moon King traps him in a cage, the colour and life in his voice begin to drip away. What follows is a story with the feel of a timeless myth, with the message that that captivity dims even the brightest star.
A heartfelt, lyrical story, and an exquisite gift for any child or adult.
About the Author
Sharon King-Chai is an enormously talented designer, illustrator and writer. Having grown up in Australia, she moved to London in 2003 and since then has brought her style and eye for beautiful design to album artwork, book covers, stationery and her own books Lucy Ladybird, Snail Mail and Animalphabet , a collaboration with Julia Donaldson. Sharon has a passion for innovation, and her artwork and clever use of paper cutting and finishes encourage the reader to think differently about the pages they hold in their hands.
40 pages, Paperback
Published November 4, 2025
2 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
April 12, 2023
The gorgeous illustrations turn this into a 5-star picture book.
May 15, 2021
The story was cute, but the illustrations done it for me. So beautiful!
November 30, 2020
There was only one Starbird - the beautiful and enchanted creature whose song wove the most magical dreams. The Moon King wanted this bird to give as a gift to his new daughter as gold and jewels would not be enough, so he captured the bird. The bird sung songs for the princess and lured her to sleep into the most magnificent dreams. But as the girl grew older she recognised the Starbird wasn’t happy, so let it free.
However, the Moon King was furious and searched for the Starbird to return it. As the Starbird flew across many lands, he was protected by many from the Moon King. But one day as the Starbird continued its search for home, it was caught once again. But this time, the Princess manages to persuade her Father that the Starbird belongs in the sky and is again set free.
The illustrations in this story are incredible, with silver foil used on each page. I particularly enjoy how the moon phases are shown in various places as they are gloriously illustrated through the use of the digital art and foil.
However, the Moon King was furious and searched for the Starbird to return it. As the Starbird flew across many lands, he was protected by many from the Moon King. But one day as the Starbird continued its search for home, it was caught once again. But this time, the Princess manages to persuade her Father that the Starbird belongs in the sky and is again set free.
The illustrations in this story are incredible, with silver foil used on each page. I particularly enjoy how the moon phases are shown in various places as they are gloriously illustrated through the use of the digital art and foil.
October 29, 2024
Story 3 star, illustration 5 star
October 23, 2019
“Exquisite, timeless” - this picture book certainly lives up to this publisher's description. This is the perfect gift for anyone from the lover of art to the collector of fine books. It would make a very special gift for the newborn or new parent.
Not only has the Australian author now living in London written a fable that readers will love, but Sharon King-Chai's illustrations attract from the strong colours of the covers to the simplicity single leaf on the last page. The title page with its detailed patterning of fauna and flora hints at the extravagantly intricate illustrations to follow.
The Moon King's desire to give his daughter the ultimate gift is understandable – but so is her decision to release the bird from its cage. With Starbird the reader travels through day and night, through jungle, desert and the underworld, but is no match for the Moon King's determination. But his daughter shows her determination too.
There is a strong message here about freedom, love, and the hope that attitudes can be changed.
This is a book to be treasured, to be read and re-read and its illustrations appreciated and studied for their detail. A beautiful book.
Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)
Not only has the Australian author now living in London written a fable that readers will love, but Sharon King-Chai's illustrations attract from the strong colours of the covers to the simplicity single leaf on the last page. The title page with its detailed patterning of fauna and flora hints at the extravagantly intricate illustrations to follow.
The Moon King's desire to give his daughter the ultimate gift is understandable – but so is her decision to release the bird from its cage. With Starbird the reader travels through day and night, through jungle, desert and the underworld, but is no match for the Moon King's determination. But his daughter shows her determination too.
There is a strong message here about freedom, love, and the hope that attitudes can be changed.
This is a book to be treasured, to be read and re-read and its illustrations appreciated and studied for their detail. A beautiful book.
Reviewed by Chris Wright (Bookrapt)
September 22, 2019
Once upon a time there was a king. He was called the Moon King and was soon to become a father. Planning a gift for
his first-born, he knew that gems and jewels were not enough. He wanted the most splendid present for his daughter. His gift to her would be the legendary Starbird, of whose song wove beautiful dreams, wonder and happiness.
He soon sets off to capture Starbird, not realising the unhappiness it will bring.
An original fable about love, freedom and kindness of others, the illustrations are nothing short of exquisite. Almost every page contains silver foil artwork, whether it be Starbird himself or the beautiful fauna and wildlife around him. Starbird flees the Moon King, travelling the world. Look closer into each picture to discover even more.
Stunning!
his first-born, he knew that gems and jewels were not enough. He wanted the most splendid present for his daughter. His gift to her would be the legendary Starbird, of whose song wove beautiful dreams, wonder and happiness.
He soon sets off to capture Starbird, not realising the unhappiness it will bring.
An original fable about love, freedom and kindness of others, the illustrations are nothing short of exquisite. Almost every page contains silver foil artwork, whether it be Starbird himself or the beautiful fauna and wildlife around him. Starbird flees the Moon King, travelling the world. Look closer into each picture to discover even more.
Stunning!
December 6, 2019
This book is gorgeous!!
September 5, 2021
Starbird is an original fable created by Sharon King-Chai that weaves in themes of love, freedom and the wisdom of children. It is a love story but a richly complex one between a father and his daughter, a daughter and a captive bird and a bird and its natural home.
The story begins when a king is overjoyed to find that he has a baby daughter. Wishing to impress her and show her how much she means to him, he seeks out the one-of-a-kind Starbird. He travels throughout the land and does not stop until Starbird is captured and caged. As the girl grows up, she falls in love with Starbird's song until she gets to an age where, through listening carefully, she hears the melancholy in its tune and chooses to set him free. The King is furious when he discovers this and seeks to capture him once again.
When speaking about the book, King-Chai speaks about how, as adults, we can become very driven with goals and often lose sight of the original intention - the same is true when trying to please our children at times too. In Starbird, it is the princess who shows her father the right path showing that sometimes children see something the things that adults do not.
It is an unusual picturebook in that it is text-heavy but the images do more than just compliment the text. There are moments in the book where the Starbird hides from the king with the aid of animals from different habitats. King-Chai achieves this beautifully, through the use of negative space in nighttime scenes. Children will love looking through the foliage on spreads and seeing the shape of animals whilst searching for Starbird in amongst the image.
This is a delightful fable that riffs on older stories for a contemporary audience. Excellent work.
The story begins when a king is overjoyed to find that he has a baby daughter. Wishing to impress her and show her how much she means to him, he seeks out the one-of-a-kind Starbird. He travels throughout the land and does not stop until Starbird is captured and caged. As the girl grows up, she falls in love with Starbird's song until she gets to an age where, through listening carefully, she hears the melancholy in its tune and chooses to set him free. The King is furious when he discovers this and seeks to capture him once again.
When speaking about the book, King-Chai speaks about how, as adults, we can become very driven with goals and often lose sight of the original intention - the same is true when trying to please our children at times too. In Starbird, it is the princess who shows her father the right path showing that sometimes children see something the things that adults do not.
It is an unusual picturebook in that it is text-heavy but the images do more than just compliment the text. There are moments in the book where the Starbird hides from the king with the aid of animals from different habitats. King-Chai achieves this beautifully, through the use of negative space in nighttime scenes. Children will love looking through the foliage on spreads and seeing the shape of animals whilst searching for Starbird in amongst the image.
This is a delightful fable that riffs on older stories for a contemporary audience. Excellent work.
March 26, 2021
One of my favourite picture books this year. I loved the use of colour and specifically sliver to draw attention to the magical nature of the Starbird in the story. I particularly loved the night time spreads, where the silhouettes of the creatures that give shelter to Starbird are hidden within the page, keeping watch. Ultimately this is a beautiful story about the importance of freedom and the terrible hard caused when that is denied.
June 4, 2021
I read this as part of my annual CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals shortlist reading project.
Shimmering foil accents entice eyes and fingers to chart the path of a caged Starbird from captivity to freedom and back again, as a daughter teaches her the greedy father the Moon King about respecting the songs in each of us that we will only sing when we are uncaged. All the power of a timeless folk tale in these pages, gorgeous illustrations, for all ages.
Shimmering foil accents entice eyes and fingers to chart the path of a caged Starbird from captivity to freedom and back again, as a daughter teaches her the greedy father the Moon King about respecting the songs in each of us that we will only sing when we are uncaged. All the power of a timeless folk tale in these pages, gorgeous illustrations, for all ages.
November 26, 2021
If you don’t pick up this book in a bookshop, it would be considered quite offensive ‘cause just look at those illustrations—they’re gorgeous, exquisite, otherworldly, and everything that makes an enchanting book all the more enchanting. I’m SOLD!
As for the story, first, it breaks you apart and later, leaves you with a sense of hope, closure, and a sigh of relief.
As for the story, first, it breaks you apart and later, leaves you with a sense of hope, closure, and a sigh of relief.
April 30, 2021
Amazing! I love the use of silver in the illustrations, black at night and colour in the day. Trying to find all the animals hidden in the night was such fun for me and for little ones as well. The story and it's moral was good and there was even some geography and nature thrown in.
September 21, 2022
A Shadower's Choice winner. That is an award given by children, in conjunction with the UK Carnegie awards. I 'read' it on youtube because none of my (US) libraries bought it. To me, it seemed pretty, and of course it has a good theme, but I didn't find it actually wonderful.
October 18, 2025
A beautiful book with a theme that is all about allowing the person/creature you share your life with to live as they need to live. It's a nice enough book, but I do think the ending doesn't quite add up.
April 2, 2021
A story about freedom. The glitter/ sparkles elevate the book and increase its appeal.
May 23, 2021
It's a lovely story in a truly, truly beautiful book.
September 10, 2021
What a beautiful story and illustrations.
January 1, 2022
This is a book about a bird who gets captured but then a princess releases it. The bird then gets captured again and ends up dying.
November 1, 2022
Enchanting.
A story about love and the understanding of a little princess that her starbird must be set free.
A story about love and the understanding of a little princess that her starbird must be set free.
January 29, 2023
"As the sun retired in deep dark shadows, the mountain creatures told Starbird of a faraway land where the birds sing together and make homes in trees as old as time itself."
September 25, 2023
Has a lovely message about how beings don't belong in cages.
December 23, 2023
Force and control will never end in a good way.
October 1, 2019
I can't possibly think of a more beautifully illustrated book. I saw this on Twitter one day, posted by the publisher, Two Hoots, and had to order it immediately even though that meant ordering through the U.K. It's now more readily available in the U.S. Sharon King-Chai is a new-to-me illustrator of children's books based in London. Her work is absolutely stunning and multi-layered. From dark shadows to single tears to single feathers to full spreads of animals and landscapes magically imagined, there's something for everyone in this book. Starbird has the feel of an old fairytale with a foreboding Moon King, a big-hearted princess and a hero's journey that spans jungles, oceans deep, a dry dusty desert, and high up to "where the tops of the mountains scraped the sky."
January 1, 2020
Gorgeous illustrations! Beautifully done book. But the text... Well it seemed a bit flat to me. Having said that I would have bought that book again given the choice - just to experience the joy of looking at the illustrations.
October 6, 2022
Lesson: We cannot keep beautiful things caged up for ourselves. The beauty is in their freedom.
The illustrations are beautiful! Kids will love the shiny parts of the pages.
#freeBrittany style story?
The illustrations are beautiful! Kids will love the shiny parts of the pages.
#freeBrittany style story?
January 30, 2020
Utterly gorgeous.
January 8, 2024
The illustrations in this book are stunning, and the story holds its own: a simple and effective tale of a parent admitting to a mistake.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews