We Are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration by Robert Furrow, Donna Jo Napoli, Marc Martin
Published by Random House Studio on May 9, 2023
ISBN: 0593381637
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

Told from the perspective of a flock of starlings, this book is a good introduction to the magic of starling murmuration. It starts with just two of the birds on a chilly morning. They take to the sky and meet up with more starlings. Before you know it, the flock has grown to millions of birds. The flapping of so many wings makes a murmur that can be heard below on the ground. They have become a murmuration of starlings. The text explains how the birds are allies and have fun together in the sky. The back matter provides more in-depth information on the birds that the overall story lacks. The illustrations are amazing and do an excellent job showing the scale of the single bird versus the entire flock in the sky. The color palette done in watercolor, pencil, and digital collage is soft and blurry, and somewhat dreamlike. A very basic story that has beautiful pages to view, but could use more details and information on what starlings do besides fly. This informational picture book for ages three to nine, may entice readers to learn more about these interesting birds.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library