Tag: Pushkin Press

‘The Starling’s Song’ by Octavie Wolters (translated by Michele Hutchison)

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

The starling observes how lovely the landscape is as he flies above and decides to sing a song about it. But when he tells the other birds, they urge him not to forget other elements of natural beauty in the world like the trees, the water and life itself. Together they look closely and see it all. 

The book is gorgeously illustrated with striking woodcut images in black and white with pops of yellow for the starling’s beak and feet. 

‘The Starling’s Song’ is a celebration of nature and a lyrical exhortation to look around us and appreciate the natural world, perfect for fans of Charlie Mackesy’s ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse’.

Thanks to Pushkin Children’s for the ARC.

‘Legendary Creatures’ by Adam Auerbach

Rebecca RouillardLeave a comment

This beautiful picture book for older children is a menagerie of bizarre and mysterious beasts from mythologies all over the world. It explains the origins of some creatures you have heard of (the phoenix, the mermaid, the dragon) as well as some that might be new to you like the Japanese elephant-tusked Baku who eats your bad dreams, the giant crocodile Cipactli with mouths on all of its joints, and the terrifying swallowing monster from Lesotho – the Khodumodumo. 

In addition to the fascinating information, compelling ink and watercolour illustrations create ethereal and yet vivid manifestations of each imagined creature. This book would be a perfect companion-read to Katherine Rundell’s ‘Impossible Creatures’ – for those who want to delve a little deeper into the world of mythical beasts.

Thanks to Pushkin Children’s for the ARC.