Apparently, Mozart heard one of his latest tunes from the mouth of a starling, before it had been made public, and so went to the bird-catcher in whose cages it sat and bought it, thus forming a strong bond between them for a good couple of years. This fictionalised version of it shows the starling copying all the sounds of the city, and then becoming a lover of music as a result, only to clam up in the grubby hands of the pet dealer. Erm, well I guess there's a story about freedom there, and the power of music, but this taught very little about Mozart, and to my tastes was absolutely ugly to look at. The fact the tale is just an unusual anecdote, better told straight than in the illogical way we get it here (why does Mozart buy the bird when it's mute?!), added to the fact that it's so visually unappealing, means I cannot recommend this effort.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and loved the illustrations! This book tells the story of a starling, full of life, who delights in the sounds of the city. But then one day a bird catcher catches her in a net and puts her in a pet shop. She is too sad to sing until one day Mozart pops into the shop and takes her home. The two musical friends spend the rest of their days inspiring each other. In a tale of finding joy and inspiration in unlikely places, the message is adorable! The drawings and vivid colors really draw the eye and add to the enjoyment of the story. I think this would be a wonderful addition to a classroom or school library!

“What will we compose today, my friend?”

Inspiration comes in many forms and Canadian author Mireille Messier shows us that one of the most famous composers of all time was inspired by a starling! Yes, a humble bird.

You’ll be amazed to read about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his friendship with Star, his starling. Like many serendipitous moments, Mozart’s came as a chance encounter when he walked past a pet shop. Hearing the starling chirping a tune, stopped Mozart in his tracks. You see, it wasn’t just any tune, it was the tune from his newest and unreleased piano concerto! He had to have the bird. True story.

You’ll have to read to discover the famous works composed during their 3-year friendship and about the funeral Mozart was prompted to give for his muse.

Children will love the whimsical, bright, bold and detailed illustrations by Matte Stephens. He’s captured the essence of 18th century Vienna in his art and, although young children might not understand this, they’ll be captivated as their eyes scan the drawings. There’s something new each time they read!

This opens up the discussion about appreciating birds in the wild versus containing them for our own purposes, discussions about muses, and something children may already know about, friendship.

I don’t think I’ll listen to another Mozart concerto or symphony without thinking about Star.

I was given this advance copy by Mireille Messier, Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This delightful story tells how a common starling became a treasured pet of Mozart. The quirky illustrations give the reader lots of color. Pairing the reading with a Mozart recording would enhance both.

This picture book biography teaches readers about Mozart by telling the story of a bird that became his pet and inspired some of his music. The illustrations are beautiful and the concept, that the natural sounds of a bird could be the inspiration for famous pieces of music still celebrated today, is something that young people will enjoy. I could see Music teachers and classroom teachers sharing this story when teaching art history or about biographies that are slightly outside of the typical biographic information and genre. I would recommend this book to teachers and families of children in the 5-10 age range. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.