Birdie Lights Up the World (Alison McLennan, illus by Lauren Mullinder, EK Books)

From performer and voiceover artist Alison McLennan comes a story about a penguin who is thought to be the ‘chosen one’. Birdie is convinced she has the unique ability to illuminate the night sky with the moon and stars through song. Believing the other animals are relying on her gives Birdie a sense of duty and self-esteem. When the night sky lights up without her, she feels lost and unimportant, and seeks to find another way to make herself ‘useful’. The detailed artwork by illustrator and graphic designer Lauren Mullinder depicts a range of strong emotions experienced by the animals clearly and with impact. The book is well suited to children above three years of age, and the illustrations should assist in learning about different emotions and facial expressions. Children as old as 10 will also benefit from discussions on topics such as extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and the importance of self-worth. This story highlights the sense of fulfilment that manifests when others enjoy your talents, championing the value in artistic pursuits as well as practical abilities. Birdie realises that there is worth in her singing, that she misses the enjoyment she gained from it, and that she can find and spread joy when expressing herself through something she is good at, not just when pursuing a job that is deemed to be ‘useful’.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Baran Rostamian is an emerging writer and recipient of the Green Leaves/Red River poetry manuscript publishing project in partnership with Red River Press. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews