1. Allegory
2. Animal welfare
3. Art techniques
4. Belonging
5. Betrayal
6. Birds
7. Compassion
8. Endpapers
9. Fables
10. Fairy tales
11. Family
12. Freedom
13. Friendship
14. Guilt
15. Imagery
16. Injury
17. Isolation
18. Kindness
19. Literary techniques
20. Loneliness
21. Love
22. Metaphors
23. Rejection
24. Responsibility
25. Sadness
26. Siblings
27. Symbolism
28. Visual literacy

When Ella and her brother Leif find an injured young golden eagle with a broken wing they worry that he will not survive but he does after seven days and nights of watchful care. His wing mends and he grows so large and powerful that the wolves in the nearby dark forest do not venture near the house. Soon he is ready to fly but even as he gazes longingly at the sky, his love for the children is strong and he decides to stay with the family.

But the call of the wind (and one’s true nature) is too strong and the eagle soars off high into the sky forgetting his promise to protect the children whilst their father is absent. It is a bad mistake with serious consequences. The children are scared and upset and Ella in her rage curses him to fly unstopping for a year and a day and so he does, to atone, flying through hunger, thirst, pain, alone and desperately lonely. Finally, spent and broken he returns and there is forgiveness and a reconciliation and a recognition by Ella of the eagle’s true nature and needs.

Using a traditional story structure the author has created a contemporary fairy tale that bears comparison to traditional tales. The story traces the eagle’s journey and return home and revolves around a broken promise or betrayal and a traditional narrative mechanism, the curse as punishment and a catalyst for plot and character development. The text is lyrical and rhythmic with words, often repeated, that are descriptive and emotive matching and conveying the characters’ feelings and action.

Stephen Michael King’s whimsical artwork was created using pencil, ink, mono printing and digital transfiguration. The artwork encourages close inspection as an invitation to seek out references to other fairy tales and a landscape that evokes human or animal characteristics. Images of the wind and its effects are prominent throughout reflecting the text. It is the wind that whispers to the eagle and caresses his feathers and is visualised in the clouds—a flying kite, blowing leaves and feathers and windblown hair. The front endpaper with its gentle green tones introduces the wind theme with images of blowing leaves whilst in the rear endpaper we see a distant image of the golden eagle flying away with a single golden feather floating downwards – he is living the future Ella imagines for him.

The book’s glittering gold decorated cover is reprised in an internal image where the eagle is recovered and released to fly away. Yet a large golden wing appears to protectively hover over the family alluding to the dilemma central to the story.

This is a fable about trust and responsibility, about actions and consequences. It is also a tale about atonement and forgiveness, about loyalty and belonging. These are serious topics worthy of clearsighted discussion and reflection, and this book is a useful tool for opening such discussions.

1. Allen & Unwin Teachers’ Notes by Robyn Sheahan-Bright. ‘The Enchantment of Golden Eagle’ by Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Margaret-Wild,-illustrated-by-Stephen-Michael-King-Enchantment-of-Golden-Eagle-9781761181078
2. Paperbark Words 4 August 2025 Joy Lawn interviews Margaret Wild about ‘The Enchantment of Golden Eagle’ https://paperbarkwords.blog/2025/08/04/the-enchantment-of-golden-eagle-by-margaret-wild-stephen-michael-king/
3. ReadPlus 21 August 2025. Fran Knight reviews ‘The Enchantment of Golden Eagle’ By Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King https://www.readplus.com.au/reviews/the-enchantment-of-golden-eagle
4. Kids’ Book Review 10 September 2025. Shaye Wardrop reviews ‘The Enchantment of Golden Eagle’ by Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King http://www.kids-bookreview.com/2025/09/review-enchantment-of-golden-eagle.html
5. Scholastic Australia Teaching Notes by Carolyn Walsh for ‘The Enchantment of Golden Eagle’ by Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King https://resource.scholastic.com.au/ResourceFiles/100142612_131119.pdf