1. Art motifs
2. Art techniques
3. Birds
4. Book design
5. Imagery
6. Nature
7. Personification
8. Perspectives
9. Survival
10. Travel

‘We are starlings’ is a book for those who love nature’s mystery and beauty. Its author, Robert Furrow, is a specialist in natural history. This story is unusually told from the starling birds’ point of view, provoking the reader’s curiosity. Two starlings appear initially, but quickly there is a giant flock of millions, for reasons unknown. The collective noun for starlings is ‘murmuration,’ so called because the flap of their wings makes a murmuring sound. We learn that starlings gather strength, safety and warmth in numbers and that this alliance guides them, but we do not understand their coordinated movements as they whirl, wave, dive and twist together.

The starlings do face dangers such as the attacking peregrine falcon which other birds steer away. The excitement is palpable. Marc Martin, the illustrator, is known for his affinity with the environment. His illustrations in watercolour, pencil and digital collage capture the birds flying in beautiful patterns. The text offers, ‘now we are ready for fun,’ and the double page opens to a gatefold with the starlings dancing, swirling and frolicking across the wide expanse. The illustrations match: ‘We twist through the sky like giant snakes. Or fan out like humongous winds. We loop back over ourselves in figure eights.’ The artistry here is heighted by background shades of pink, gold, rose and purples that display the swarming starlings looping and swooping across the page. Amazingly, we are told the starlings land all as one.

Marc Martin’s artwork is exuberant and softly textured in vibrant shades of blue, navy, rose, orange and gold that blend into one another These form the backdrop for the birds in silhouette. The short text and illustrations offer a tantalising glimpse into the starlings. A concluding informative double page spread provides more details about starlings with interesting facts such as their origin, ability to mimic, sociability, feeding and favourite places to live. Entry and closing endpapers offer inviting splashes of watercolours to open and close an insight into the starlings.

1. National Geographic Kids ‘Startling murmuration facts’ https://www.natgeokids.com/au/discover/animals/birds/starling-murmurations/
2. The Marginalian Oct 2023 review by Maria Popova of ‘We are starlings: inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration’ https://www.themarginalian.org/2023/10/24/we-are-starlings/
3. Penguin Books Australia YouTube ‘Marc Martin makes picture books.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5IspU1pPyo
4. Publishers Weekly 31 Aug 2023 review of ‘We are starlings: inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration’ https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780593381632
5. Kirkus review 9 May 2023 of ‘We are starlings: inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration’ https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/robert-furrow/we-are-starlings/
6. Horn Book Magazine July-August 2023 review by Maeve Visser Knoth of ‘We are starlings: inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration’ https://www.hbook.com/story/review-of-we-are-starlings-inside-the-mesmerizing-magic-of-a-murmuration-jul23