How Starling Got His Speckles

PreS-Gr 3–Star, an exceptionally beautiful starling, is proud of his shining feathers and bright colors. But his song, although distinct, is not beautiful. When evening comes and his many friends take to the skies, Star declines to join them fearing that his beauty will be lost in a crowd. When Hawk, looking for his dinner, spots Star’s shining coat glinting in the setting sun there is nowhere to hide. But his croaking call for help is heard by his multitude of friends and they form frightening murmurations in the sky. The giant bird they create frightens even Hawk and he flies off. Star joins his flock realizing that safety is found among friends. But he has changed—exchanging his colors for small white specks resembling birds in flight. Combining science with exciting storytelling and lovely watercolor illustrations, this modern fable is well-suited for early nature and science lessons. The back matter includes interesting information for further discussion.