This is a picture book that tells a different aspect of Mozart. Mozart was a nature lover and also loved creatures. One day when he was walking past a "pet store", he heard a starling sing one of his own songs! There are several theories how this may have happened, but needless to say that Mozart bought and brought home the bird. The illustrations are fun and unique. I love this idea for a picture book! Enjoy.

This was an interesting read for not only me (parent) but also for our 3 year old. I think it's more targeted to a bit older but I got to learn a bit about Mozart and Star. We then used it with listening to Mozart music. Great illustrations too.

This was a really sweet little book about Mozart and a Starling that helped inspire him

I read the book with my 5-year-old daughter and she really enjoyed it and it was a lovely story that discussed the relationship that Mozart had with Star. I hadn't heard of this true story before but it was a delight to read!

The illustrations were lovely and they really suited the book

It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended

What’s not to love when you’ve got animals and music combined? Adults will learn something new with this one, all about the true story of how Mozart was inspired by a precious little starling. This adorable book with its lovely illustrations tells the story of Star and Mozart, from when they met via a chance musical encounter and throughout their beautiful friendship. A book that captures the grandeur and beauty of 18th century Vienna, while reminding our little ones that sometimes the most unlikely friendships are the strongest and most inspiring.

Star: The Bird who Inspired Mozart tells the true story of how Mozart found his beloved pet bird. Narrative Nonfiction is my very favorite genre to read and talk about with my students, so I will definitely be adding this book to our collection. The illustrations are beautiful and the writing is engaging. The Author’s Note is super helpful without being too long and detailed.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Everything about this book is subtly designed to intrigue a young reader into exploring Mozart's music, a time in history, starlings, and the concept of narrative non-fiction. The bright and cheerful illustrations are not at all intimidating and the book exemplifies the "less is more" philosophy. A gem.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra books for this free copy in return for my honest review.
Mixed feelings on this book, in that it is based on a true story about a bird (Starling) that was the inspiration for Mozarts musical masterpieces. I found both the book and illustrations simplistic and that might be what is the selling point to the target audience. I do like that this was inspired by real events and can show that inspiration can come from a most common source - a starling!

Fantastic book! I had no idea and the way this is written makes me SO much more interested in learning more! I love the illustrations (so much whimsy) and the page towards the front with Mozart's wig on it - too cute! This is a must-read and I hope it becomes a series!

This was absolutely darling. The illustrations were charming. This is one my children and I will return to again and again. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

Before reading this book I did not know about Mozart’s bird, Star. I do love non-fiction children’s books and appreciated that the author, Mireille Messier, chose to tell this story.
I know this is a children’s book but I felt it was lacking a bit of depth. I was also not a huge fan of the illustrations but that is a personal preference.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

As a primary music teacher, I am always on the lookout for up and coming educational Childrens books. If you are a parent or teacher looking to enrich your child’s understanding of music and Mozart, check out this non-fiction picture book about Mozart’s pet, “Star.” I thought this story made for a clever tale as part of a lesson about Mozart, but I thought that the illustrations could have been better.

I received an electronic review copy of this book and here are my thoughts.

I enjoyed the colourful and lively illustrations in this book very much.

If purchased as a "historical" story, for a budding musician, it would make an interesting gift.

However, the way the story was written did not have the same charm, so it would not be one of my "top" choices to give to a child due to the uninspired writing.

Such a fun book! Having the bird snatchers with their tongues out looking funny made me chuckle so I'm sure kids will love it. Perfect book to introduce children to classical music or teaching them about birds that mimic. Perfect for any library

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Books for a free digital copy.

What a cool story about the real life bird who inspired Mozart. I loved how quirky and fun this story is.

This is based on a true story of Mozart and his pet bird. Turns out this bird was a regular, common starling. But this bird could carry a tune and Mozart fell in love with it and it fell in love with Mozart. The story is simple and one I think that kids would appreciate. The artwork I like, but at times it’s a little odd. I do love how the author plays with color. Overall this is a nice read and a nice story of Mozart but not one that’s truly memorable.

I had expected to like this a lot more, but it was good, not great.

The book is based on the true story of Star, a starling that became composer Mozart’s muse and beloved pet, to the extent that Mozart even had a funeral for Star when it died. But somehow, the connection between the two doesn’t come out strongly in this book. Most of the book focusses on Star, and there are barely a couple of pages about how exactly Mozart was inspired by it. The author’s note at the end of the book is excellent and reveals more about this odd relationship, but this should have been part of the story and not the note.

Of course, the part that focusses on Star is fantastic. It reveals the bird’s love for music and its special talent for mimicking sounds. Kids who love animals/birds might still be enthralled by the story, especially if they hadn’t heard of it before. After all, starlings are considered an invasive menace in the US, so to see it as a pet would come as a surprise to many.

I was aware of this story through Lyanda Lynn Haupt’s “Mozart's Starling”, which was an informative as well as entertaining book. I expected the children’s book to be as charming, but it didn’t appeal to me as much as I had expected.

I am not sure how I feel about the illustrations. On one hand, they are bright and colourful. But they are drawn as a little child would draw people, not like stick figures but with basic features. This might have been a creative call but I don’t think it worked well for the book. One woman appears to be in some kind of knee-length strapless dress, which would be a strict no-no in Mozart’s era.

The language is pretty easy for beginner readers. The book is aimed at readers aged 4-8 years.

All in all, yes, it is a novel story and might work for little readers. It might also work for teachers looking for an unusual story of nature for grades 1-2. I think I would have enjoyed it more had I not been aware of this anecdote.

3.5 stars.


My thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books, and NetGalley for the DRC of “Star: The Bird Who Inspired Mozart”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I didn't like the book as much as I wanted to. The illustrations are interesting and quirky but the information felt inadequate, wish it told more about Mozart and gave more details on Star and Mozart's friendship. The way the bond was formed is undoubtedly an interesting tale. I love that it is written in an easily understandable language for kids to enjoy, wholly appreciate the effort and the idea. My favourite part is the author's note as it explains the story better. Recommended.

I had never heard of this true story and it was quite a treat. The vibrance of Matte Stephens illustrations is a treat and cute. Mireille Messier brought us a true story and made it easy to comprehend, creative, and humorous for children that will surely find curiosity in any bird they see and probably try out a tune of their own just in case another Star is perched somewhere listening in.

This was such a cute, short read! I had never heard this story told before so it was very sweet to read it. My favorite part of this book was the illustrations. They were fun and quirky.

This delightful picture book biography is about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, an outstanding world-renown musician, and is based on a true story. He encounters a plain, unpretentious starling who exhibits knowledge of his music and acquires the little bird for his pet.


" The story goes that over two hundred years ago, while passing by a pet shop in Vienna, Austria, Mozart heard a starling whistling the tune from his newest and unreleased piano concerto. Enchanted, the composer bought the bird and brought it home where it quickly became a cherished family pet."

For three years they are inseparable. Their relationship is unprecedented. When his beloved companion dies Mozart holds a funeral in his honour. I am sure he was sorely missed by the musical genius. It's truly magical how a humble starling could inspire one of the greatest virtuosos of all time... but he did just that!

The illustrations are whimsical and playful and the colour pallet is visually engaging. I would recommend this book to be in classrooms and elementary school libraries. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it be added to your child's library.