The Blue Songbird

What the Story is About

A small blue songbird wakes with a longing in her chest - she wants to find her own song. Everyone around her seems to sing beautifully, but she doesn’t feel like her voice fits. So she flies off in search of her unique tune, crossing deserts, oceans, and distant lands. Along the way, she meets other birds, some kind, some wise, and each encounter leaves her with a little more than she had before.

This is a story about finding one’s voice - not through imitation, but through listening, wandering, and growing into your own sound.

What Theme it Touches

• Self-discovery and finding one’s voice

• Courage, independence, and perseverance

• Listening deeply - to the world and oneself

• Seeing others beyond assumptions or stereotypes

It’s a quiet encouragement to children: you don’t need to be the loudest to be heard. You just need to be true.

What to Notice in the Illustrations

The watercolor illustrations have a hush to them - soft colors, flowing lines, and delicate details that echo the songbird’s feelings. Notice how she appears so small in such vast places - on a sand dune, in the sky, beside a mountain. This contrast evokes both her vulnerability and her quiet courage.

Encourage children to observe how mood and space are created through size, color, and texture. How do the illustrations make you feel?

Deeper Reflections

At its heart, The Blue Songbird is about the courage to go searching - not just for a song, but for understanding. The journey teaches the little bird not only about herself, but also about others. In the beginning, she misnames the birds she meets - calling a crane an ostrich, for instance. It’s a quiet reminder of how we all carry assumptions about others, especially when we don’t know much about them. As she listens, observes, and engages with each new bird, she begins to see beyond labels and first impressions. She learns that wisdom can be gentle, that kindness may come in unfamiliar forms - and that to find her voice, she must also hear the voices of others.

Gentle Questions for Reflection

These aren’t questions to test comprehension - they’re invitations for conversation. Choose what feels right for your group.

Ages 5–7

• Have you ever felt like you couldn’t do something others could? What did you do then?

• Why do you think the blue bird flew so far to find her song?

• Do you think we all have a special song? What could “song” mean in our lives?

• Why do you think the blue songbird called the other birds by the wrong names? Was it a mistake, or something else?

Ages 8–9

• The songbird learns that her song was always within her. Why do you think it took a journey for her to find it?

• What’s the difference between copying someone and being inspired by them?

• Can you think of a time when you learned something important by listening - really listening?

• How do you think the blue songbird’s view of other birds changed during her journey? What did she learn about wisdom, kindness, or understanding others?

Activities and Extensions

1. My Song, My Voice
Invite children to write, draw, or narrate their own “song.” It can be about what makes them unique, what they love, or what they dream of. They can keep it private or share with the group.

2. The Listening Walk
Go on a quiet walk - in the corridor, the yard, or even just sitting still. What do you hear when you really listen? Discuss afterward - what surprised them?

3. Postcard from the Journey
Imagine you’re the blue songbird, sending a postcard from one stop on your journey. What did you see? Who did you meet? What did you learn?

4. Songbird Wall
Create a mural of birds, each carrying a word that represents a child’s “inner song” - like kindness, courage, laughter, or questions. A chorus of colours and voices.

For the Teacher

This book can open up quiet, meaningful conversations about self-worth, stereotypes, and empathy. If your children come from different linguistic or cultural backgrounds, it can also help explore the idea that everyone has something valuable to express—even if it sounds different from the rest.

A quiet reflection for the teacher

• When a child speaks, am I truly hearing them—or just what I expect to hear?

• How often do I rush to label or name children—sometimes out of habit, sometimes to move the day along?

• Do I create space in my classroom for children to listen—not just to each other, but to themselves?

• And when I listen, do I also leave room for wonder—for the unexpected note in a child’s song?