A beautifully illustrated story which has more to discover each time it is read.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
Australian author Margaret Wild is well-known for writing over 40 award-winning children’s books, including Old Pig, Fox and The Very Best of Friends. After being given a Lifetime Achievement in Literature award by the Australian Council, she has teamed up with internationally renowned illustrator Stephen Michael King. Producing more than 100 titles, he has worked with some of Australia’s best authors and won many prestigious awards.
The Enchantment of Golden Eagle is a story about two siblings, Ella and her little brother Leif. One day they find a baby eagle with a broken wing. They take it home to their father and together they care for it until it recovers. Golden Eagle becomes their protector even when their father has to go away. But Golden Eagle is distracted and he forgets his promise to stay with the children.
While the place is unknown, the beautiful illustrations make the story feel like it is set somewhere in Northern Europe some time ago when wolves roamed wild. Both illustrations and text combine to make the reader feel the exhaustion of the eagle and the children’s fear at being left alone. The front cover shows a giant golden wing, embellished in golden sparkles which is both beautiful and tactile.
Lovely surprises can be found in the illustrations … a wolf shadow, a polar bear cloud, a couple of sleeping dragons, a giant in the canyon with a nod to the three Billy Goats Gruff, and a polar bear hiding in the snow. All these things and more can be easily missed the first few times the story is read. It would be a fun activity trying to find all the hidden pictures.
It is the illustrations which bring this story to life. It feels like it could be an old story which has been told to children for centuries. Many cultures revere the golden eagle and have used it in their folklore. In Native American traditions, culture and religion, the eagle represents honesty, strength, courage, wisdom, power, and freedom. All these things are touched upon in this book. But it is essentially a story of forgiveness, kindness, love, and following your own path in the world.
Different parts of the story would appeal to different age groups. It is worthy of more than one read.
Reviewed by Sue Mauger
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: July 2025
RRP: $24.99
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