ReadThe Portobello Bookshop Gift Guide 2025

Songbird in the Light

A Picture Book

Chris Clarkson author Billy Porter author Charly Palmer illustrator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Abrams

Publishing:19th Mar '26

£14.99

This title is due to be published on 19th March, and will be despatched as soon as possible.

Songbird in the Light cover

From beloved Broadway icon Billy Porter, rising-star author Chris Clarkson, and award-winning illustrator Charly Palmer comes a beautiful picture book about the power of finding your voice.

Mama says her little boy is a songbird with a voice bigger than his whole body. But at school, his classmates make fun of the way he walks and the way he talks—which makes him feel like a songbird too shy to sing.

With the encouragement of his choir teacher, he embraces his talent, realizing that his voice is unique and distinct. When it’s time for the school showcase, he’s finally ready to embrace his joyful talent and share it with the world.

From Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Billy Porter, rising star Chris Clarkson, and award-winning illustrator Charly Palmer comes a beautiful and empowering story about learning to love yourself.

As Billy Porter notes is a powerful author's note: I created this book to remind children of their own joy. Their own love…. A kind of love that the world can't take away.

“Radiant, exuberantly brushed paintings…Young readers who feel that they, too, are not being seen (or heard!) will respond strongly to this confident and visually bold declaration of selfhood.”

* School Library Journ

ISBN: 9781419745836

Dimensions: 216mm x 267mm x 10mm

Weight: unknown

40 pages