Birds of a Feather by Sita Singh and Stephanie Fizer Coleman

(UPDATE: Shelf Awareness premiered Birds of a Feather's book trailer on February 3, 2021.)

Hello, Sita Singh! Thank you for visiting Watch. Connect. Read. to celebrate your debut picture book, Birds of a Feather. I think it is the perfect picture book to read aloud during the first few weeks of school. It will help facilitate conversations about standing tall. Actually, I think I would pair it with Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon. I’m curious, what planted the seed for Birds of a Feather?

Sita Singh: Hello Mr. Schu! Thank you for having me here! I really appreciate the kind words.

The seed was planted early! Where I grew up, in Ahmedabad, India, we started each school day with a prayer, pledge, and an acknowledgement of the country’s symbols, which included its national bird—the peacock! Besides that, throughout my childhood, I would often spot peacocks; walking around, eating, screeching, or dancing. Sometimes, I could even get up close to these majestic birds, and they always fascinated the child in me.

When I moved to America, I looked for books to read with my children to help them understand their heritage. They were hard to find, especially books about peacocks! So, I decided to write one.

Are you up for a challenge? How would you describe Birds of a Feather in one sentence?

Sita Singh: Absolutely! Birds of a Feather is about Mo, a colorless peacock who finds strength in what makes him different, and learns to love himself in a jungle full of color.

Illustration Credit: Stephanie Fizer Coleman

Perfect!! What are three of your favorite fun facts about peacocks? 

1) A group of peacocks is called a “party.”

2) Peacocks like eating ticks and termites.

3) In India, people believe that peacocks can predict the rain.

Illustration Credit: Stephanie Fizer Coleman

Please finish the following sentence starters:

Stephanie Fizer Coleman’s illustrations are gorgeous! My heart skipped a beat when I first saw the characters who only lived in my head come alive with such brilliance. Not only did I fall in love with the colors and textures, but I was blown away by Stephanie’s depiction of the colorless peacock. She has created art that was beyond my imagination, and it will transport you to the jungles of India, just like it did for me.

Liza Kaplan is a brilliant editor, who has turned my dream into a reality with her fantastic vision. I treasure how she has shared my childish excitement at every step of the book-making process. And I’m forever grateful to Liza for believing in the manuscript and helping me take it to the finish line.

Story is a doorway which connects people with each other and with the world.

Mr. Schu, you should have asked me when I last saw a peacock, and if I’d ever seen a white one. This January, I was in my hometown in India for two weeks. Almost every day, I saw two peacocks roaming about in our parking lot. As for white peacocks, I have only ever seen one in a zoo. But, I hear there is a white peacock living in the grounds of a church in New York City. His name is Phil and he even has his own Twitter account. One day, I would love to visit Phil and read him my book!

Look for Birds of a Feather on March 2, 2021. 

Sita Singh was born and raised in India. She watched peacocks all through her childhood, as they regularly perched on rooftops and in backyards. The story of Mo came from these happy memories, and she is proud to share this tale that introduces readers to a national symbol of the country of her birth. She lives in South Florida, with her husband and three children.

Stephanie Fizer Coleman thrives on creating beautiful, textural illustrations of her furry and feathered friends. Having grown up in a rural area, she is inspired by nature in all its grandeur. She is the illustrator of Ninita's Big World, and lives in West Virginia with her husband and two dogs.