A lyrical counting book begins with a single starling (“1 dark bird / perched way up high / a view of town / a taste of sky”), joined by others one by one in rhyming verse up to ten. The number of birds continues to increase (“a hundred here / and there / and there”), growing into a huge flock. Startled by a hawk, the starlings begin to swoop and soar in unison (“Waves like water / dark then light / from down to up, then left to right”). A brief note on the title page defines this event as a murmuration, stating it is “quite a sight to see …” It is here, too, in deeply hued illustrations that show the dramatic flight against a vibrant, setting–sun sky. As night falls, the birds begin to fly off, or roost, until there are only 10 … then 9 … and, eventually, 1 again. (Ages 3–6)