STARBOY

A boy with “the rhythm of the stars” longs to share the joy with everyone around him in this fictional imagining of rocker David Bowie’s childhood.

David, a lonely White boy with long legs and mismatched eyes, “shimmy-shake[s]” and “tip-tap[s]” to cosmic chatter that no one else can feel. The other kids at school call him strange, so David tries to fall in line and shuts his windows at night to silence the noise. When his radio comes to life in his too-quiet room, the sound floods his heart with inspiration and determination to share the commotion, color, and energy of the stars through music. Swirls of sparkling, galactic colors that twine around David make a lively visual representation of sound. This fantastical interpretation sheds a glowing, idyllic, and aspirational light on David Bowie’s life and career. While the story itself focuses on a child discovering self-expression, the aftermatter discusses Bowie’s rise to stardom without the lens of fantasy—but also without critique, describing him as an “otherworldly talent.” Even the physical altercation that damaged his eye receives a positive gloss. Mention of his loneliness and family struggles juxtaposed with the fictional narrative about a misunderstood child casts him as a sympathetic underdog. As a tribute to a glorified star, it’s sure to have high appeal. Illustrations depict background characters with light to dark brown skin.

A visually striking pedestal for an idolized music icon.