A Song for the King

A heartwarming and humorous retelling of the traditional nativity story, told from the viewpoint and 'singing voices' of the baby animals at the inn.

Netta was born with a song in her heart. It was loud and squeaky and went like this: Joy! Joy! Joy!

Netta the donkey loves to sing with her friends, Esther the sheep and Uzi the camel. They frolic around town from dawn till dusk, braying, bleating and gurgling. But sadly, not everyone likes to listen.

Netta falls silent until something so wondrous happens that her song bursts forth once more.

A joyful nativity story from award-winning creators Katrina Nannestad and Freya Blackwood.

About the Author

Katrina Nannestad is a multi-award-winning Australian author. Her books include the CBCA-shortlisted We Are Wolves, The Girl Who Brought Mischief, The Travelling Bookshop series, The Girl, the Dog and the Writer series, the Frances Bloom series, the Olive of Groves series, the Red Dirt Diaries series, the Lottie Perkins series, The Story Writer's Handbook: Adventures in Creative Writing, the historical novels Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief, Waiting for the Storks, Silver Linings and All the Beautiful Things, and the picture book, A Song for the King.

Katrina grew up in country New South Wales in a neighbourhood stuffed full of happy children. Her adult years have been spent raising boys, teaching, daydreaming and pursuing her love of stories. Katrina celebrates family, friendship and belonging in her writing. She also loves creating stories that bring joy or hope to other people's lives.

Katrina now lives on a hillside in central Victoria with her husband, a silly whippet called Olive and a mob of kangaroos.

About the Illustrator

Freya Blackwood is a multi-award-winning illustrator and writer. Her picture books are beloved for her warm and perceptive drawings. Since publishing her first picture book in 2003, Freya has worked with writers such as Libby Gleeson, Margaret Wild, Jan Ormerod, Nick Bland and Danny Parker. In 2010, Freya won the UK's most prestigious prize for illustrators, the Kate Greenaway Medal, for her book Harry and Hopper. And in 2015 she did what no other creator has ever done, taking out three CBCA Book of the Year awards in a single year. The Unwilling Twin was shortlisted for Picture Book of the Year in the 2021 CBCA Awards. Freya lives in Orange, New South Wales, with her daughter, Ivy.