The Life of Birds

The Life of Birds by Quentin Blake is a whimsical and insightful collection of illustrations that anthropomorphize birds to reflect on human behaviors and societal norms. Published in 2005 by Doubleday, this hardcover edition spans 59 pages and showcases Blake’s signature expressive style. The illustrations are larger and more somber than his typical children’s book work, yet they retain the liveliness and humor that characterize his art.

In this work, Blake follows in the footsteps of great illustrators and fabulists like Lear, Daumier, Aesop, and La Fontaine, offering a unique perspective that is entirely his own. Through acute observations of avian behavior, he provides a gentle yet penetrating commentary on human nature. The idea of depicting birds as people allows Blake to explore characters and scenarios that might be challenging to portray otherwise, creating a human aviary that reflects the young and old, the weak and strong, and the spectrum of human emotions.