The Magical, Wonderful Bul Bul Bird

by Jonathan Kruk, Rob Bridges (Illustrator)

Overview

When a lonely king sends his sons on a quest to find the magical, wonderful Bul Bul Bird, they mysteriously vanish, leaving their courageous sister to embark on a perilous journey to uncover the truth and restore joy to the kingdom.

In this enchanting, lyrical retelling of a timeless fairy tale, master storyteller Jonathan Kruk weaves a tale of courage, mystery, and wonder brought to life with lush, vintage-inspired illustrations that will captivate children and adults alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780829460353
Publisher:	Loyola Press
Publication date:	11/04/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
Age Range:	6 - 10 Years

About the Author

Jonathan Kruk was born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Westchester, N.Y.  Mr. Kruk earned a Bachelor of Arts in English at Holy Cross College and a Master of Arts in Education from New York University and studied creative drama in England. He acted at New York’s H.B. Studios and performed Ritual Urban Theater with Gabrielle Roth. It all began with telling tales to his kid brother, which led to an epiphany about how much children love listening to stories told live, thus launching a full-time career in storytelling. 

A Master Storyteller in the Hudson Valley for forty years, Jonathan has tailored stories to enchant children at hundreds of schools, libraries, festivals, and historic sites.  

Renowned for his solo shows of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “A Christmas Carol,” he has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, the Today Show, and the Travel Channel.  

 Jonathan is the storyteller in residence for the Archdiocese of New York Schools.  

Rob Bridges studied art at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington, where he received his BFA in things not illustrative. Life, being the winding road that it is, eventually led him down an artistic path influenced by old fairy tales and stories he imagined entirely in his mind. His works echo the classic illustration styles of a bygone era, with fragments of stories emerging from a place he calls The Thousand Weed Marsh. Each piece can be seen as a moment pulled from a larger, ongoing tale, like images rescued from well-worn and forgotten children’s books.
The Magical, Wonderful Bul Bul Bird is his first picture book. He is also currently working on bringing his Thousand Weed Marsh world to book form, further expanding the world he has envisioned.
Rob and his family make their home in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, where they live on a piece of land shared with a dog, a cat, and a few honeybees.
 

Editorial Reviews

Stunningly illustrated folktale of a legendary bird and a lonely king.
Kruk reshapes Latvian legend in this creative picture book debut of a legendary bird and arboreal curse plaguing a royal family. This is a joyful tale that uplifts underdogs, prizes intelligence over brute strength and arrogance, and teaches young readers that loneliness, though a powerful feeling, can be eased by just one small act of kindness. Rob Bridges renders timeless illustrations reminiscent of whimsical 19th-century style, transforming Kruk’s narrative into a treasured keepsake. From the cozy castles to the detailed, evocative expressions of the townsfolk to the story’s trees and magical horrors, Bridges delivers a meticulous finesse rarely seen in contemporary illustration today. Kruk’s inspired folktale rewards patience and compassion with the powerful solace of community, making this a one-of-a-kind narrative that readers of any age will adore.
BookLife Review. Publishers Weekly. Editor’s Pick.

From the Publisher