Crow Call

With her father, newly returned from the war, Lizzie heads off on her first hunting trip. Lois Lowry shares a personal memory that has universal appeal. The gentle plot revolves around the moments in which Lizzie and her dad get to know each other again as well as Lizzie's quest to carry out the crow call. Julia Fein's voice is gentle and pure--perfect for a girl on a special expedition. Lizzie's hesitancy and spontaneity shine as Fein narrates at a leisurely pace yet enunciates with crystal clarity. Listeners can't help but imagine they're in the woods with Lizzie, her dad, and the crows on their early morning of discovery. A.R. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 28, 2009
A parent returning as a stranger after WWII could be a difficult situation, but in Newbery Medalist Lowry’s first picture book, drawn from her childhood, the reunion brings warmth and trust. Out on a fall hunting trip with her father, Lizzie is quiet with apprehension (“Daddy
. Daddy
. Saying it feels new”). Yet he respects her wishes, even when they’re quirky. When she longs for a plaid hunting shirt many sizes too big, he endorses her choice: “You know, Lizzie... You will never ever
outgrow this shirt.” He orders three pieces of cherry pie (her favorite food) for breakfast. She’s worried about the idea of hunting; he gives her the crow call—“I’m pretty sure you can handle it”—and the crows gather like magic. To her relief, her father never fires his gun. Ibatoulline (The Scarecrow’s Dance
) fittingly dedicates his artwork to Andrew Wyeth. The Pennsylvania countryside, in shades of gold and fawn, undulates behind Lizzie and her father, the quiet colors echoing the intimacy they share. It’s a loving representation of a relationship between parent and child, and an elegy to a less ironic era, while fully relevant for today’s military families. Ages 9–12.