Crow Made a Friend

Starred review from July 15, 2015
Crow is alone. How will he make a friend? A lonely crow tries to make a friend, literally. As the seasons progress, the plans change. In the fall, he uses sticks for a body, a crabapple for a head, and leaves for wings. But when the wind blows, his friend is gone. In winter, he piles snow, adds a seed for an eye, and sticks for wings. But when the sun shines, his friend is gone. When spring comes along, a bird calls, and this time Crow finds a real friend. Together they build a nest, and come summer, Crow has a family. Children taking their first steps into reading will easily follow the simple text on each page. The illustrations complement the text brilliantly. Done in ink and watercolors, an iridescent crow, his colorful creations, and his final true friend stand out against a white background. Readers will appreciate Crow's resourcefulness as he creates his friends and will not need any prompting when they read the "Oh no!" text as the wind blows the fall creation to pieces or the sun melts the winter creation. The overall message of the importance of friends and family is sweet but not cloying. A brightly illustrated story perfect for the very beginner reader. (Early reader. 4-7)

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December 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Rainbow-hued Crow is lonely. He makes a friend out of sticks and leaves, but the wind blows it away. When winter comes, Crow tries again with snow. Sweetly, Crow tries to shade his friend from the sun with a fallen leaf, but the sun melts it. Finally, Crow hears another bird cawing and makes a real friend with another lovely rainbow-hued crow. They make a nest. When spring arrives, Crow and his friend make a family. Colorful Crow and the elements of nature, rendered in watercolors, stand out against a white background, making the artwork noteworthy. With so few actual words, the illustrations help tell the story. VERDICT Another excellent addition to a series that combines a picture book format with easy reader controlled vocabulary.-Mindy Whipple, West Jordan Library, UT

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