Crow [Hardcover]

Crow has received glowing reviews from such esteemed publications as Publishers Weekly who lauds it as being a thoughtful story told with polish and style. I was expecting a story showing the dangers of prejudice and loving yourself for who you are. I must admit however that I just don't get it. Crow creeps along his telephone wire and attempts to make friends with a trio of multi colored birds. The Birds then squeak "Black! He's pitch-black from top to toe." "He's not to be trusted." "Brr, must be a mean creature." I found these lines disturbing and immediately realized that I would not be comfortable using this book as a group read aloud. I was still expecting a good resolution to the story, even after our poor crow then despairs, calling himself a "creep" and a "scarecrow of tar and feathers."

Crow then decides to set to work painting his feathers to look like our trio of multi colored birds. He's not successful in winning over new friends though, since the little birds are now scared of the birds he's pretending to be. When his tears wash away the paint, the little birds recognize him as the Crow and are excited because he scared the other birds away with his "burly black beak and your dark feathers." I was expecting something like oh, we shouldn't have judged you by your appearance, or black isn't scary after all. What I got was just a picture of all the birds flying off together. I think maybe the author was trying to point out that the color of the bird didn't matter, they were all scary... but this one just didn't leave me with a good feeling. I didn't like the language at all, and I can't help but feel that if I didn't get it, then 4 to 5 year olds won't get it either.

I will say that the illustrations here are quite spectacular. I just wish the story would have been more satisfying. Not a recommend.

Crow is rejected because Crow IS BLACK! Talk about being not so subtle, right? Imagine you got to the library in a neighborhood that's "black" and the "black" teacher/librarian was reading out loud about how "black" kids were so afraid of the Snowman because you see, Snowman is WHITE! So the Snowman HAD to try to fit in since no one liked him but even then, he failed at it! Then he services the non-blacks and this is how they finally trust him. Thus, they fly away ON HIS black back. I was incredibly embarrassed to be white when this book was read out loud and after I spoke to the librarian at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC they took it off the shelves. How can things like these STILL FLY in 2012????

There are many different kinds of birds around the world. They are big or small, large or thin, and can be in many differently beautiful colors. But sometimes the way we look could give others the wrong message, and that's what happens to a black crow.
In the book, we meet a friendly crow who is being seen as bad by three little birds becaouse of his color. But Crow has a idea of his own. He decides to use colorful paint to change the way he looks. He does it three times, but unfortunately, his new images just scares the three birds away and what will happen to Crow in the end?
This is a great and funny book that kids will truly enjoy, and it teach kids not to judge people by the way they look and to not make judgements so quickly. The illustrations are perfect and will make kids chuckle along. "Crow" is one book that will definitely show kids to help spread their wings and see how they're perfect just the way they are.