Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems [Audiobook] [Hardcover]

Marilyn Singer (Author), Linda Saport (Illustrator)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover, Audiobook --  

Book Description

5 and upK and up
You’d think I learned color from the cardinal or the goldfinch, But no— I learned it from the crow.

As a group of crows travels through a small town, everyone has something to say about them—from the painter whom they inspire, to the pig who enjoys their company, to the birdwatcher who wonders what the crows think of people. Here are 23 poems, in the voices of humans, animals, crows, and other birds, that offer a unique perspective on the American crow, a bird commonly thought of as a symbol of bad luck. Whimsical, varied, and easily accessible, Marilyn Singer’s well-crafted poetry reveals surprising truths about crows, such as their fondness for games like “Pull the Clothespin” and their devotion to family and flock. Linda Saport’s breathtaking pastel illustrations are a visual treat, celebrating the natural world and our relationship to it. Author’s note.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the striking full-bleed art and the author's enthusiasm for her subject, this collection of poems about crows may not fly with the target audience. For starters, youngsters may have trouble reading the poems, printed as they are in thin font against deep-colored backgrounds. Ostensibly each poem has a different narrator, but because Singer's (Quiet Night) voice varies relatively little, readers will have trouble distinguishing one character from another. For example, the speaker in "The Boy" refers formally to "those merry, scolding crows" as if he were an adult birdwatcher; "The Birdwatcher," meanwhile, indulges in childlike questions ("Does a crow have a choice/ how to think, how to be?"). The design compounds the problems sometimes the titles, contained within the art, appear below the poem, so that readers may not recognize that a new poem has begun. Saport's (All the Pretty Horses) arresting, bold pastel illustrations adopt an imaginative array of perspectives, and her colors seem almost to glow. However, the slightly abstract quality of her compositions makes them best viewed from a slight distance, whereas close proximity is needed to make out the text. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-Through the eyes of children, parents, a bird-watcher, and a dog and other animals, readers are treated to a poetic introduction to the crow's world. "The Painter" points out how colorful the creature is-"-From the blackest wings/an unexpected rainbow springs,/A sheen of green, purple, blue./My art is to reveal each elusive hue./The crow's art is/to glow." "The Pig" describes the feathered animal as "annOYING" while "The Poet" finds winter "-a quiet crow/stepping stately, sedately/across a frozen lake." Large spreads featuring brilliant colors evoke and interpret the poems successfully. The bold pastels are simply rendered yet engaging. In the illustration for "The Farmer," a large scarecrow leans to one side in a most stylish and unusual red blazer and lime tie, with royal blue pantaloons atop smart white stockings and black shoes. He is covered with loudly cawing black crows whose beaks match his pantaloons. This scene rests on a vibrant green hill with a vivid mustard sky. Children will enjoy the illustrations and language and take pleasure in the thoughts posed in these selections.
Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  • Hardcover: 48 pages
  • Publisher: Clarion Books (September 23, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618083405
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618083404
  • Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.7 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,723,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.

In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides, and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories, and in 1976, her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.

Since then, Marilyn has published over eighty books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored.

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling that says, "Hi. How are you? Sweet Birdie. Okay!" Her interests include ballroom/Latin dancing, dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, playing computer adventure games, and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.

Marilyn is the former host of the AOL Children's Writers Chat and currently co-hosts the Poetry Blast at various conferences. Visit her web site: www.marilynsinger.net.

 

Customer Reviews

1 Review
5 star:
 (1)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Added to my all-things-crow collection, July 30, 2003
By 
Sara M Field (Petoskey, MI United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems (Hardcover)
Delightful reading and gorgeous color illustrations,
Warms the heart and sparks imaginations.
Told by one who really knows her crows,
With colors so bold the artwork glows.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums


Listmania!


Create a Listmania! list

So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject