Crows!: Strange and Wonderful [School & Library Binding]

Laurence Pringle (Author), Robert Marstall (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2010 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Strange and Wonderful

You see them feeding along the sides of roads or flying to the tops of trees. They are known as common crows, but there is nothing common about them. The familiar sound of "caw, caw, caw" is just one of at least twenty-five distinct sounds crows make in order to communicate with one another. Laurence Pringle examines these remarkable creatures in a fact-filled text that explores how crows talk, behave, and survive. With beautifully detailed illustration by Bob Marstall, young readers get a fascinating look into the world of one of the smartest birds on earth.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-A fascinating look at aspects of this clever bird's social behavior-mobbing, food gathering, and family cooperation. The text is vividly written and easy to understand, and the detailed color illustrations are striking. The picture-book format provides views that will be familiar to everyone who has ever observed these creatures, from pecking at trash in a park to soaring over a winter landscape. This excellent overview captures the crow's quirky playfulness as well as day-to-day actions. For more in-depth coverage for older readers, Pringle's Listen to the Crows (HarperCollins, 1976) is hard to beat.
Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukie, OR
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Crows may be best known for their raucous calls, but Pringle's informal, fact-filled narrative and Marstall's clear, beautiful pictures show that behind the noise is a complex language (they make at least 25 different sounds) and a great variety of smart birds that show their intelligence in many ways. The information about where crows live, what they eat, how they hunt, mate, nest, raise their young, protect themselves, migrate, and so on through the seasons is presented in an immediate, simple style that brings the reader up close to many birds in forests, fields, and city streets. The details make clear that both author and artist know these birds, and the combination of biology and personal observation will help children see for themselves that there is nothing "common" about the common crow. With the dramatic pictures of the big, glossy black birds, this science book is great for group sharing and for a lively read-aloud. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Pr; 1 edition (August 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563978997
• ISBN-13: 978-1563978999
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,102,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Crow Primer, January 7, 2007

By 

lilyrose "lily" (dreamland) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Crows!: Strange and Wonderful (School & Library Binding)

When I ordered this book I did not realize it was for children. I was attracted by the wonderful cover picture of a crow. Discovering that it is for children didn't bother me at all, since I love children's books as much as I love crows. This one is delightful in it's description of the intelligence, personality and habits of crows. Children will enjoy learning about their playful antics and their ability to solve problems, use tools and adapt to a variety of environments. I highly recommend this book to parents, children and anyone who loves birds.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helps kids take a second look at the crow, October 12, 2002

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Crows!: Strange and Wonderful (School & Library Binding)

Bob Marstall illustrates a picture book coverage of a creature well-known to most US kids: what will be less known is the intriguing facts herein; from the fact that crows have over twenty distinct communication sounds to how they deal with danger. An intriguing coverage helps kids take a second look at the crow.