The Cry of the Crow [Paperback]

Jean Craighead George (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

A gun blast wakes Mandy one morning. Someone in her family is shooting crows again. To Mandy's father and older brothers. Crows are pests that have to be kept away from the farm's valuable strawberry crop. Even her younger brother, Drummer, can't wait until he's old enough to learn to shoot. So when Mandy finds the helpless bady crow in the woods, she feedsans tames her in secret.As mandy's bird grows, the wild crows try to lure her away. Knowing her crow must be free, but wanting to keep her as a pet, Mandy begins to realize that growing up is more complicated than she ever dreamed.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in a family of naturalists, Jean George has centered her life around writing and nature. She attended Pennsylvania State University, graduating with degrees in English and science. In the 1940s she was a member of the White House press corps and a reporter for the Washington Post. Ms. George, who has written over 90 books - among them My Side of the Mountain (Dutton), a 1960 Newbery Honor Book, and its sequels On the Far Side of the Mountain and Frightful's Mountain (both Dutton) - also hikes, canoes, and makes sourdough pancakes. In 1991, Ms. George became the first winner of the School Library Media Section of the New York Library Association's Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature, which was presented to her for the "consistent superior quality" of her literary works.

Her inspiration for the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves evolved from two specific events during a summer she spent studying wolves and tundra at the Arctic Research Laboratory of Barrow, Alaska: "One was a small girl walking the vast ad lonesome tundra outside of Barrow; the other was a magnificent alpha male wolf, leader of a pack in Denali National Park ... They haunted me for a year or more, as did the words of one of the scientists at the lab: 'If there ever was any doubt in my mind that a man could live with the wolves, it is gone now. The wolves are truly gentlemen, highly social and affectionate.'"

The mother of three children, Jean George is a grandmother who has joyfully red to her grandchildren since they were born. Over the years Jean George has kept 173 pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn, when the sun changes their behavior and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (September 1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064401316
• ISBN-13: 978-0064401319
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,028,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( G ) > George, Jean Craighead

More About the Author

Jean Craighead George was born in a family of naturalists. Her father, mother, brothers, aunts and uncles were students of nature. On weekends they camped in the woods near their Washington, D.C. home, climbed trees to study owls, gathered edible plants and made fish hooks from twigs. Her first pet was a turkey vulture. In third grade she began writing and hasn't stopped yet. She has written over 100 books.Her book, Julie of the Wolves won the prestigious Newbery Medal, the American Library Association's award for the most distinguished contribution to literature for children, l973. My Side of the Mountain, the story of a boy and a falcon surviving on a mountain together, was a 1960 Newbery Honor Book. She has also received 20 other awards.She attended Penn State University graduating with a degree in Science and Literature. In the 1940s she was a reporter for The Washington Post and a member of the White House Press Corps. After her children were born she returned to her love of nature and brought owls, robins, mink, sea gulls, tarantulas - 173 wild animals into their home and backyard. These became characters in her books and, although always free to go, they would stay with the family until the sun changed their behavior and they migrated or went off to seek partners of their own kind.When her children, Twig, Craig and Luke, were old enough to carry their own backpacks, they all went to the animals. They climbed mountains, canoed rivers, hiked deserts. Her children learned about nature and Jean came home and to write books. Craig and Luke are now environmental scientists and Twig writes children's books, too.One summer Jean learned that the wolves were friendly, lived in a well-run society and communicated with each other in wolf talk -- sound, sight, posture, scent and coloration. Excited to learn more, she took Luke and went to the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory in Barrow, Alaska, where scientists were studying this remarkable animal. She even talked to the wolves in their own language. With that Julie of the Wolves was born. A little girl walking on the vast lonesome tundra outside Barrow, and a magnificent alpha male wolf, leader of a pack in Denali National Park were the inspiration for the characters in the book. Years later, after many requests from her readers, she wrote the sequels, Julie and Julie's Wolf Pack.She is still traveling and coming home to write. In the last decade she has added two beautiful new dimensions to her words beautiful full-color picture book art by Wendell Minor and others and - music. Jean is collaborating with award-winning composer, Chris Kubie to bring the sounds of nature to her words.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very good book to read!!!!, February 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cry of the Crow (Paperback)

I rate this a 5 star book because the book is fasinating and I liked nina the talking crow. I also liked this book because the book was adventures and at some points the book shocked me and it had suspence which i like in books. The book was sad and somtimes happy. Overall this book is excellent and I think everybody should be able to read this FANTASTIC BOOK!!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sad, powerful book about the strength of the human heart., September 25, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cry of the Crow (Paperback)

The Cry of the Crow is about a 12 year old girl. She finds a crow who's parents have been shot. The girl names the crow Nina and raises it. The crow bonds on the girl as her mother. Nina becomes incredibly intelligent and can immitate people. When the raising of the crow gets involved with her other life, a heartbreaking decision has to be made. Read this book to find out more. I rate this book 11 out of 10, and think you should read it if you enjoy funny but sad stories.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for learning about the nature of crows, February 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cry of the Crow (Paperback)

In my veiw this book by Jean Craighead Georgeis very great. Every chapter of the book adds more action to the story. This is a great story for education and enjoyment. This story is about a family with one daughter and three sons. The girl finds a crow and keeps it as a pet. Many problems occur from this crow. This crow is very unique.This story gets better and better by the chapter.This book is very exciting and fun to read.