The Mob: Feather and Bone (The Crow Chronicles) (Hardcover)

~ Clem Martini (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–For 12 generations, the Gathering Tree has been a haven where the Crow clans recall their history, rejoice and rest, find a mate, remember fallen members of the flock, and select their leader, or "Chooser." At this gathering, young Kyp ru Kurea impulsively gives the call to mob a malicious cat that has killed a nestling, is charged with bringing danger to the Flock, and is evicted for six days for his actions. When a sudden spring snowstorm threatens the Family's existence, Kyp and Kym must break the rules to ensure the clans' survival. Kalum ru Kurea ru Kinaar, the Chooser, relates these events. Values are implied but never preachy. An appealing balance of young and old characters move the story along. The text is infused with avian knowledge and offers a humorous and unique view of humans as witnessed by birds. The writing is excellent but the plot may be a bit too slow for many readers as talk often takes precedence over action. Still, the story will leave readers considering their own impulsive decision-making and its consequences.–Kim Donius, Alfred-Almond Central School, Almond, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 5-8. Encourage animal-loving readers to bury their beaks in this first entry in the Crow Chronicles trilogy, which provides a perfect segue to the more exhaustively evoked universes of Adams' classic Watership Down and David Clement-Davies' Fire Bringer (2000). During the annual migration, escalating conflicts threaten to split the members of the Kinaar Family forever. Then a dangerous blizzard strikes, and ostracized hothead Kyp and two friends serve the flock in a way that casts their tradition-defying attitudes in a positive light. Though the framing of the story as a ritual recitation by an elder ("Still your feather, calm your beak. . . . I'll tell it to you as it happened, word for sacred word") distances readers from the heroic, boundary-testing protagonists, there's much to admire about this first novel. It's no easy task to drum up sympathy for main characters generally regarded as unsavory pests, and Martini meets the challenge admirably, parlaying facts about crow behavior into a convincing, wholly absorbing anthropomorphic society. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Kids Can Press (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553375742
• ISBN-13: 978-1553375746
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,788,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of a kind story/book series, a DELIGHT, September 22, 2009

By	girl who loved GIJoes "christina" (Arlington Heights, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mob, The (Feather and Bone: The Crow Chronicles) (Paperback)

I have reread these three books in the series, beginning with "The Mob" already several times. Each time I find that I love the characters even more. The most interesting thing is that, although the crows have been humanized to some degree, the behaviors they display in these books are actually based on realistic observations of crows in the wild.

These books are excellent material for reading to children and equally wonderful for adults. I HIGHLY recommend this set of books to all animal lovers.

2 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ::.The Mob.::, October 22, 2004

A Kid's Review

The Mob is a pretty good book. It's pretty interesting although it's boring at the beginning it picks pace at the end. It's in the Red Maple this year! I can't wait to read the other Red Maple books!! Yay!! Oh and buy this book. It's awesome and a half =] LOL