Tag Archives: Crows

Elem. – Stickler Loves the World

Posted on by
Reply

Smith, Lane. Stickler Loves the World. Random House Studio, 2023. 978-0-593-64983-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

A strange yet winsome creature lives in the forest with many woodland animals. True to its name, Stickler is covered with sticks and enjoys collecting them to share with his friend Crow. With its multiple changing eyes, Stickler loves looking at everything in its world like “fluffy clouds…mushy moss…craggy stone [and a] slimy frog..” Yet the creature ponders what it would be like to see all these marvels with new eyes, so that it would all be fresh again. A short time later, Stickler meets a stranger in the forest, one who appears to have only three eyes and wearing a space helmet. Convinced that this being is not from Earth, Stickler takes it on a sensory tour of the area and describes such incredible things like the colorful and fragrant flowers, the warmth of the sun and the gusts of wind. In awe of everything, Stickler reflects that many wonders are passed by without being noticed. The stranger’s helmet, which is actually a can, pops off to reveal Crow, who is thankful to his friend for opening his eyes to an amazing world. Smith’s charming and engaging illustrations were created with mixed media. With sticks for hair, a big nose, and large ears, Stickler is an endearing character who encourages young readers to get out and really notice the world around them.

THOUGHTS: This enchanting picture book should be in every elementary collection. Children will enjoy listening to the story and will delight in knowing the identity of the helmeted visitor before the title character. Highly recommended and a Caldecott contender.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Crow and the Peacock

Posted on by
Reply

Fernihough, Jo. The Crow and the Peacock. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-0-802-85568-8. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Crow is living a perfectly happy life until he encounters a dove in the forest one day. Her beautiful, bright feathers and soft cooing cause him to question his dark feathers and loud “caw caw.” Suddenly, his self-confidence dwindles. In talking to the dove, however, he discovers that the dove actually envies the nightingale, whose singing is even more magnificent. The nightingale, in turn, envies the rooster, whose call is so famous it is heard across the land. As the crow travels from bird to bird, he discovers that they all want something another bird has. Ultimately, he meets a caged peacock, who only wishes to fly free like a crow. It is then that the crow realizes how good he has it and that the only thing that could possibly make him happier is sharing his joy with others. A thought-provoking tale complete with lively, colorful illustrations, this book would be an excellent read aloud selection.

THOUGHTS: This book would be a great introduction to self-esteem/confidence building activities. After hearing the story, young listeners could reflect on their own special traits and characteristics. Perhaps they could even share with their peers the attributes they like most about each other. The book might also prompt discussions about jealousy and the problem with comparing oneself to others. This is definitely a must-have for those looking to build social and emotional learning collections.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member