The Company of Crows: A Book of Poems - Hardcover

Singer, Marilyn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0618083405 ISBN 13: 9780618083404

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2002

Synopsis

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.

About this title

About the Author:

Marilyn Singer is the author of more than one hundred books for children, including the Tallulah books. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and Washington, Connecticut. Visit her online at marilynsinger.net.

Linda Saport has illustrated many distinctive picture books, amoung them Subira Subira by Tololwa M. Mollel and All the Pretty Little Horses: A Lullaby. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0618083405
• ISBN 13: 9780618083404
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 48
• Illustrator: Saport Linda