Little Crow and Father Crow sit on the branch of a tall tree surveying the freshly planted corn field. Father Crow tells Little Crow that the human father and son they see working in the fields do a lot for crows. They plant corn, they move water, and they feed the crows with their fields. The crows sing their gratitude to the farmers, but in spite of their efforts to sing their best songs, the farmers don’t like the crows.
As they watch, the tricky farmer bends to get a rock. He hides it by the side of his leg, and when they get in close range, the farmer launches his missile at the crows. But Little Crow and Father Crow are much too fast for him. They fly overhead, laughing and singing. Other crows are not so lucky, like Uncle Fly-Too-Late whose wing was broken when a farmer threw a rock.
Little Crow is troubled. What if the farmer picked up a rock when Little Crow wasn’t looking? What if Little Crow couldn’t get away fast enough? Soon, Little Crow has an idea that just might save all the crows.
Named to the 2007-2008 Tejas Star Reading List
Inaugural Winner, 2007 Lacapa Spirit Prize
Special Recognition, 2006 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
“Its strength lies in its traditional origins, its striking illustrations, and the overall message that, occasionally, children can teach their parents a thing or two.”—Booklist
“[This is] a delightful fable that teaches children not only the value of their parents’ lessons, but also the validity of their own inventiveness.”—MultiCultural Review
VICTOR VILLASEÑOR is the author of two bilingual picture books for children, The Frog and His Friends Save Humanity / La rana y sus amigos salvan a la humanidad and Mother Fox and Mr. Coyote / Mamá Zorra y don Coyote. He is also the author of numerous acclaimed titles for adults, including Burro Genius: A Memoir (Rayo, 2004); Macho (Arte Público Press, 2003), which was chosen by the New York Public Library for its distinguished list of Books for the Teen Age; Walking Stars (Piñata Books, 2003); Thirteen Senses (Harper-Collins, 2001); Rain of Gold (Arte Público Press, 1991); and the non-fiction Jury: The People vs. Juan Corona (Little, Brown, and Company, 1977). He is also the writer of screenplays, most notably the award-winning The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez.
Learn more at victorvillasenor.com.
FELIPE UGALDE ALCÁNTARA was born in Mexico City in 1962. He studied Graphic Communication at the National School of Art in Mexico’s National University, where he later taught an illustration workshop. He has been an illustrator and designer for children’s books, textbooks, and educational games for fifteen years. He has taught illustration workshops for children and professionals, and has participated in several exhibitions in Mexico and abroad.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
ATOS English: 4.1
ATOS Spanish: 4.2
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 102342
