HOW TO KNOW A CROW: The Biography of a Brainy Bird

Whether you already know what a fan I am of birds and bird books, or not, I'm telling you to READ THIS BOOK! 

Whether you already know, or not, that I support picture books for any age, but especially for use with older readers, I'm telling you to READ THIS BOOK!

Whether you think crows are pests or varmints or troublemakers of some kind, or not, I'm telling you to READ THIS BOOK!

Now let's get started...

HOW TO KNOW A CROW: The BIOGRAPHY OF A BRAINY BIRD is written by Candace Savage and illustrated by Rachel Hudson. 

Before I comment on the complex and compelling content of this remarkable book for upper elementary and middle grades, I want to say I was not surprised at its excellence. It was produced by a true dream team of creators. GREYSTONE BOOKS for KIDS is a Canadian small press with an intentional approach to producing books celebrating nature, indigenous people, and environmental themes for young readers. By inviting author Candace Savage to take on this project, they called on board an established nonfiction nature writer (and CROW expert in her own right), then enhanced the project by using an illustrator whose sole focus is nature, Rachel Hudson. The result is a picture book for older readers, one whose illustrations DO support and clarify the text, but also include science-based charts, insets, and other visual materials that enrich the content without disrupting the flow of thoroughly appealing narration. 

Savage's voice, language, and engaging style invite readers to be co-discoverers of the astonishing workings of a single, particular crow whose very nature will never have a  "single" mode. The familial and larger flocking patterns of crows, especially American Crows, are attributed to instinct but also to generational learning and innate intelligence. Those socialization processes are intriguing and sometimes even jaw-dropping. None are antropopmorprized or assigned human thinking or intentions. Trust me, crows are fabulous enough that they don't need us to pretend they are human.

Finally, enter the book with me. 

At 106 pages it is far from a typical early picture book. Text per page is usually several paragraphs, written in third person but as if able to closely accompany a first-to-hatch crow from a clutch of five. Oki is the designation for this seemingly fragile, utterly dependent crow. Its development and growth eventually lead readers to understanding AND appreciation of the inner and observable workings of American crows. We also meet and learn about Oki's immediate family, extended family, and broader crow society.

Each step along Oki's three year journey reveals further scientifically verifiable aspects of crows' lives and aspects of the science behind them. Examples of insets are identifiers of various crow subspecies, science diagrams, behavioral patterns, and much more. These have small icon tags called "CROW LAB" and encourage readers to actively engage with nature/science activities suggested. In most cases a short  "pro tip" is included to suggest direct connections to readers' lives. This text design and formatting allows readers of many levels and interests to read from front to back or dip in and out to follow trails of observation in the real world or simple curiosity.

Throughout these revelations, Oki's observed behaviors range from sound/song production, communication, intelligence, and brain structures to crow intelligence compared to other animals. And so much more. If you are imagining that this is dry or dull, think again. The familiar tone (as if spoken aloud to a nearby kid)  and related illustrations in each case pulls readers closer and closer to crows, providing tantalizing tidbits and facts but also developing a solid foundation of information about the high level functioning of crows. 

If you thought chimpanzees and other primates are the only species (other than human) capable of constructing and using tools, think again. If you have trouble remembering faces, get a crow tutor. Crows easily tell each other apart. Rarely can humans identify individual crows without tags or odd physical variants. Crows recall identified human faces and REMEMBER, as well as holding grudges when needed. 

Stop me now. I could (and would) go on and on about the many ways I admire crows and am more curious about them now than when I began. I'd put money down that readers will feel the same and enthusiastically tell others about what they learned. Back matter includes the usual nonfiction materials (glossary, index, etc.) but also bibliography and resources. The author's note clarifies something (includes a SPOILER about Oki), and allows readers to recognize the variety of ways in which animal science can serve us- in science laboratories as well as in the field. 

I also enjoyed a recent adult memoir by Amy Tan is THE BACKYARD BIRD CHRONICLES and it came to mind while I read this. In it, Tan recounts how she became a careful observer of birds, sketching and recording and learning along the way. The many Crow Lab insets and Pro Tips in HOW TO KNOW A CROW may yield a cadre of long-term bird-observers, sketchers, and journal-writers.

I hope you can feel how much I like this. Without scrolling back the top of page, READ THIS BOOK!