Member Reviews

This was such a beautiful book. I absolutely LOVED the art work and rhyming of the text. It had such a great message and the publisher provides discussion points and extra activities on their website.

Was this review helpful?

The artwork is beautiful, and the message is positive, but the premise ended up being too outlandish for me to really settle in and enjoy the story. Birds, crows at that, that have never left one tree and just stare at the ground all day? When flying around for food and water and to escape from predators is their way of life? It just didn't work for me unfortunately.

Was this review helpful?

This book was adorable and it has some great messages too, about getting over our fears and embracing curiosity. My favourite part of it is probably how the crows are illustrated - I loved it. The illustrations overall are very fun and vibrant, although there is a lot of room for experimentation and even more creativity.

The rhyming is great too and it makes the story flow from one page to another. I love how the entire arc is structured and how the episodic characters make more appearances. Truly fun!

Was this review helpful?

This story is exactly how parents should not trap their kids strictly by their own personal rules but let them grow and learn things of their own when they are ready.

One young crow doesn’t feel the tree their family lives is enough for her to explore. Of course, she takes caution and follows their parents’ advice on where not to go to get themselves in trouble. But once they escape to the outside world, they learn to know what bravery, love and hope can achieve!

Thank you, Flyaway Books, for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

A young crow sounds the alarm, along with all the other families of crows living in a tree, whenever something potentially dangerous appears on the ground below. She wonders, though, are they missing whatever is above the tree? No one understands, so she goes on a little adventure, and is rewarded for her efforts.

The stunning illustrations beautifully complement this cute story about curiosity and taking a risk.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Flyaway Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a good book! I loved how smooth the rhyming was; it never felt clunky at all. The art was gorgeous and the story was so sweet. This is definitely a solid book when it comes to discussing bravery and acceptance. Very Moana if you have any kiddos or parents looking for similar themes.

Was this review helpful?

Well this will be hard to beat when it comes to rhyming narrative for 2024, let alone the message it has to convey. Our main character is a young crow, getting with the corvid programme and squawking alerts at anything seen down below on the forest floor. But when she puts two and two together – that the things under her aren't all that when it comes to a threat, but there is a different world entirely if you just crane your necks up – well, that's when things start to change. This then is a story about daring – having common-sense nous about danger but also abiding by that urge to explore and to find what's what. But reading this, apart from pleasure I also got a different kind of moral. I saw the old crows as some kind of online, social media bunch of nay-sayers, and the younger generation of our heroine being the one to just cut through their griping and accept the newness the codgers were always shunning.

So whether I'm reading too much into this – it may well be the company I keep of course that puts me in that mindframe – or whether this is simply a book about bravery, it's a damn good book. It's richer than I would ever have assumed, for a start, and just so well written it has to close on five stars. And the fact that I found the artwork perfectly in keeping with the nature of the crows seals the deal. This is top-notch stuff.

Was this review helpful?

Little Crow is imaginative while being respectful of the elders. When the elders are napping, Little Crow safely tests the theories and is vindicated.
A good fable to teach that all opinions have value and are worth testing. Loved it!
A gathering of crows is called a murder of crows.
The illustrations by Greg Stobbs are simple, stylized, imaginative, colorful, and fun.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Flyaway Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Was this review helpful?

This was very cute! I loved this story about a young crow and her curiosity about the world. The art was lovely and engaging.

Was this review helpful?

Great book! This book teaches young readers to work past their fears and try new things, which is an awesome moral. On top of that, this moral is delivered from a relatable and cute main character, The Little Crow. Kids will definitely like this character, causing them to want to follow her teachings even more. Even better, this story also encourages readers to not make assumptions, especially assumptions that can trigger fear.
The illustrations of this book were very unique, but still beautiful, whimsical, and cute, all at the same time. The illustrator definitely captured the natural beauty of different types of birds, which is very important for this book to have. Additionally, the illustrator made each bird, especially The Little Crow, highly expressive, which is spectacular.
Lastly, the rhyming that the author used was perfect! It made the story feel almost poetic, and it felt relaxed/easy; it wasn't forced at all and it made complete sense throughout the book.
Bravo!

Was this review helpful?

My 4 year old got a little bit bored with this one (probably better suited for 5-6+?) but I really loved it - from the art to the message of facing your fears and such. The rhyming was so nice and almost felt nostalgic to books I’ve read as a child. Would for sure pick this one up!

Was this review helpful?

I received an electronic ARC from Flyaway Books through NetGalley.
A young crow follows what the rest of the crows do and constantly looks down to spot dangers. She joins the others in crying out when animals come close, but feels like there is more than feeling fear. She begins observing and notices the squirrel, dog and man are not there to harm the crows but to complete their own tasks. She suggests looking up instead but none will listen to her. I love that she sets off on her own to explore. What she discovers is an entire world filled with birds who soar through the sky. She returns to her tree and convince the rest of them to come fly too. The final page encourages readers to explore too. I appreciate the message of looking beyond fear to see what adventures are out there.

Was this review helpful?

WOW! I absolutely loved this book. Who knew someone could turn crows into such an engaging, beautiful story that teaches great lessons. And the illustrations are really nice. I'll be pre-ordering this for my daughter. 5 stars!

Was this review helpful?

This was by far the best children’s book I’ve read this year. The vibrant illustrations, the fun rhyming story, and the inspiring message about being brave and to be your own person (or in this case, crow). My toddler is now obsessed with crows.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. We cannot wait until September when we can purchase a copy for ourselves!

Was this review helpful?

This is a really nice children's picture book about a crow who faces their fears and starts to explore the world. I loved the illustrations and the rhymes throughout the book. I think the author did a fantastic job with the pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley, Robert Tregoning, and Flyaway Books for the chance to read and review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Beautiful! I love a book that teaches children to think for themselves and see what beauty they may find. As the book says - sometimes life is scary, but it can surprise you! The illustrations are unique and beautiful also, which certainly doesn't hurt. I did not expect the part where we had to turn the book sideways, though, that surprised me. Not sure it worked for me.

Was this review helpful?

A charming story about a crow who begins to question the world and overcome its fears. This was a really sweet and cute read. It reals with curiosity and exploring our fears and taking a step out and trying to see what else the world holds. This was a really charming book and I definitely think that this book would be a great one for kids.

Release Date: September 3,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Flyaway Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Was this review helpful?

Absolute amazingness! This book was perfect. I loved the art. The rhyming verses were smooth and unforced. The story was fun and lighthearted. And then the subtext... Holy wowza—this one gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes.

Thank you, Robert Tregoning and Greg Stobbs, for such an uplifting and beautiful story.

5 stars (plus a few extra, cause I loved this one so much)

Was this review helpful?