Little Black Crow

Combining unfussy, gently rhyming language with vibrant, airy illustrations, Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka has created a book that will inspire in young readers the wonder of wondering. A little boy wonders about a crow’s life—from the simple “Where do you go in the cold white snow?” to the not-so-simple “Do you ever worry when you hop and you hurry? Are you ever afraid of mistakes you made? Are you never afraid?” All of life is touched on in simple words and spare, elegant artwork. Little Black Crow is not to be missed.

High up in a tree, a mother crow tends her young.

After being abandoned by his animal friends, Little John Crow must come to terms with what it means to be part of a community when you are a vulture. "Little John Crow is full of energy and color." —People Magazine "A new children’s book by [Ziggy Marley] and his wife, Orly, aims to educate youth on the threats the birds face and the vital ecological role they play." —Audubon Magazine Little John Crow is a young vulture growing up in Bull Bay on the edge of the Blue Mountains in Jamaica, where he lives with his loving parents Sharil and Rusil Crow. He spends his days playing with his friends, a motley group that includes a snake, George; Missy, the French pigeon; Chiqueen, a chicken hawk; Hummy, the hummingbird; and the Three Little Birds. One morning while the group of friends is relaxing by a cool river, they start chatting about life, their parents' jobs, and what they want to be when they grow up. As the conversation continues, Little John Crow realizes he has no idea what his parents do for work. Little John Crow and his friends set out to solve this mystery, but what they discover shocks them—Little John Crow and his vulture parents are scary scavengers! Most of his friends are disgusted when they learn this, and before Little John Crow can even adjust to this news, a terrible tragedy strikes. Feeling lonely and isolated from his friends, the young vulture flees Bull Bay. After traveling for days, a tired and hungry Little John Crow is fortunate to be found by a group of vultures. With their support and encouragement, the young vulture learns to embrace his future, and after months away, he returns to Bull Bay just in the nick of time to save his home from ruin. Filled with humor and memorable characters, Little John Crow reminds us of the importance of accepting our differences and remembering that life offers a place and purpose for all of us.

Tells the story of a child's first birding expedition on a golden autumn day.

All the birds fl y away from Crow. Why? Is he too black? Too tall? An ogre of tar and feathers? Crow has had enough of it. He wants to belong. One day three birds are sitting nearby and Crow sets out to make friends. A lonely bird puts himself out to become one of the fl ock.

Explore a story of resilience, self-discovery, and the intricate balance between past and present in Black Crow. Tom Joseph, a young Indigenous airline pilot, skillfully lands a damaged aircraft on a remote frozen mountain lake and wakes up in an intensive care facility facing a frightening new reality. His only memories are of his life as Black Crow, living on the plains before European migration adversely impacted his ancestral lands. Facing profound disorientation and struggling to comprehend the modern world, Tom is visited by spiritual figures from his old life who play a crucial role in helping him come to terms with his surreal situation. They communicate in his native language, narrating the story of his new existence and his mission that has yet to be fulfilled. Supported by friends from both past and present, Tom reluctantly faces challenges and risks to complete the mission given to him in his vision quest two centuries ago. To undertake his quest, Tom now faces dangers as real as the gun-carrying soldiers from his previous life. Realizing he can’t return to the yearned-for past, Tom grapples with the necessity of forging ahead in his current life. Embarking on a quest transcending time and culture, he adjusts to his newfound fame, wrestles with his identity, and strives to fulfill his destiny.

Nanabush. A name that has a certain weight on the tongue—a taste. Like lit sage in a windowless room or aluminum foil on a metal filling. Trickster. Storyteller. Shape-shifter. An ancient troublemaker with the power to do great things, only he doesn’t want to put in the work. Since coming home to Spirit Bear Point First Nation, Hazel Ellis has been dreaming of an old crow. He tells her he’s here to help her, save her. From what, exactly? Sure, her dad’s been dead for almost two years and she hasn’t quite reconciled that grief, but is that worth the time of an Algonquin demigod? Soon Hazel learns that there’s more at play than just her own sadness and doubt. The quarry that’s been lying unsullied for over a century on her father’s property is stirring the old magic that crosses the boundaries between this world and the next. With the aid of Nanabush, Hazel must unravel a web of deceit that, if left untouched, could destroy her family and her home on both sides of the Medicine Wheel.

For years I had enjoyed my back yard, just sitting and relaxing in the warmth of its sunshine, the coolness of its shade, and the beauty of its gardens. But not until recently did I ever surmise for one moment how many backyard critters one could have visiting or living there. So I decided to watch and study any of these critters that made themselves apparent to me. As I would sit and watch these critters, I kept thinking, 'Why all these critters, large or small, must have a story to tell'. Through your imagination, these critters will lead you through their tales of fun and excitement with some unexpected twists and turns around every corner. ENJOY!