Pistes d'exploration

Discuss the book’s point of view. How does this affect your appreciation of the text? Is this unusual? Why or why not? What is the meaning of "as the crow flies"?

As you listen to the story read aloud, list new and interesting words: finagle, morsel, roost, careening, ruckus, jabber, etc. Illustrate the words with pictures and phrases that explain the meanings.

Write your own poem from an unusual point of view: a tree the crow sits on, the sky or the building or statue the crows land on.

Discuss the book’s point of view. Who is the speaker? Who is he speaking to? What does he see and do?

Write ideas from the point of view of another animal talking to you.

Using the story as inspiration, write a short description of a crow. Include an illustration.

Draw a crow with a speech bubble above its head. If the crow could talk, what might it say?

Abuela

Mots-clés

Picture book , city life , crows , flight , point of view , stories in rhyme

Commentaire descriptif

This story of the life and times of a common crow uses short rhyming stanzas to express concrete ideas. Readers looking for an imaginative take on a realistic storyline will be pleased. Told from the crow’s perspective, the story portrays the events of an average day: ‘Watch the sly way we finaglea big piece of the pigeons’ bagel” and “Who played hide-and-seek in the clothes? Check the muddy footprints; crows!” It introduces crow-related vocabulary such as “cache” and “roost”. Full-page illustrations glow with a soft-edged pastel and pencil effect. Children will love watching the world from such heights. As the birds swoop over the city, a tiny boat chugs on the river far below. “Now your streets belong to us. Watch us zoom past car and bus.” The last spread shows only the gleam of an expertly rendered moon in a cloudy night sky, as the crows settle down for the night: “And when you've finally noticed we’re here, darkness falls . . . and we disappear!”