From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 2. Shortly before Christmas, a crow flies about the city, finds odd little bits of trash and treasure, and carries them away for some mysterious purpose. As the bird makes one trip after another, viewers see different children and adults going about their business: entering shops, strolling through the zoo, watching a parade, walking to church, listening to carolers, and sometimes looking at the crow. Observant children will recognize some of the people when they reappear in the background of the final double-page spread featuring the town tree. Focusing on the crow and its finds, Appelt's rhyming text provides the strong, spare framework of this satisfying picture book while leaving plenty of space for the illustrator to create the setting and the mood. Goodell takes full advantage of the opportunity, using oil and acrylic to paint a series of beautiful scenes showing many facets of a town in full pre-Christmas bustle. Studded with intriguing details, these narrative pictures lead up to a quiet yet satisfying climax.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
PreS-Gr. 2. Shortly before Christmas, a crow flies about the city, finds odd little bits of trash and treasure, and carries them away for some mysterious purpose. As the bird makes one trip after another, viewers see different children and adults going about their business: entering shops, strolling through the zoo, watching a parade, walking to church, listening to carolers, and sometimes looking at the crow. Observant children will recognize some of the people when they reappear in the background of the final double-page spread featuring the town tree. Focusing on the crow and its finds, Appelt's rhyming text provides the strong, spare framework of this satisfying picture book while leaving plenty of space for the illustrator to create the setting and the mood. Goodell takes full advantage of the opportunity, using oil and acrylic to paint a series of beautiful scenes showing many facets of a town in full pre-Christmas bustle. Studded with intriguing details, these narrative pictures lead up to a quiet yet satisfying climax.
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Booklist -Carolyn Phelan )
