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The Children of Crow Cove #1
Krageungen. Børnene i Kragevig
Krageungen er en samlet udgave af Bodil Bredstorffs serie om Børnene i Kragevig, en moderne klassiker, som blev tildelt Kulturministeriets børnebogspris 1995.
Bogen indeholder alle fire dele af serien: 1) Krageungen, 2) Eidi, 3) Tink, 4) Alek.
Bogen indeholder alle fire dele af serien: 1) Krageungen, 2) Eidi, 3) Tink, 4) Alek.
445 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1993
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563 people want to read
About the author
Bodil Bredsdorff
21 books22 followersBodil Bredsdorff is a popular Danish children’s book author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 150 reviews
May 14, 2018
Now what I have (during both of my listed reads) probably most lastingly, most intensely enjoyed and appreciated with regard to Bodil Bredsdorff's evocative and emotionally dense The Crow Girl is the author's (and by extension for this here English language edition, of course also translator Faith Ingewersen's) caressing, almost entrancing style of textual expression, as the rhythm and cadence of the narrative strongly reminds one of ocean waves and tides, not really all that surprising in and of itself, as for all intents and purposes The Crow Girl is thematically (but really also linguistically and textually) a novel of the sea and by the sea (and yes indeed, there concurrently also exists an equal and very much pleasantly surprising sense of sweet appreciation and awe that a translated text can feel so immediate, as especially a sense of both stylistic and thematic authenticity can sometimes and perhaps even rather often be lacking with translations, in particular with less simple, more nuanced writing, such as The Crow Girl presents).
And furthermore, although the thematics presented and depicted with and in The Crow Girl are often rather dismal and even depressing, there is (at least to and for me) always a never ceasing background noise of at least possible joy, of calmness, serenity and grace, even under the most dire circumstances (and these tragic or likely tragic scenarios, they do definitely exist in The Crow Girl, and at times even massively so, from the grandmother's death, to the Crow Girl being forced to make her own way, to Frid's loss of sanity at the death of his wife), as floating and flowing above the depicted and palpable anguish, there seems to always and at the same time be hope and a sense of courage (the guiding crows, which to me represent the spirits of the Crow Girl's deceased grandparents, meeting Rossan, and even the fact that the Crow Girl comes across Frid in his despair and is able to rescue Doup from his father's grief induced frenzied madness).
Now from a more philosophical point of view, the grandmother's Weltanschauung of personally choosing one's family, alongside of the concept that some individuals are good and beneficial to and for you whilst others are bad and even very much extremely and permanently so (and that these individuals might indeed be one's biological family, that they can therefore also be people everyone seems to consider as being praiseworthy, blameless and positive), this really does speak (and always will speak) to me both loudly and clearly. For instance, while I do not actually consider that the grandmother or the never met (but lovingly remembered) grandfather are necessarily or perhaps even likely the Crow Girl's biological grandparents, the three of them are obviously much more of a true and loving family unit than ANY other family shown in The Crow Girl (just look at Eidi's mother staying so long with her vicious brute of a husband, and Doup's father is obviously totally unfit for his role as caregiver, at least in his current and dangerously despairing state of mind).
However and that all being said, I am also very much of the personal opinion (and unlike many other reviewers, it seems) that Frid most definitely and fortunately does the only reasonable, and yes indeed, the only possible (and caring) point of action when he tells the Crow Girl to take Doup along with her when she leaves. For after Frid's frenzied destruction of his domicile (which I actually can both understand and even appreciate, as grief can make one do unreasonable and sometimes even violent things), it is abundantly clear that Doup is much better off with the Crow Girl (at least at present). And I also and certainly do not see Doup's father as in any manner an inherently abusive or problematic individual (unlike Eidi's stepfather, who is depicted as just plain and utterly nasty). To me, it has always been rather obvious that Frid is simply someone so overcome with and by grief and guilt at the death of his wife that he is basically losing his mind and is in no way capable of taking care of either himself or his son (and I do think one major theme in both The Crow Girl and its sequels is taking away the proverbial rose-coloured glasses many people seem to wear with regard to the so-called "good old days" and to realise that not so very long ago, there were no social agencies, no child care authorities and if a wife, a mother, a grandmother died, life could become intolerable and perhaps even dangerous for those left behind). And thus, in my opinion, it would have been much and exceedingly worse for Doup if Frid had not asked Myna (the Crow Girl) to take him along (as he obviously realised that he could not adequately care for his son at present, and therefore giving him to Myna is not an act of parental neglect but instead a truly necessary, a loving and kind gesture and action). Also, when you consider Myna's own isolation when she was living with her grandmother, you then realise that while she is perhaps only a young girl herself, she is also very mature and capable for her age (out of simple necessity). And considering how isolated Frid and Doup are, there is likely no alternative but Myna (for as mentioned above, there are likely no social programs, no child care organisations, except perhaps poor houses and work houses in the larger cities, not an appropriate alternative for either Myna or Doup).
And furthermore, although the thematics presented and depicted with and in The Crow Girl are often rather dismal and even depressing, there is (at least to and for me) always a never ceasing background noise of at least possible joy, of calmness, serenity and grace, even under the most dire circumstances (and these tragic or likely tragic scenarios, they do definitely exist in The Crow Girl, and at times even massively so, from the grandmother's death, to the Crow Girl being forced to make her own way, to Frid's loss of sanity at the death of his wife), as floating and flowing above the depicted and palpable anguish, there seems to always and at the same time be hope and a sense of courage (the guiding crows, which to me represent the spirits of the Crow Girl's deceased grandparents, meeting Rossan, and even the fact that the Crow Girl comes across Frid in his despair and is able to rescue Doup from his father's grief induced frenzied madness).
Now from a more philosophical point of view, the grandmother's Weltanschauung of personally choosing one's family, alongside of the concept that some individuals are good and beneficial to and for you whilst others are bad and even very much extremely and permanently so (and that these individuals might indeed be one's biological family, that they can therefore also be people everyone seems to consider as being praiseworthy, blameless and positive), this really does speak (and always will speak) to me both loudly and clearly. For instance, while I do not actually consider that the grandmother or the never met (but lovingly remembered) grandfather are necessarily or perhaps even likely the Crow Girl's biological grandparents, the three of them are obviously much more of a true and loving family unit than ANY other family shown in The Crow Girl (just look at Eidi's mother staying so long with her vicious brute of a husband, and Doup's father is obviously totally unfit for his role as caregiver, at least in his current and dangerously despairing state of mind).
However and that all being said, I am also very much of the personal opinion (and unlike many other reviewers, it seems) that Frid most definitely and fortunately does the only reasonable, and yes indeed, the only possible (and caring) point of action when he tells the Crow Girl to take Doup along with her when she leaves. For after Frid's frenzied destruction of his domicile (which I actually can both understand and even appreciate, as grief can make one do unreasonable and sometimes even violent things), it is abundantly clear that Doup is much better off with the Crow Girl (at least at present). And I also and certainly do not see Doup's father as in any manner an inherently abusive or problematic individual (unlike Eidi's stepfather, who is depicted as just plain and utterly nasty). To me, it has always been rather obvious that Frid is simply someone so overcome with and by grief and guilt at the death of his wife that he is basically losing his mind and is in no way capable of taking care of either himself or his son (and I do think one major theme in both The Crow Girl and its sequels is taking away the proverbial rose-coloured glasses many people seem to wear with regard to the so-called "good old days" and to realise that not so very long ago, there were no social agencies, no child care authorities and if a wife, a mother, a grandmother died, life could become intolerable and perhaps even dangerous for those left behind). And thus, in my opinion, it would have been much and exceedingly worse for Doup if Frid had not asked Myna (the Crow Girl) to take him along (as he obviously realised that he could not adequately care for his son at present, and therefore giving him to Myna is not an act of parental neglect but instead a truly necessary, a loving and kind gesture and action). Also, when you consider Myna's own isolation when she was living with her grandmother, you then realise that while she is perhaps only a young girl herself, she is also very mature and capable for her age (out of simple necessity). And considering how isolated Frid and Doup are, there is likely no alternative but Myna (for as mentioned above, there are likely no social programs, no child care organisations, except perhaps poor houses and work houses in the larger cities, not an appropriate alternative for either Myna or Doup).
August 28, 2010
This is a lovely little story; it almost feels like a philosophy book, and it’s very poetically told. There are some deep messages here that are given as a genuine part of the story, and they’re very meaningful. While I can’t read it in its original Danish, the translation seems to be excellent.
Thank goodness for some joy toward the end. It is a kids’ book so I was expecting it. Most of the book was dismally grim though. It was bone chillingly depressing for quite a long time, and I think it would be too sad for many readers. I guess the long end makes up for the even longer beginning; it is very sweet.
I felt lonely reading it, as I did with books such as Island of the Blue Dolphins when I was a kid.
The Crow-Girl goes through so much misery. But I appreciate her self-reliance, the way she was attuned to nature, and her bravery and generosity and perseverance.
I did think quite a bit how awful (to me) those dwellings would have smelled. But dead animal carcasses don’t in any way appeal to me.
So, I’m left wondering: Are crows highly symbolic in the Danish culture?
I ended up enjoying it and it was a very fast read so I didn’t have to spend too much time in emotional pain, but I’m not sure if I have enough interest to try to read other books in this series.
There is a map at the beginning of the book, which I loved because I so enjoy maps in books, even those such as this that cover a very small area.
I read this for the Children's Books group's September selection for its International Book Club.
Thank goodness for some joy toward the end. It is a kids’ book so I was expecting it. Most of the book was dismally grim though. It was bone chillingly depressing for quite a long time, and I think it would be too sad for many readers. I guess the long end makes up for the even longer beginning; it is very sweet.
I felt lonely reading it, as I did with books such as Island of the Blue Dolphins when I was a kid.
The Crow-Girl goes through so much misery. But I appreciate her self-reliance, the way she was attuned to nature, and her bravery and generosity and perseverance.
I did think quite a bit how awful (to me) those dwellings would have smelled. But dead animal carcasses don’t in any way appeal to me.
So, I’m left wondering: Are crows highly symbolic in the Danish culture?
I ended up enjoying it and it was a very fast read so I didn’t have to spend too much time in emotional pain, but I’m not sure if I have enough interest to try to read other books in this series.
There is a map at the beginning of the book, which I loved because I so enjoy maps in books, even those such as this that cover a very small area.
I read this for the Children's Books group's September selection for its International Book Club.
August 24, 2010
This lovely story is the first of popular Danish author Bodil Bresdorff's to be translated in to English and printed in America. Lucky us! I really enjoy reading about other cultures--and the underlying humanity that is so very much the same no matter what--and this book delivers.
I was actually surprised by how somber much of the story is. I expected that, after the (expected) grandmother's death, things would improve for the Crow-Girl. But, her journey is filled with as many nasty snags and sorrowful times as it is with rewards and happiness. I wasn't as emotionally touched as I expected to be, which is perhaps a good thing as otherwise I might not have wanted to finish it given the fair share of tears poor Crow-Girl must shed, but I was still won over by the story in its gentle wisdom. As a rule, I love the theme of children who show that they can be self-reliant, though of course it is sweetest when the joys and pains in life are divided up among friends and family--I think there is also something very attractive about this for young readers, too. In our own day and age, what child could take care of her own home, keep the fire going, find and prepare food, etc? How mesmerizing are all these mundane toils when a comrade of childhood is able to do them! I also really appreciated the "lesson" that the good and bad are mixed together in life and that sorrow may give birth to great joy. I thought it was very sweet about the two crows (I won't say more as it's a bit of a spoiler!) and I also thought the ending was fitting, not cloyingly sweet or impossibly "happy ever after" but still showing that perseverance and kindness bring rewards.
I hesitate to recommend this to sensitive readers. I usually don't like to read books about death, but as I said this one didn't quite grab me so I was able to cope just fine. However, children especially may be troubled by the grandmother's death and by the death of a few animals, as well.
I'm not sure that I liked this enough to want to read the sequel (Eidi: The Children of Crow Cove) but I am most certainly very glad to have been introduced to this author.
I was actually surprised by how somber much of the story is. I expected that, after the (expected) grandmother's death, things would improve for the Crow-Girl. But, her journey is filled with as many nasty snags and sorrowful times as it is with rewards and happiness. I wasn't as emotionally touched as I expected to be, which is perhaps a good thing as otherwise I might not have wanted to finish it given the fair share of tears poor Crow-Girl must shed, but I was still won over by the story in its gentle wisdom. As a rule, I love the theme of children who show that they can be self-reliant, though of course it is sweetest when the joys and pains in life are divided up among friends and family--I think there is also something very attractive about this for young readers, too. In our own day and age, what child could take care of her own home, keep the fire going, find and prepare food, etc? How mesmerizing are all these mundane toils when a comrade of childhood is able to do them! I also really appreciated the "lesson" that the good and bad are mixed together in life and that sorrow may give birth to great joy. I thought it was very sweet about the two crows (I won't say more as it's a bit of a spoiler!) and I also thought the ending was fitting, not cloyingly sweet or impossibly "happy ever after" but still showing that perseverance and kindness bring rewards.
I hesitate to recommend this to sensitive readers. I usually don't like to read books about death, but as I said this one didn't quite grab me so I was able to cope just fine. However, children especially may be troubled by the grandmother's death and by the death of a few animals, as well.
I'm not sure that I liked this enough to want to read the sequel (Eidi: The Children of Crow Cove) but I am most certainly very glad to have been introduced to this author.
May 11, 2010
Another KEEPER!
Beautiful language and story.
Just before she dies, Crow-girl's grandma gives her three rules for life.
1) "You will find two kinds of people in the world. Some say there are the bad and the good. But it isn't like that. Since what is good for one may be bad for another. No, that doesn't work. You have to depend on your intuition. There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup--even if you are hungry and the two of you have nothing to eat. In spite of that they nourish you. And then there are those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say they are good people."
2) "The second rule says that the door to a person's heart can only be opened from within. If there is someone who will not let you in, it's no use hammering and kicking and lamenting and complaining. For what if the door is ajar, and you push it shut? With some people it can never be opened again."
3) "There is the third and most important rule. It's about a person's need to continue wishing and hoping, for then, at last, you will get what was wished and hoped for--even if it is in a completely different way from what you imagined."
Of course the story follows these rules as it follows Crow-girl and it's beautiful. For sure it's one for the list.
Beautiful language and story.
Just before she dies, Crow-girl's grandma gives her three rules for life.
1) "You will find two kinds of people in the world. Some say there are the bad and the good. But it isn't like that. Since what is good for one may be bad for another. No, that doesn't work. You have to depend on your intuition. There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup--even if you are hungry and the two of you have nothing to eat. In spite of that they nourish you. And then there are those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say they are good people."
2) "The second rule says that the door to a person's heart can only be opened from within. If there is someone who will not let you in, it's no use hammering and kicking and lamenting and complaining. For what if the door is ajar, and you push it shut? With some people it can never be opened again."
3) "There is the third and most important rule. It's about a person's need to continue wishing and hoping, for then, at last, you will get what was wished and hoped for--even if it is in a completely different way from what you imagined."
Of course the story follows these rules as it follows Crow-girl and it's beautiful. For sure it's one for the list.
May 3, 2019
Originally published in Denmark in 1993, as Krageungen, this delightful little children's novel, with its deceptively simple narrative, and almost serene tone (even when describing some terribly traumatic events), quietly works its way into the reader's heart, so that, by the end, she is fully invested in Crow-Girl's story, and deeply satisfied by its conclusion. The tale of a nameless young girl, and her journey out into the world, after the death of her beloved grandmother, The Crow-Girl is a story about honoring the teachings of our elders - in the form of the grandmother's three life "rules" - of following our instincts, our hearts, and our spirit-guides - in the guise of the two crows who shepherd the girl on her journey - and finally, about creating a family and a home for ourselves, in a world that is often hostile.
Bodil Bredsdorff's prose in spare but evocative, painting a convincing portrait of Crow-Girl's world - the isolated cove in which she and her grandmother lived, the small hamlet in which she briefly finds work, before fleeing from her greedy "benefactors," the little farm where she, Doup, Eidi and Foula find refuge. I appreciated the fact that the author did not draw back from depicting some very painful realities, from the horrifying scene in which Crow-Girl must bury her own grandmother, to the terrifying moment when she is confronted by the half-mad father of Doup, the young boy she "takes in" during the course of her wanderings. The presence of loss and terror in the story - something some adults would misguidedly prefer to see omitted from children's fare - makes the moments of joy all the more intense, and the conclusion all the more satisfying.
I also really appreciated the point, made in one of the grandmother's rules, that the good and the bad are mixed in most people, and that "virtue" - whatever that is - is not always the best way of determining who is suited to be our companions, in the life journey. This felt very un-American to me - I mean that in a complimentary way - and even though I, personally, was raised always to consider the ethical (and would not choose to be any other way), I found it a fascinating commentary on how our world-views are shaped, and how we judge others. I know I've said it before, a few times in this review, but this was just such a satisfying book, brief but deeply moving, philosophical without being pretentious. Highly, highly recommended to all, but especially to young readers who are seeking...
Bodil Bredsdorff's prose in spare but evocative, painting a convincing portrait of Crow-Girl's world - the isolated cove in which she and her grandmother lived, the small hamlet in which she briefly finds work, before fleeing from her greedy "benefactors," the little farm where she, Doup, Eidi and Foula find refuge. I appreciated the fact that the author did not draw back from depicting some very painful realities, from the horrifying scene in which Crow-Girl must bury her own grandmother, to the terrifying moment when she is confronted by the half-mad father of Doup, the young boy she "takes in" during the course of her wanderings. The presence of loss and terror in the story - something some adults would misguidedly prefer to see omitted from children's fare - makes the moments of joy all the more intense, and the conclusion all the more satisfying.
I also really appreciated the point, made in one of the grandmother's rules, that the good and the bad are mixed in most people, and that "virtue" - whatever that is - is not always the best way of determining who is suited to be our companions, in the life journey. This felt very un-American to me - I mean that in a complimentary way - and even though I, personally, was raised always to consider the ethical (and would not choose to be any other way), I found it a fascinating commentary on how our world-views are shaped, and how we judge others. I know I've said it before, a few times in this review, but this was just such a satisfying book, brief but deeply moving, philosophical without being pretentious. Highly, highly recommended to all, but especially to young readers who are seeking...
June 5, 2014
A sweet, quiet story of an orphaned girl who finds her way in the world and a new family. The writing is simple but elegant, and the story moves along at a good pace. The characters are well-rounded. At first, I thought that the author must hate men, because of the wicked stepfather and the man who abandoned his young son to a stranger (the Crow Girl). Fortunately she was a good person and cared for the little boy. I don't know if Norwegians are weak people or what, but I thought that this father should have pulled himself together emotionally for the sake of his young son, instead of wallowing in anger and self-pity. But then she introduced Rossan, a good and helpful man; and finally Frid, over his temporary madness, came looking for his son again. For balance, there is one wicked woman who stole all of Crow Girl's belongings. But Crow Girl survives all the problems life throws at her and grows stronger in the process.
December 28, 2025
so.
when i was a kid my family used to take an annual road trip to visit my uncle in florida. this trip took about 14 hours each way, so my mom used to pick out audiobooks that we would listen to on the drive
anyway. one of these audiobooks was crow girl, and i remember it being the creepiest thing in the world. i do think the lady who read it was quite old and had a tone like every single character was about to die.
until now, crow girl was a family inside joke. however, recently my mom gave me a copy of the book for christmas.
i can see why it might be creepy for a kid on a road trip, as a lot of sad things happen to a young girl, but really it’s a sweet story about forming a found family and keeping those that died with us in our hearts. good setting. good stuff!
when i was a kid my family used to take an annual road trip to visit my uncle in florida. this trip took about 14 hours each way, so my mom used to pick out audiobooks that we would listen to on the drive
anyway. one of these audiobooks was crow girl, and i remember it being the creepiest thing in the world. i do think the lady who read it was quite old and had a tone like every single character was about to die.
until now, crow girl was a family inside joke. however, recently my mom gave me a copy of the book for christmas.
i can see why it might be creepy for a kid on a road trip, as a lot of sad things happen to a young girl, but really it’s a sweet story about forming a found family and keeping those that died with us in our hearts. good setting. good stuff!
September 4, 2010
I loved every word of this story - it seems that the translation into English has been extremely well done. It is a story of hope and perseverence in a time of great hardship and pain. The young girl's perseverance and hope help her overcome one obstacle after another until finally her hopes and wishes are fulfilled.
The book starts with three life lessons passed down from a grandmother to her granddaughter, and then we see each one played out in the story that follows. It is more than a story of survival - in essence, it's a story about overcoming.
The crows in the story add a fascinating and magical touch. The people whom the crow girl meets who are good on the inside truly warm the reader's heart, while the ones who may appear to be good on the outside (but who are in fact nasty and shallow on the inside) will make your heart ice cold.
I'd recommend this book to children at about 10 years of age (maybe a bit younger if they are able to handle things that would be hard for sensitive kids). There's a lot of bad at the beginning, but I think the characters draw you in, and at the end it is very much a "feel good" heart-warming story.
The book starts with three life lessons passed down from a grandmother to her granddaughter, and then we see each one played out in the story that follows. It is more than a story of survival - in essence, it's a story about overcoming.
The crows in the story add a fascinating and magical touch. The people whom the crow girl meets who are good on the inside truly warm the reader's heart, while the ones who may appear to be good on the outside (but who are in fact nasty and shallow on the inside) will make your heart ice cold.
I'd recommend this book to children at about 10 years of age (maybe a bit younger if they are able to handle things that would be hard for sensitive kids). There's a lot of bad at the beginning, but I think the characters draw you in, and at the end it is very much a "feel good" heart-warming story.
October 4, 2023
really sad in the first half but overall a great Nordic children’s book
November 11, 2010
This YA book did not work for me. There was a lot of talk about the Crow-Girl books by the Norwegian author Bodil Bredsdorff in the Comfort Reads Group of which I am a member here at GR. There is an overall gloom that I did not enjoy. I am NOT one to shy away from a book that focuses on "difficult times". It is not enough for me that a story ends on a positive note. No, I even prefer a novel that ends half-way happy as long as the passage through the book isn't dismal and provides a chuckle or a smile curls my lips. I think this is essential for a child's book. I want them to see that even at bad times it is possible to find something good around you if you take the time to find it.
The main character, Crow-Girl, was always ever so righteous! Most of the adults she encountered were so unbelievably nasty. I found these NASTY people heartbreaking! I simply could not deal with the depressing nastiness! Remember this is a child's book …… Why is it that I can stomach evil behaviour when I read history, but not when I read fiction? I think it is b/c in fiction an author chooses how he will portray a character. The author can make them human, with good and bad qualities OR so wicked that the reader cringes at all contact with these bad-doers. In this case it was the latter, and the brunt of all this evil was children. I know that most fairy tales for children follow a pattern where good conquers evil. So maybe I am wrong, but I was very uncomfortable reading this book! And the characters felt too black or white.
Think about it – how often do you become close to the evil personages of history? Usually there is a distance between you and them! Here, in this novel, they were too close for comfort. I can only give this book two stars.
I should add that some adults did manage to straighten themselves out. Consistently children were the ones to suffer from the behaviour of mixed-up or mean adults.
BEFORE READING:
I must be crazy to add another kids book, I have so many sitting around, but actually it is me that will read it first. I was enchanted by the text snippet I read. I like the grandmother's no nonsense advice to follow one's intuition. So yes I have added this to my highest priority shelf, the wishlist. Gundula thank you for shoving me a bit.
The main character, Crow-Girl, was always ever so righteous! Most of the adults she encountered were so unbelievably nasty. I found these NASTY people heartbreaking! I simply could not deal with the depressing nastiness! Remember this is a child's book …… Why is it that I can stomach evil behaviour when I read history, but not when I read fiction? I think it is b/c in fiction an author chooses how he will portray a character. The author can make them human, with good and bad qualities OR so wicked that the reader cringes at all contact with these bad-doers. In this case it was the latter, and the brunt of all this evil was children. I know that most fairy tales for children follow a pattern where good conquers evil. So maybe I am wrong, but I was very uncomfortable reading this book! And the characters felt too black or white.
Think about it – how often do you become close to the evil personages of history? Usually there is a distance between you and them! Here, in this novel, they were too close for comfort. I can only give this book two stars.
I should add that some adults did manage to straighten themselves out. Consistently children were the ones to suffer from the behaviour of mixed-up or mean adults.
BEFORE READING:
I must be crazy to add another kids book, I have so many sitting around, but actually it is me that will read it first. I was enchanted by the text snippet I read. I like the grandmother's no nonsense advice to follow one's intuition. So yes I have added this to my highest priority shelf, the wishlist. Gundula thank you for shoving me a bit.
November 1, 2011
Batchelder Honor 2005
The Crow-Girl is about an unnamed girl who lives with her grandmother. The grandmother warns the girl that she will die soon and how to know when that happens. She then tells her that people have both good and bad inside and you have to see if it is the right goodness for you. When her grandmother dies, the girl sets out. She first finds a woman who wants her to work for her and then wants to take all her things, but she escapes one night. Then, she finds a man and a toddler. The man tells her to take the toddler, Doup, because he is too distraught by his wife's death to take care of him. She sets off again and meets a woman and her daughter who were abused by the woman's second husband. They are headed back to the Crow-girl's house when they meet a man who takes care of them for the winter and gives them sheep when they leave. The group gets to the Crow-girl's house and finds it has been ransacked. They settle in and Doup's father and older brother find them and stay with them too.
This book would be good for grades 3-6. It would be a good book to use for discussions about family and how different families can be. This book is the first of a series. So it could be used and then predictions made and the later books could be read too.
The story is would probably appeal mostly to girls, but there are later ones that could be of more interest to boys.
The Crow-Girl is about an unnamed girl who lives with her grandmother. The grandmother warns the girl that she will die soon and how to know when that happens. She then tells her that people have both good and bad inside and you have to see if it is the right goodness for you. When her grandmother dies, the girl sets out. She first finds a woman who wants her to work for her and then wants to take all her things, but she escapes one night. Then, she finds a man and a toddler. The man tells her to take the toddler, Doup, because he is too distraught by his wife's death to take care of him. She sets off again and meets a woman and her daughter who were abused by the woman's second husband. They are headed back to the Crow-girl's house when they meet a man who takes care of them for the winter and gives them sheep when they leave. The group gets to the Crow-girl's house and finds it has been ransacked. They settle in and Doup's father and older brother find them and stay with them too.
This book would be good for grades 3-6. It would be a good book to use for discussions about family and how different families can be. This book is the first of a series. So it could be used and then predictions made and the later books could be read too.
The story is would probably appeal mostly to girls, but there are later ones that could be of more interest to boys.
August 16, 2014
Did you ever pick a book for the cover and title and actually find a treasure? This is one of those books, originally published in Denmark, and only translated and published in the US in 2004.
Crow-Girl lives a meager but happy life with her very elderly grandmother on a distant cove of a Scandinavian country on the east side(I'm guessing) of the North Sea.
At the outset, grandmother, dying, is teaching Crow-Girl the three great lessons of life. Her final one:
"There are two kinds of people... There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup--even if you are hungry and the two of you have nothing to eat. In spite of that they nourish you.
Änd then there are those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say they are good people. Remember that, my chick."
This is the gently told story of Crow-Girl's adventures after her grandmother's death, of the nourishing and freezing people she encounters.
Pure delight.
Crow-Girl lives a meager but happy life with her very elderly grandmother on a distant cove of a Scandinavian country on the east side(I'm guessing) of the North Sea.
At the outset, grandmother, dying, is teaching Crow-Girl the three great lessons of life. Her final one:
"There are two kinds of people... There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup--even if you are hungry and the two of you have nothing to eat. In spite of that they nourish you.
Änd then there are those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say they are good people. Remember that, my chick."
This is the gently told story of Crow-Girl's adventures after her grandmother's death, of the nourishing and freezing people she encounters.
Pure delight.
March 7, 2015
This story feels very old, almost like a saga. It was translated from Danish and takes place along the coast of Denmark. It is the coming-of-age journey of "Crow-Girl", a name given her by a not very nice person after the girl realizes that her beloved and now dead grandmother only ever called her "Chick". That frail grandmother, with whom Crow-Girl lived in an isolated setting by the sea, tried to prepare her for life on her own, and indeed , Crow-Girl was very resourceful. After burying her grandmother (by means of forming a sort of rock cairn), she left her cottage, following a pair of crows. The book is about the people, good and bad, she met along the way. Thank goodness her story ends happily, as she encountered some unbearably sad people and incidents. Still, good always prevails and all of the characters persevere. I suppose you could say the book is a meditation on life. It is certainly beautifully written and thought-provoking.
(*Thanks to fellow Goodreads friend, "Canadian Reader", for suggesting to me this lovely little book.)
(*Thanks to fellow Goodreads friend, "Canadian Reader", for suggesting to me this lovely little book.)
June 28, 2010
Simply lovely fable-type story of a young girl who makes her way alone in the world, through perils and trials, gaining wisdom and love along the way. It can be read as a parable about love and family, and how one must make choices for the good of the group sometimes...
As Darsa said, it undoubtedly loses something in the translation, but the simplicity of the prose resonates with the straightforward loveliness of the message. It's the kind of book that leaves one smiling, warm and hopeful. It's got a happy ending that one can believe.
As Darsa said, it undoubtedly loses something in the translation, but the simplicity of the prose resonates with the straightforward loveliness of the message. It's the kind of book that leaves one smiling, warm and hopeful. It's got a happy ending that one can believe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2010
The story of a pure heart. Crow-Girl goes searching for companionship after her grandmother's death, and finds it by trial and error, but also by listening in her heart to the tenets of "truth" her grandmother imparted to her before she died. Hopeful, but not saccharine. Lovely and simple, like a parable.
May 1, 2017
En bog jeg kan læse igen og igen. Hver gang finder jeg nye symboler og samler flere røde tråde op! Det er en bog jeg kan vende tilbage til med glæde og spænding og selvom handlingen kan være lidt barsk, er den utroligt hyggelig at sidde med om aftnen.
March 23, 2016
The Crow-Girl is a part of an award-winning series. It is about a young girl who lives by the sea with her grandmother. Her grandmother is very old and ill and eventually passes away, but not without imparting special "rules" one should follow in life.
1. "There are two types of people in the world....There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup....And then there are those who cause you to freeze inside..."
2. "The door of someone's heart can only be opened from within"
3. "...the third, most important rule. It's about a person's need to continue wishing and hoping, for then, at last, you will get what was wished and hoped for..."
The orphaned girl in the story takes these bits of valuable advice from her late grandmother as she begins her journey by following a pair of crows, hence the name of the book. The crows take her through a variety of villages and towns where she meets a plethora of people, both warm and cold, and even takes some of them under her wing to create a new family for herself. The people in her new family have all endured some sort of hardship like Crow-Girl and they support each other through tough times.
I would recommend using this text as a whole-class book read in 4th or 5th grade. It may be a bit difficult to read for some because it is slightly melancholy and not jam packed with action like some book. Symbolism is used persistently throughout the book, but it doesn't distract from the story at all. This would be a fabulous read to introduce symbolism to young students as the symbolism is obvious enough to sensibly explain. The book also contains a wonderful theme of trusting one's gut instinct. This could make for a widely relateable discussion among students in small reading groups. Overall, the book is warm and inviting and, generally, celebrates the courage that hides inside of the human spirit.
The Crow-Girl was written by Bodil Bredsdorff in Holland originally. It was then translated to English by Faith Ingwersen. The Crow-Girl has received the ALAN-ALA Notable Books for Children award, the Beacon award, it was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and was a Mildred L. Batchhelder award Nominee in 2005. It was also received the Parent's Choice award in 2004.
1. "There are two types of people in the world....There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup....And then there are those who cause you to freeze inside..."
2. "The door of someone's heart can only be opened from within"
3. "...the third, most important rule. It's about a person's need to continue wishing and hoping, for then, at last, you will get what was wished and hoped for..."
The orphaned girl in the story takes these bits of valuable advice from her late grandmother as she begins her journey by following a pair of crows, hence the name of the book. The crows take her through a variety of villages and towns where she meets a plethora of people, both warm and cold, and even takes some of them under her wing to create a new family for herself. The people in her new family have all endured some sort of hardship like Crow-Girl and they support each other through tough times.
I would recommend using this text as a whole-class book read in 4th or 5th grade. It may be a bit difficult to read for some because it is slightly melancholy and not jam packed with action like some book. Symbolism is used persistently throughout the book, but it doesn't distract from the story at all. This would be a fabulous read to introduce symbolism to young students as the symbolism is obvious enough to sensibly explain. The book also contains a wonderful theme of trusting one's gut instinct. This could make for a widely relateable discussion among students in small reading groups. Overall, the book is warm and inviting and, generally, celebrates the courage that hides inside of the human spirit.
The Crow-Girl was written by Bodil Bredsdorff in Holland originally. It was then translated to English by Faith Ingwersen. The Crow-Girl has received the ALAN-ALA Notable Books for Children award, the Beacon award, it was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and was a Mildred L. Batchhelder award Nominee in 2005. It was also received the Parent's Choice award in 2004.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2011
This story takes place near a quiet cove, where 3 small houses sit, 2 of which are empty. In the only occupied house lives a young girl and her sick grandmother. Following her grandmother's passing and as a result of her loneliness and desperation, the girl leaves her home. She meets a woman, who takes her in and feeds her, but then treats her as a slave; and when she discovers the woman’s intention of taking her home, she leaves. She lets the crows lead her on her journey, where she encounters a little boy, whose father is filled with sadness and asks the Crow-Girl to take him with her. Then they meet Foula and her daughter Eidi, who join them on their journey, which they decide will take them back to the cove. They meet Rossan, who offers them a place to stay and rest and work in exchange for his sheep. Eventually, the group makes their way back to the Crow-Girl’s home at the cove, only to find the house robbed of all its belongings. The little boy’s father and oldest son make their way to them and together they begin a new life for themselves as a family.
The Crow-Girl was originally published in Danish in 1993 and later translated to English in 2004. This is a warm, touching story of courage and perseverance and a young girl finding her way in the world. It is appropriate for grades 4 through 6. Themes included in this novel are: family, perseverance, and the sea. With the protagonist being a female, this story would appeal mostly to female students.
The Crow-Girl was originally published in Danish in 1993 and later translated to English in 2004. This is a warm, touching story of courage and perseverance and a young girl finding her way in the world. It is appropriate for grades 4 through 6. Themes included in this novel are: family, perseverance, and the sea. With the protagonist being a female, this story would appeal mostly to female students.
May 7, 2008
Summary(CIP): after the deathe of her grandmother, an orphaned young girl leaves her house by the cove and begins a journey which leads her to people and eperiences that exemplify the wisdom her grandmother had shared with her.
Review: This story is a great survival story in so many ways. It deals with both physical and emotional survival. The advice given by the grandmother is honest and rings true and then is reflects in the story. The Crow-girl learns that people are neither good or bad, what is good for one is bad for another. The other lesson she learns from her grandmother is so beautifully worded I can not summarize and will include it here,"the door to a peron's heart can only be opened from within. If there is someone who will not let you in, it's no use hammering and kicking and lamenting and complaining. For what if the door is ajar and you push it shut? With some people it can never be opened again." The Crow-girl applies these rules and rebuilds her home and her family.
Positive review in SLJ, "Touching on universal themes, this quiet adventure story has the depth and flavor of a tale from long ago and far away." Starred Booklist review.
Review: This story is a great survival story in so many ways. It deals with both physical and emotional survival. The advice given by the grandmother is honest and rings true and then is reflects in the story. The Crow-girl learns that people are neither good or bad, what is good for one is bad for another. The other lesson she learns from her grandmother is so beautifully worded I can not summarize and will include it here,"the door to a peron's heart can only be opened from within. If there is someone who will not let you in, it's no use hammering and kicking and lamenting and complaining. For what if the door is ajar and you push it shut? With some people it can never be opened again." The Crow-girl applies these rules and rebuilds her home and her family.
Positive review in SLJ, "Touching on universal themes, this quiet adventure story has the depth and flavor of a tale from long ago and far away." Starred Booklist review.
November 14, 2012
This is an author who knows how to write! The images painted are poetic. As an old grandmother is dying she imparts wisdom to the grand daughter she loves. Living together on a rugged cove near the sea, when her grandmother dies, the young girl must bury her and seek others who can help her.
Remembering her grandmother's words regarding two kinds of people," those that make you feel good inside, and then those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say that they are good people!"
As she journeys away from the love and life she knew, The Crow-Girl (named because in her travel two crows guide her to safety) meets those who heal and those who harm.
In 155 short pages, the author held my interest with her lyrical, beautiful writing style.
Remembering her grandmother's words regarding two kinds of people," those that make you feel good inside, and then those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say that they are good people!"
As she journeys away from the love and life she knew, The Crow-Girl (named because in her travel two crows guide her to safety) meets those who heal and those who harm.
In 155 short pages, the author held my interest with her lyrical, beautiful writing style.
February 27, 2009
This book had me spellbound. The lifestyle is so far removed from our own today that I just soaked up the details of scratching together a living with the bare necessities (gathering driftwood from the sea for their fire and mussels and kale for their ancient stews)just to maintain a meager livelihood. I must gravitate to stories of an orderly, simple life (as maybe I feel mine isn't?).
I loved the characters of the grandmother and granddaughter and the way they turned bleakness into beauty--the girl's courage is so starkly put to the test right up front, that I immediately respected her character and wanted to find out how she fared in the end.
A gem of a story translated directly from the Danish tale.
I loved the characters of the grandmother and granddaughter and the way they turned bleakness into beauty--the girl's courage is so starkly put to the test right up front, that I immediately respected her character and wanted to find out how she fared in the end.
A gem of a story translated directly from the Danish tale.
April 2, 2014
This is a lovely story translated from Danish about a little girl who lives alone after her grandmother dies. Her grandmother has taught her the most important lessons and she uses these to survive and to decide who to become close to and allow into her inner circle... soon she has a new, adopted "family" including darling "Doup". I love that the grandmother said that some people divide others into "good" and "bad" people but there are so many differing opinions on what makes someone good or bad. She said instead to surround herself with people that make her feel good and want to do good and to avoid people that make her feel bad or try to get her to bad. What a great piece of advice! I'd like to read the follow up stories.
September 2, 2007
An orphan living alone on an island looks for a new family.
October 12, 2016
This book is amazing...
May 17, 2024
Such a feel good read with wonderful lessons sprinkled throughout.
August 16, 2024
Den har fået mig til at elske stormen og stenene og havet og klipperne og kragerne. Den har lært mig at livet er goldt.
April 13, 2024
just started this book, now im on page 62 and i have no idea whats this book abouttt :0
December 21, 2015
• Summarize the book
Crow Girl, the first in a series, is set in an unnamed seaside land and feels like it takes place in the middle ages. At the beginning of the book a girl with no name, early to mid adolescence, lives alone with her grandmother in a remote seaside cottage. They are poor but know how to keep themselves fed with mussels from the sea and other local foods. The grandmother is dying and in the opening chapters we hear her advising the girl on how to take care of herself after the she dies.
The grandmother dies. The girl is sad and drags her grandmother's body in a blanket up the hill to "bury" her next to her grandfather. Because there is no soil, the burial is to carefully mound stones over the body. Crows are flying overhead and seem to be calling the girl onward. After this, the girl closes up the house, packs up her few belongs and sets out to make her way. Throughout the book the crows help her decide if she should move on and which way to go and the girl becomes known as Crow Girl. The book progresses as she walks to the next town and ends up working for a time in the home of a conniving woman. She makes some money but ends up leaving. As she walks on to other areas she meets a little boy whose mother has recently died and whose father, in his grief, has neglected the boy and is drinking. Crow Girl takes the boy with her. Next she meets a woman and her daughter. The woman's boyfriend is an alcoholic and when he is drunk he has hit them so they are leaving to make a better life for themselves as well.
This motley little tribe decides to stick together and take care of each other. They head back to Crow Girl's home together but on the way meet a nice older man who is a shepherd, spinner, weaver and knitter by trade. They stay with him and his border collie for the winter, where they heal and make some money helping him. They leave in the spring and head back to Crow Girl's only to discover that she has been robbed. Crow Girl is of course furious and is fairly certain that she was robbed by the first woman she stayed with so long ago.
The women begin setting up house. The little boy's father and older brother finally come looking for him now that the man is coping with his grief and he and his son end up staying as well and this is where the first book ends.
• Identify the characteristics from the text that support the specific genre: There is no fantasy or magic to this book. All the events are plausible. It is clearly not set in modern times but the setting is realistic. A reader gets a good feel for what it might have been like to live rurally in the middle ages.
• Identify specific literary or educational concepts that could be integrated into the classroom. This book is written in very spare prose but deals with some very heavy and nuanced subject matter. It would be a good example for older students of how to apply a streamlined writing style to rich content.
Not very useful to most teachers but it is to me: This book was originally written in Danish. I speak and teach Danish! I've thought to use it as a text in both languages for intermediate level Danish learners.
• Provide any other suggestions that would be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the book might be integrated.
My daughter was in second grade when I first read this to her but some of the subject matter was too dark for her so I did lots of on-the-fly editing. I'd say it's better for 4th grade on up. It would be a great book for a whole class of readers with diverse skills to use. The content is rich and complex but the volume and style of the writing would not be overwhelming to a struggling reader.
As I detailed, the book deals with some weighty subjects: grief, abandonment, domestic abuse, deceit. As a teacher one would have to be prepared to work with those topics. The overall tone of the book however is hopeful and provides some beautiful examples of people coming together to build community in the most difficult of circumstances.
Crow Girl, the first in a series, is set in an unnamed seaside land and feels like it takes place in the middle ages. At the beginning of the book a girl with no name, early to mid adolescence, lives alone with her grandmother in a remote seaside cottage. They are poor but know how to keep themselves fed with mussels from the sea and other local foods. The grandmother is dying and in the opening chapters we hear her advising the girl on how to take care of herself after the she dies.
The grandmother dies. The girl is sad and drags her grandmother's body in a blanket up the hill to "bury" her next to her grandfather. Because there is no soil, the burial is to carefully mound stones over the body. Crows are flying overhead and seem to be calling the girl onward. After this, the girl closes up the house, packs up her few belongs and sets out to make her way. Throughout the book the crows help her decide if she should move on and which way to go and the girl becomes known as Crow Girl. The book progresses as she walks to the next town and ends up working for a time in the home of a conniving woman. She makes some money but ends up leaving. As she walks on to other areas she meets a little boy whose mother has recently died and whose father, in his grief, has neglected the boy and is drinking. Crow Girl takes the boy with her. Next she meets a woman and her daughter. The woman's boyfriend is an alcoholic and when he is drunk he has hit them so they are leaving to make a better life for themselves as well.
This motley little tribe decides to stick together and take care of each other. They head back to Crow Girl's home together but on the way meet a nice older man who is a shepherd, spinner, weaver and knitter by trade. They stay with him and his border collie for the winter, where they heal and make some money helping him. They leave in the spring and head back to Crow Girl's only to discover that she has been robbed. Crow Girl is of course furious and is fairly certain that she was robbed by the first woman she stayed with so long ago.
The women begin setting up house. The little boy's father and older brother finally come looking for him now that the man is coping with his grief and he and his son end up staying as well and this is where the first book ends.
• Identify the characteristics from the text that support the specific genre: There is no fantasy or magic to this book. All the events are plausible. It is clearly not set in modern times but the setting is realistic. A reader gets a good feel for what it might have been like to live rurally in the middle ages.
• Identify specific literary or educational concepts that could be integrated into the classroom. This book is written in very spare prose but deals with some very heavy and nuanced subject matter. It would be a good example for older students of how to apply a streamlined writing style to rich content.
Not very useful to most teachers but it is to me: This book was originally written in Danish. I speak and teach Danish! I've thought to use it as a text in both languages for intermediate level Danish learners.
• Provide any other suggestions that would be useful regarding literary content, reading level, and other ways in which the book might be integrated.
My daughter was in second grade when I first read this to her but some of the subject matter was too dark for her so I did lots of on-the-fly editing. I'd say it's better for 4th grade on up. It would be a great book for a whole class of readers with diverse skills to use. The content is rich and complex but the volume and style of the writing would not be overwhelming to a struggling reader.
As I detailed, the book deals with some weighty subjects: grief, abandonment, domestic abuse, deceit. As a teacher one would have to be prepared to work with those topics. The overall tone of the book however is hopeful and provides some beautiful examples of people coming together to build community in the most difficult of circumstances.
January 5, 2016
A captivating, somber, almost philosophical read. The image of a lonely cove's rocky shoreline, populated by only a few small, mostly empty, mostly ruined homes; some sea life; a girl; and her bed-ridden grandmother, set the tone of the book. Though the time and place (other than being coastal and boggy) are indistinct and vague, that never seemed to matter - the story was very timeless, and the mysteriousness seemed appropriate, considering the protagonist's ignorance of her own name. I would never be able to compare the English translation to the Danish original, but from an outsider's perspective, the job was skillfully done. The prose of the novel is clean and spare but evocative, and the characters - especially the kindness, determination, and strength of the protagonist, known mostly as Crow-Girl - were well-drawn. From a (possibly) partly well-meaning, mostly awful village woman and her husband to a lonely, desperate widower, the characters are varied yet simple and easy to comprehend.
"There are those who make you feel inside as if you are drinking a good, warm soup – even if you are hungry and the two of you have nothing to eat. In spite of that they nourish you." -Crow-Girl's grandmother
The ideas presented as advice from the protagonist's only family, her beloved grandmother, are important, subtle, and phrased with an easy tenderness. That advice also helps outline a lot of what this book explores plot-wise and thematically - how to find people that you can live and toil with together, nourishing each other as family and friends. And our Crow-Girl does find just that, but only after much suffering. Which brings me to the next point: some parts of the book were incredibly, awfully sad. Luckily, the prose, while reflecting the grimness of the events in the story, is honest and unflinching when dealing with these subjects.
Thankfully, the relationships formed between Crow-Girl and those that she encounters toward the latter half of the tale lend to a rewarding, happy ending with only a tinge of the bittersweet. All in all, I'd gladly recommend this book to youngsters (and old-sters) that can handle the raw sadness and lonely nature of this novel. As a side note: I loved how much birds were mentioned in the book; the references were threaded neatly into the fabric of the story.
"The night air came pushing in, and together with it came a feeling that a great wish had been fulfilled, that in some strange way she had gotten what she had hoped for. And for a dizzying moment she felt perfectly happy.
"She drew a deep breath and put her head back, and there, high up in the sky, she saw the North Star winking down at her.
"She sat there until she began to be chilly; then she got up and walked back to the warm house."
October 27, 2011
The Crow Girl, By Bodli Bredsdorff.
This book is about a girl named Crow Girl, she is 13 years old and a very hard worker. Crow girl lived with her grandma in a very small old house, in the middle of nowhere. One day her grandmother passsed away and crow girl is by herself. She leaves her home and two crows lead her to different places and people.
Crow girl wanted to find someone who would take her in and take of her. Two crows lead her to a house with a man and wife. They let Crow girl in but only if she would work for them. She had to cook, gather wood and clean the house. She slept in their attic in a hammock. One night Crow gril heard the couple talking and they said they wanted to adopt her so they could have her home and all she had. She snuck out one night to get aaway from these people.
The next place the crows took her was to a house in the woods with a little boy she called Doup. He was living with a man who was very angry because his wife had died. This man destroyed the house and everything that was in it. He told Crow girl to take Doup and the horse and leave. Crow girl took food and blankets and put Doup in a basket that hung off the horse.
The crows took her to a mountain where a mother and her child were hiding. The mother's name was Foula and the was Eidi. They had been beaten by Foula husband and were hungry and scared. Crow girl fed them and the next day the set off to live at Crow girl's grandmother's house. On the way they run into Rossan. He is a very nice man who takes care of them and lets them live with him for a while. They had to leave because Foula's husband was trying to find them.
Crow girl, Doup, Foula and Eidi travel and find the grandmother's house. Doup's father and son find him and he is now a good father. They all end up like a family and live next to each other and are very happy. I like this book because it has a message to never give up. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and suspense. I have enjoyed this book.
This book is about a girl named Crow Girl, she is 13 years old and a very hard worker. Crow girl lived with her grandma in a very small old house, in the middle of nowhere. One day her grandmother passsed away and crow girl is by herself. She leaves her home and two crows lead her to different places and people.
Crow girl wanted to find someone who would take her in and take of her. Two crows lead her to a house with a man and wife. They let Crow girl in but only if she would work for them. She had to cook, gather wood and clean the house. She slept in their attic in a hammock. One night Crow gril heard the couple talking and they said they wanted to adopt her so they could have her home and all she had. She snuck out one night to get aaway from these people.
The next place the crows took her was to a house in the woods with a little boy she called Doup. He was living with a man who was very angry because his wife had died. This man destroyed the house and everything that was in it. He told Crow girl to take Doup and the horse and leave. Crow girl took food and blankets and put Doup in a basket that hung off the horse.
The crows took her to a mountain where a mother and her child were hiding. The mother's name was Foula and the was Eidi. They had been beaten by Foula husband and were hungry and scared. Crow girl fed them and the next day the set off to live at Crow girl's grandmother's house. On the way they run into Rossan. He is a very nice man who takes care of them and lets them live with him for a while. They had to leave because Foula's husband was trying to find them.
Crow girl, Doup, Foula and Eidi travel and find the grandmother's house. Doup's father and son find him and he is now a good father. They all end up like a family and live next to each other and are very happy. I like this book because it has a message to never give up. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and suspense. I have enjoyed this book.
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