Crowbar: The Smartest Bird in the World – A Funny True Story About a Boy and a Talking Crow for Kids

by Jean Craighead George, Twig C George, Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

A funny and amazing story based on a real-life crow from renowned naturalist and Newbery Medal-winning author Jean Craighead George, with illustrations from long-time collaborator Wendell Minor. Twig George and T. Luke George have provided up-to-date research for this stunning picture book by their mother.

A young boy finds a baby crow abandoned, cold and hungry. He takes him home, hoping to nurse him back to health. His Grandpa disapproves—he thinks that crows are pests and thieves! The boy knows that the crow he names “Crowbar” is capable of learning more than how to eat, caw, and fly. But can he prove it?

As Crowbar grows, the boy teaches him how to speak and Crowbar teaches the boy just how clever crows can be. With his innate intelligence, Crowbar will show he is smarter than anyone could imagine.

This beautiful new picture book from the author of My Side of the Mountain, Julie of the Wolves, and many other beloved books will be welcomed by young naturalists.

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Childrens, Animals, Nature, Juvenile, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2015

About the author

Jean Craighead George wrote over eighty popular books for young adults, including the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves and the Newbery Honor book My Side of the Mountain. Most of her books deal with topics related to the environment and the natural world. While she mostly wrote children's fiction, she also wrote at least two guides to cooking with wild foods, and an autobiography, Journey Inward.

The mother of three children, (Twig C. George, Craig, and T. Luke George) Jean George was a grandmother who joyfully read to her grandchildren since the time they were born. Over the years Jean George kept one hundred and seventy-three pets, not including dogs and cats, in her home in Chappaqua, New York. "Most of these wild animals depart in autumn when the sun changes their behaviour and they feel the urge to migrate or go off alone. While they are with us, however, they become characters in my books, articles, and stories."

Reviews

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little story with lovely illustrations. I love crows/ravens/etc., so I'm a bit biased. On the wordier side for a picture book, which isn't a bad thing; just an observation.

Illustrations created using graphite and Designers Gouache on Strathmore 500 Bristol and digitally enhanced.

[Tayler K · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked seeing some crow behavior, but I was getting very frustrated with Grandpa's negativity being thrown in the whole time. And I know it's a children's book, but reading as an adult I was really grating against the simplistic text, and these illustrations didn't thrill me apart from the cover and title page (key!).

The whole thing fell short for a grown crow-lover, but it might still be good for children?

[Becky Loader · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I love crows, I was underwhelmed with the writing and the illustrations.
Loved the name, though.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendell Minor's paintings of the crow are excellent and the story of a family helping to raise an orphaned baby crow is fascinating. Even more fascinating is how smart that little crow is!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young boy finds an abandoned baby crow and takes it home, convincing his mother who works in a bird rescue center that this is a good idea and that he can do it. The baby crow survived, and although he lived outside in a tree - and could survive on his own, he still felt like part of the family. The boy named him Crowbar and taught him to say hello - which he used to get food from surprised folks having picnics. His grandpa is sure that crow is up to no good. But the Crow amazed everyone when he used a can lid to help him use the slide like the kids. However, this crow is meant to be wild, and will need to learn from other crows how to be a wild crow.

What a great story! I appreciated George's note at the end, explaining that the boy could only keep the crow because of his mother's job at the rehabilitation center. She also gives tips for readers on what to do if they find a bird. Also includes some great sources for watching Crows on Youtube and other sites.

Crossposted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Cindy Overcast · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book jacket describes this story being based on a real-life crow that Jean and her children raised. Jean's grown children, Luke and Twig George co-authored the book and Wendell Minor, a long-time collaborator of Jean's is the illustrator. If you're not familiar with Jean Craighead George, she was a Newbery Medal winning author of over one hundred books for children and young adults. A renowned naturalist, her books were focused around the environment and nature. This story describes the brilliant antics of a rescued crow named Crowbar, who learned to speak English words while showing everyone just how clever birds can be -- especially crows! The back pages of the book contain more information and websites for learning about crows and wildlife rehabilitation. Well worth reading and sharing!

[Gretchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit to being more like the grandfather in this book than the boy or his mom. While I know crows are intelligent they are also large and loud and go after just about anything, including baby ducklings. But, I did really enjoy the fact that the family cared for the baby and they helped it to be wild when it was ready. I am very grateful for people that help nature out and work to restore at least a little of what humans take away from it.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book is inspired by the baby crow that Jean Craighead George and her sons helped rescue. They learned firsthand how smart crows are. They could mimic human speech, uses tools to help them, hide household objects; this one even walked the boys to the bus stop Lots of video links included to show kids how smart crows are.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penned by late Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George and adapted by her children, this picture book follows the family’s real experience of rescuing and raising a baby crow foundling they named Crowbar, seamlessly incorporating facts about crows and highlighting thier remarkable intelligence. Wonderfully illustrated by Wendell Minor, a frquent collaborator with George.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned many things about rescuing and keeping wild birds. When I was young we rescued an injured pigeon who died in a few weeks. There were not as many wildlife rescue organizations back then. Now I’d know better, not to attempt this without qualified help. Not to mention the book basically says it’s illegal. The story is very heartwarming told by a woman (Jean Craighead George) who grew up in an environmentalist family and the story seemed believable and possibly autobiographical.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic picture book for elementary school kids all about how smart crows are. The story is decent but the facts they will discover about these amazing birds is top notch. Of course, the author is the awesome Jean Craighead George of "My Side of the Mountain" fame so you are in good hands.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely story of a bird rescue and the lessons it and the humans learned up to its release.

[Amy Roebuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book for generations to share! The George family is renowned for their picture books about the natural world, and this talent and mission has now reached into a next generation.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't skip the back matter, especially if this is one of your first explorations into the world of wildlife rehabilitation and the intelligence of crows.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give me a book about covids and/or bird intelligence and I'll read it because wrong we were about "bird brains."

[Norkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure with a bird rescue.

[SamSamSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very engaging, but why does this poor kid have the most godawful grandpa in the world?

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a heartwarming story about raising (and letting go of) a crow.

[Maeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

A boy finds an abandoned baby crow and raises it until it can survive on its own. During this process, the boy's cantankerous grandfather has a change of opinion on crows and respects their intelligence.

[Stacy Atherton Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This true story of Crowbar is funny, but I think the extended (original) version that can be read in The Tarantula in My Purse by Jean Craighead George is way better and more hilarious. I highly recommend that book to learn more about Crowbar and the George family's many other interesting pets.

[Pinky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy finds a baby crow and takes it home, until it's old enough to fly.