Crows: Genius Birds

Science Comics

by Kyla Vanderklugt

That's something to crow about! Learn all about these genius birds in Kyla Vanderklugt's Science Crows , the latest volume in First Second’s action-packed nonfiction graphic novel series for middle-grade readers!

Every volume of Science Comics offers a complete introduction to a particular topic―dinosaurs, the solar system, volcanoes, bats, robots, and more. These gorgeously illustrated graphic novels offer wildly entertaining views of their subjects. Whether you're a fourth grader doing a natural science unit at school or a thirty-year-old with a secret passion for airplanes, these books are for you!

Did you know that crows make their own tools, lead complex social lives, and never forget a human face? Scientists are just beginning to unlock the secrets of the crow's brain to discover how these avian Einsteins can be as smart as some primates, and even perform some of the same cognitive feats as human children! Crows have problem-solving skills that will make you you rethink what it means to be a bird brain!

Genres: Nonfiction, Graphic Novels, Science, Animals, Middle Grade, Comics, Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2020

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly wouldn't have expected someone to be able to write an entire graphic novel for middle schoolers on crows and make it work, but I was wrong. This is a surprisingly fun, interesting, well written book where a crow teaches a dog all the ways crows are amazing, plus a ton of facts about crows, biology and science in general. It's well written and well illustrated, kids (or adults) will learn a ton, and the author manages to make it all really interesting and sweet. I'm planning to look for more of these from the library for my 12 year old, and I suspect he'll love them.

Highly recommended for older elementary and middle school kids, or any kids (or adults) who are interested in crows, birds, nature studies and/or science.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[₊˚ ⁀➴ kenzie ⠀❦ jacks’ version · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crows have always been really cool to me, so I enjoyed learning more about them. I also liked that there was a storyline that told information, research, and facts along the way which made it more fun to read.

[Diz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel teaches everything that you might want to know about crows. What I appreciate is that this is a series for younger readers, but it doesn't hold back on introducing complex ideas. For example, this book goes into detail on the brain structure of crows and discusses several studies on the brain functions of crows. It's always nice to see authors that understand that kids can handle complex material if you give them a chance and explain it well.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I've always found crows to be interesting and seeing this I wanted to learn more about them. I expected some new knowledge and assumed the rest would be things I already knew or very basic info. I was wrong in my assumption as this book was packing with in-depth, interesting facts about crows! I also enjoyed the delivery of these facts as well since there is a story that helps guide you through them.

[Lydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. Crows are now one of my favorite animals!

[LibraryCin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a graphic novel aimed at kids, this one with a focus on crows. Crows (along with other corvids) are extremely smart. They are also very social creatures. The “story” in this graphic novel has a crow breaking a dog out of his yard. As the crow tells the dog all about crows, the dog helps the crow get to food in the green bins along the street.

This is so well done and I think anyone can learn from these. There are things crows do that remind me of humans. And that is commented on in the book. One thing I didn’t know that crows are very good imitators (with sounds!). It’s part of a series called “Science Comics” and it is so good. This is the 2nd book I’ve read in the series (and I plan to read more) and they’ve both been very good and I have learned things! The illustrations are also very well done, including images of a couple of things in their actual size.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best of the crow books I've read recently, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in natural science. A crow and dog go on an adventure in which the crow brags and regales the dog with fascinating facts about how smart their species is, citing many experiments to prove his point. I learned so much more about crows, and I even learned more about what I already knew because the narration in this book is incredibly engaging throughout. I'd highly recommend this to kids grades 5-8 (and adults, even!) who are studying crows for a project or who just want to be blown away by facts while also reading comics. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Science Comics are always a hit in my 2nd/3rd grade classroom! The latest in the series introduces kids to a myriad of cool and interesting facts about crows! The setup is that a crow befriends a happy-go-lucky dog and takes him on a food-finding adventure around the city. As they go, the crow explains a variety of scientific studies that have focused on crow intelligence and behavior. It’s a bit smoother and the “instruction” is less forced than some other books in the series. Overall a great addition to elementary libraries and classroom libraries grades 2 and up! Thank you to NetGalley and First Second Books for the digital advance review copy.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent graphic nonfiction book! My daughter (9) had said that she liked this book a lot better than the one about bats, and I was curious about how they compared. In this book, a crow and a dog take a tour of town raiding trash cans for food and the crow teaches the dog about crows. It's very focused on crow intelligence and behavior. I think the appeal of this book is that it has a narrower focus, unlike the bat book which deals with habitat, feeding habits, multiple bat species, human behavioral threats, habitat loss, and injury. The plot of the bat book is just more complex, it has a lot of human and bat characters, and the topics are more varied--which also makes it interesting! But I can see how this one has a lot of appeal in its narrower focus. I'd say it's good for ages 7+ depending on interest and reading ability.

[John of Canada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny dialogue combined with some very interesting facts about crows and a nice relationship between a very smart crow and a very likable(and not terribly bright) pooch made this a delightful reading experience. Having just finished Hollow Kingdom, I am now on board for all things crow... and other birds.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crows. Crows. Crows. They sure are smart. This book will teach kids all about how smart crows really are. This gorgeous graphic novel illuminates the complex social organization of crows around the world. Crows are not only tool users, but tool makers as well. Focusing primarily on American and New Caledonian crows, but also quite of few examples of Carrion crows as well, the reader will discover just how versatile and intelligent these birds truly are.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

7yo whispered to Mommy: "Mama knows too much about crows." Now she's in it with me.

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! It was very fun learning about crows! I knew crows were smart, but I never knew they were this smart!

[Crowella deVil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually learned several new crow facts!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know crows are smart, but there were some new things that I learnt about crows

For example, I didn't know that crows were being able to mimic other creatures (meow like a cat, bark like a dog or talk like a human)

Everyday I learn something new.

[Desi A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crows are so smart! They understand numeracy! They can make tools! They have an amazing memory!

I want to make friends with crows.

[Jenn Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crows trick a dog into leaving his yard in order to get him to help them find food. Along the way, you learn all about crows.

This book was super interesting. I learned so many facts about crows and I found myself running out to the living room to share all my newfound knowledge. The integration between science and the story was flawless. Even though the story easily had as much information as a textbook, it did not feel like I was reading one.

I can't wait to get this into my classroom.

Creative Team:
by Kyla Vanderklugt
Interior book design by Laura Berry

[Mary Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm mostly a fan of crows --unless i see them killing bluebird nestlings (which i monitor) and eating nest eggs (which in this book are listed as less important items in their diet).

The main contributor, John Marzluff from the UW, is well known around the Seattle area for his experiment with a monster mask and a Cheney mask (NOT Liz, but her father!) The crows not only remembered and feared the mask wearer who had captured and banded some, but they passed their fear and dislike on to their descendants for at least a decade.

Other examples of crow memory and intelligence (comparable to a human 5-year-old) are also given, as the crow and his dog friend romp around as a team, upsetting garbage cans combining the crow's color discrimination with the dog's strength.

Quite a lot of scientific terminology and info is included, some new to me, eg parts of a crow's brain that are especially developed, such as prefrontal cortex and NCI ( Nidopallium Caudolaterale). Crow funerals, which humans perceive as similar to human funerals are theorized to be crows observing the dangers nearby that might have led to the crow's death.

Recommend for children and also adults as quick, easy way to develop an appreciation for crow. (The glossary and notes in the back are helpful. An index would also have been useful, altho unusual in a children's book)

[Jennifer Fischer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Science Comics: Crows is an informative and entertaining read about crows. The information is presented in a comic/graphic novel format. The book follows a crow and a dog, Buddy on an adventure across the city. The crow explains to Buddy that crows are intelligent, yet often misunderstood. There is a wealth of information about the abilities of crows, common misconceptions about crows, and the differences between members of the crow family and other birds. Young readers will enjoy the humorous exchanges between Buddy and the crow.

This book would be a great addition to elementary and middle school libraries. Although some of the information may be challenging for younger students, particularly the information related to the brain, readers will still enjoy the format and illustrations. At the same time, I appreciate the presentation of complex information to younger readers because some readers will understand and enjoy these details.

I received a free copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

[J. Robinson-Readersgottoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

This informative graphic novel covers detailed facts and dispels myths about crows and others of the genus called Corvus. A crow befriends a dog and as they look for food in a neighborhood, it shares information about its life and intelligence. A detailed look at the differences and similarities of the crow and human brain are discussed. The adaptability of rooks and ravens are highlighted along with several scientific experiments. Cleverly, facts about dogs are Interwoven as the crow tries to relate its life to its new furry friend’s. The “ gross” details of a crow’s eating habits are not spared, which adds to the authenticity of this volume. The panels are colorful and whimsical, and are the ideal pairing for the text. The author includes sections for notes, a glossary, Living with Crows 101, and research sources. A must read for bird lovers of all ages.

This is a review based on the published copy of this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[alexander shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this at the library and the art looked really neat so I decided to give it a try. The art is really amazing, balancing realism with a bit of cartoon to give the animals body language and expressions they likely don't have in real life. Crows are very smart birds and it was neat reading about all the different experiments conducted with them to test their intelligence, creativity, etc. Given the age group the book is meant for I was a little surprised at some of the vocab used, it seemed a little advanced even with the explanations provided. But mostly, having encountered some of the studies before in university comparative cognition classes and knowing what the profs explained about it, the way the studies are described here seems a little misleading in their simplicity. It has to be to a degree because of the intended audience, but it hides the nuances and real results of some of the studies.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you know me, you know that I love all things ravens and crows, so I was drawn to this book, and decided that I had to get it to read.


This is a cute graphic novel of a crow teaching a dog about why they are the smartest birds in the animal kingdom. The crow takes the dog around, teaching him to knock over trash cans for him, and defend him from other crows. In between the snacking we learn about what science has found out about crows, and how they problem solve, and use tools.


Most of the stuff I knew, other stuff, I did not. Very informative, and fun to learn while reading. The pictures are cute and pull the story along. The cover has what looks like a laughing crow on the cover. What more information do you need?


This is a whole series of science comics, including ones about cats, sharks, and trees. They are not written by the same people, but look just as informative. And hey, it is from First Second books, which has wonderful books in its catalogue.

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about the genius of crows. It discusses what the faculty of certain universities and several scientists have learned about the behavior and anatomy of birds in the crow family. They are smart and it is surprising what they are able to do. The book is designed a good bit like a comic where a crow describes crow life to a dog while the other members of the murder break into the dog's house and steal his food. The book is excellent as it discusses the real science discovered about the crow family and their behavior. It also has an excellent bibliography and suggestions for readers to learn more about the topics.

[Recoco · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, the books in this series never fail to impress. Honestly never knew you could learn this much about one topic. Now I think crows are pretty interesting (never knew I'd say that ). This book is packed with information and fun facts. In it, a crow teaches a dog about himself, while carrying the squad (he led the dog away from it's owner's house so they could take the dog's food). Also, before I read this book, I literally did not know anything about the difference between a crow and a raven, I thought they were the same ( anyone else? ). Yeah, so this book is basically good for any one, and definitely recommend to anyone who loves science or birds.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is more of a graphic novel with nonfiction in it than a nonfiction graphic novel because the crow and the dog carry on a conversation for the entire story in which the dog learns about how intelligent crows are. It's fun and makes learning about science and birds specifically entertaining.

Crows are curiously intelligent creatures, of that we know, so Vanderklugt works to share these details in a sparing graphic novel of a dialogue between these two animals. I learned about proportional brain size and their use of tools, language and theory of mind. Nothing was particularly "new" to share, but for the kid audience, it's cool.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids have been enjoying the Science Comics series for a while and raving to me about how wonderful it is. I'm trying to get my eight-year-old to read aloud more, so when she suggested this and was willing to read one of the character's lines, I was willing to read through it with her (and her younger brother wanted to listen, too). I was pleasantly surprised how informative and interesting this is. I didn't know how smart crows are, that they can improvise tools and think through multistep solutions to novel problems.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than my confusion about why there's only one name given as creator, this is excellent. Engaging, *lots* of information presented accessibly, generous back matter, told with verve and humor. And Buddy the dog is so sweet, with his own kind of smarts.

I really don't see how one person could be author, and artist, and colorist, though, especially on such a rich non-fiction topic. Copyright page gives minor credit to others.

Still, I will look for more in the series on topics that interest me.

[SamSamSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about crows and had so much fun doing it! This is the first Science Comics I've read, but I have many more on my TBR. Because this is a middle grade read, I expected the comic to be more focused on a story and less focused on giving information. I would say that it's actually the exact opposite, at least for this installment. For that reason, I was daunted at first and thought I wouldn't enjoy the book. However, once I got into the flow, I had lots of fun learning! I will definitely be recommending these titles for science lovers.

[Elzbieta Wisz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a few of these science comics in my classroom, so I was excited to see a new one coming out! I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about crows while reading this graphic novel. I love how the crow told facts about himself along the way while he duped the neighborhood dog. :) My students are going to enjoy this one! I thought it was pretty cool to find a fact coming from Rockford, IL in it as well. (About an hour away from here!) My students will get a kick out of that!