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Crow and Weasel
"A brilliantly written and totally original New World adventure." - Jean Craighead George
Long ago, when people and animals spoke the same language, two young men left their tribe to make an adventurous voyage through the wilderness, into the unknown northland. Set in the mythic past and inspired by the traditions of the North American Plains people, this fable of self-discovery follows Crow and Weasel as they face unfamiliar perils on a quest for knowledge and wisdom. Conquering their innermost fears, the two heroes come of age and learn more than they ever could have imagined--about humanity's relationship to the land, the importance of respecting other peoples and giving thanks, and even the ery nature of friendship itself.
Long ago, when people and animals spoke the same language, two young men left their tribe to make an adventurous voyage through the wilderness, into the unknown northland. Set in the mythic past and inspired by the traditions of the North American Plains people, this fable of self-discovery follows Crow and Weasel as they face unfamiliar perils on a quest for knowledge and wisdom. Conquering their innermost fears, the two heroes come of age and learn more than they ever could have imagined--about humanity's relationship to the land, the importance of respecting other peoples and giving thanks, and even the ery nature of friendship itself.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
8 people are currently reading
439 people want to read
About the author
Barry Lopez
104 books917 followersBarry Holstun Lopez is an American author, essayist, and fiction writer whose work is known for its environmental and social concerns.
Lopez has been described as "the nation's premier nature writer" by the San Francisco Chronicle. In his non-fiction, he frequently examines the relationship between human culture and physical landscape, while in his fiction he addresses issues of intimacy, ethics and identity.
Lopez has been described as "the nation's premier nature writer" by the San Francisco Chronicle. In his non-fiction, he frequently examines the relationship between human culture and physical landscape, while in his fiction he addresses issues of intimacy, ethics and identity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
September 25, 2012
One of my instructors read this to my group on our NOLS Rocky Mountain course. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found parts of it especially insightful and full of wisdom.
"Be strong. And when you feel like giving up, remember your relatives."
For some reason, this quote from the book really stuck with me and helped me get through the tough times on my course. Overall...I'd say it's an awesome read at any age. :)
"Be strong. And when you feel like giving up, remember your relatives."
For some reason, this quote from the book really stuck with me and helped me get through the tough times on my course. Overall...I'd say it's an awesome read at any age. :)
March 25, 2021
I recently read Barry Lopez's About This Life and admired his thought and writing about our (human) relationship to the landscape. When I saw he'd also written this illustrated story, I was interested.
I value the messages it contains on reciprocity, respect and gratitude to the land, and the lessons Crow and Weasel learn as they navigate this coming-of-age journey. I liked the association of self discovery and discovery about the world.
This is not your ordinary picture book. It's a novella-length fable, more text than picture.
It's not clear to me what audience it's intended for. I'd call it an all-ages book.
It's a quiet story. In this sense, it engages by making you listen carefully to what it has to say.
I dog-eared several pages that spoke to me:
"..to be a good family man, to be truthful instead of clever with people, to live in a community where there is much wisdom - that is what all of us want." (p. 16)
"..with some things in life you don't have to try to fight. A young man wants to fight everything, it is in him to do that. A grown man knows to leave certain things alone. Some things you don't answer. It doesn't mean you have no courage." (p.19)
It occurred to him that much of life was learning to wait for the right moment, and that it was a hard kind of patience to learn. (p.32)
'I have put my poem in order on the threshold of my tongue.' (p. 45)
"You make me marvel at the strangeness of the world. That strangeness, the intriguing life of another people, it is a crucial thing, I think, to know." (p. 46)
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive." (p. 48)
"Sometimes it is what is beautiful that carries you."
"Yes. It can carry you to the end. It is your relationship to what is beautiful, not the beautiful thing by itself, that carries you." (p.55)
"It is good to be alive. To have friends, to have a family, to have children, to live in a particular place. These relationships are sacred." (p.63)
I value the messages it contains on reciprocity, respect and gratitude to the land, and the lessons Crow and Weasel learn as they navigate this coming-of-age journey. I liked the association of self discovery and discovery about the world.
This is not your ordinary picture book. It's a novella-length fable, more text than picture.
It's not clear to me what audience it's intended for. I'd call it an all-ages book.
It's a quiet story. In this sense, it engages by making you listen carefully to what it has to say.
I dog-eared several pages that spoke to me:
"..to be a good family man, to be truthful instead of clever with people, to live in a community where there is much wisdom - that is what all of us want." (p. 16)
"..with some things in life you don't have to try to fight. A young man wants to fight everything, it is in him to do that. A grown man knows to leave certain things alone. Some things you don't answer. It doesn't mean you have no courage." (p.19)
It occurred to him that much of life was learning to wait for the right moment, and that it was a hard kind of patience to learn. (p.32)
'I have put my poem in order on the threshold of my tongue.' (p. 45)
"You make me marvel at the strangeness of the world. That strangeness, the intriguing life of another people, it is a crucial thing, I think, to know." (p. 46)
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive." (p. 48)
"Sometimes it is what is beautiful that carries you."
"Yes. It can carry you to the end. It is your relationship to what is beautiful, not the beautiful thing by itself, that carries you." (p.55)
"It is good to be alive. To have friends, to have a family, to have children, to live in a particular place. These relationships are sacred." (p.63)
April 5, 2018
This is a beautiful Native American fable. Crow and Weasel set out to travel beyond where their people have traveled before. A hero’s journey, taken together, gently and thoughtfully, and with full understanding that nothing is done alone, that we all - species and tribes, plants and animals - need each other to survive.
“But he was wondering, too, who the trees might be. They were beings, he knew. If your medicine was strong enough, you might be able to talk with them, ask their advice.”
“...he also knew Crow had a way of seeing that could be...powerful...And he felt that that was what Crow was up to this morning, trying to feel his way through his medicine.”
***
“But our older people tell us that without a dream you do not know what to do with your life….
to be a good family man, to be truthful instead of clever with people, to live in a community where there is much wisdom - that is what all of us want.”
***
“The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them” Badger says.
The respect they show for other, different ways of being and living, for traditions that are different than their own - perhaps more than anything else, demonstrate their point of spiritual evolution, a point so far beyond what life is like, here, now, in a place where wisdom, as well as community, is vanishingly rare, and not particularly valued; cleverness wins over truthfulness, and commitment to each other - without arbitrary borders - is a dream.
“But he was wondering, too, who the trees might be. They were beings, he knew. If your medicine was strong enough, you might be able to talk with them, ask their advice.”
“...he also knew Crow had a way of seeing that could be...powerful...And he felt that that was what Crow was up to this morning, trying to feel his way through his medicine.”
***
“But our older people tell us that without a dream you do not know what to do with your life….
to be a good family man, to be truthful instead of clever with people, to live in a community where there is much wisdom - that is what all of us want.”
***
“The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them” Badger says.
The respect they show for other, different ways of being and living, for traditions that are different than their own - perhaps more than anything else, demonstrate their point of spiritual evolution, a point so far beyond what life is like, here, now, in a place where wisdom, as well as community, is vanishingly rare, and not particularly valued; cleverness wins over truthfulness, and commitment to each other - without arbitrary borders - is a dream.
February 4, 2011
This is a wonderful story of the animals Crow and Weasel as Plains Indians, on a journey of self-discovery. Through it they learn more about each other, their lives, the world, survival, reliance, and other cultures. They meet other characters and mature during their journey. It's a great story and very well-illustrated.
I read this to my kids, aged 6 and 8. It took us some time, reading slowly over the nights. I will say that the language at times was a little too mature and/or slow and complex for them, but that didn't hamper the story at all. I would recommend ages eight and above. Very well done.
--- ---
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is why we put these stories in each other's memory. This is how people care for themselves."
I read this to my kids, aged 6 and 8. It took us some time, reading slowly over the nights. I will say that the language at times was a little too mature and/or slow and complex for them, but that didn't hamper the story at all. I would recommend ages eight and above. Very well done.
--- ---
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive. That is why we put these stories in each other's memory. This is how people care for themselves."
December 20, 2016
I finished this book wondering how such a well-known author could publish this story without any mention of the indigenous people the entire book is based on. As a fan of Barry Lopez, it left me somewhat shocked that he hadn't considered the aspects of cultural appropriation he furthered by writing this story without due credit.
The part that bothered me the most was this permeating feeling that the two main characters are living this cultural lifestyle seemingly untouched by settlers, and yet they RIDE HORSES. And the quote that others have so lovingly repeated about taking care of stories - that's a punch in the face as far as I'm concerned; Lopez just stole aspects of another culture's stories and reshaped them, put his name on it, and is now reaping the profits. Unacceptable.
I gave this to a friend who has an 11 year old, and mentioned the issues that came up for me, and she responded that they'd be good talking points to discuss with her son. So I gave it two stars because it serves as a basis for important conversation, and the story itself is a positive tale of challenging yourself and pursuing discomfort in order to find your path in life and bring it back to share with your community.
The part that bothered me the most was this permeating feeling that the two main characters are living this cultural lifestyle seemingly untouched by settlers, and yet they RIDE HORSES. And the quote that others have so lovingly repeated about taking care of stories - that's a punch in the face as far as I'm concerned; Lopez just stole aspects of another culture's stories and reshaped them, put his name on it, and is now reaping the profits. Unacceptable.
I gave this to a friend who has an 11 year old, and mentioned the issues that came up for me, and she responded that they'd be good talking points to discuss with her son. So I gave it two stars because it serves as a basis for important conversation, and the story itself is a positive tale of challenging yourself and pursuing discomfort in order to find your path in life and bring it back to share with your community.
April 13, 2012
y seven year old grandson and I read this every night! It uses intelligent language, has humor, and is about two young Native Americans taking a quest which is daring, and adventurous. The art in this book is phenomenal.
May 25, 2022
A brief tale, told simply and elegantly, about the journey from boyhood to manhood. Joseph Campbell might call it a hero's journey.
April 9, 2025
4.5/5
I thought Crow and Weasel would be a typical children's book with stripped down prose, simple dialogue, simple plot. But I was very wrong. It is a children’s book in the way Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man is a children’s book: deeply personal, poetic, with complex characters, complex decisions, and a complex ending.
The book honestly reminded me of McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses. The relationship between Crow and Weasel was very similar to John Grady and Rawlins. The action sequences, like the animals’ hunts, were with the same tension and intensity as McCarthy’s shootouts. Even the descriptions of nature held the same sublime as the popular sunrise/sunset artist. And what’s more, both novels, in my opinion, hold the same philosophical depth. Crow and Weasel is as if McCarthy did Magical Realism, and beautifully illustrated.
I would love my children to read this. It is profound, and their imaginations would take off with the book.
--
The weather has been so nice recently. I'm at my desk, books stacked higher than my laptop, drinking water out of a mug and eating a mozzarella, spinach, salami, scrambled egg, pineapple salsa quesadilla. I ran 3 miles earlier. Ran 3 the day before, and 5.5 before then.
I feel great. Like there is something ... worth finding. Camus writes that for someone attempting to understand reality, they must put it into thought, i.e., knowing the world is caring and compassionate, the person will reflexively feel that. And I don't know what will be of my life, what I'll do, etc. Where I'll be in 5 years, and the like. But for now, at least, life's worth putting into thought.
I thought Crow and Weasel would be a typical children's book with stripped down prose, simple dialogue, simple plot. But I was very wrong. It is a children’s book in the way Ted Hughes’ The Iron Man is a children’s book: deeply personal, poetic, with complex characters, complex decisions, and a complex ending.
The book honestly reminded me of McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses. The relationship between Crow and Weasel was very similar to John Grady and Rawlins. The action sequences, like the animals’ hunts, were with the same tension and intensity as McCarthy’s shootouts. Even the descriptions of nature held the same sublime as the popular sunrise/sunset artist. And what’s more, both novels, in my opinion, hold the same philosophical depth. Crow and Weasel is as if McCarthy did Magical Realism, and beautifully illustrated.
I would love my children to read this. It is profound, and their imaginations would take off with the book.
--
The weather has been so nice recently. I'm at my desk, books stacked higher than my laptop, drinking water out of a mug and eating a mozzarella, spinach, salami, scrambled egg, pineapple salsa quesadilla. I ran 3 miles earlier. Ran 3 the day before, and 5.5 before then.
I feel great. Like there is something ... worth finding. Camus writes that for someone attempting to understand reality, they must put it into thought, i.e., knowing the world is caring and compassionate, the person will reflexively feel that. And I don't know what will be of my life, what I'll do, etc. Where I'll be in 5 years, and the like. But for now, at least, life's worth putting into thought.
September 9, 2017
Badger tells Crow and Weasel: "The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. And learn to give them away where they are needed. Sometimes a person needs a story more than food to stay alive" (60).
I think the entire book is worth these words. Weasel and Crow go north to see what they will find and return with stories to feed their community. It is a charming and adventurous story.
My reason for not giving five stars? I went back and forth. I considered two and then four and finally settled on three. I felt, sometimes, that the language was deliberately stilted in a self-conscious effort to mimic the style of First Nations/American Indian peoples as too often (inaccurately) represented by white writers. Even though N. Scott Momaday blurbed it, I was uncomfortable and would have appreciated some Native writer/illustrator input. On the other hand, the humor was much appreciated.
I also had practical questions: The illustrations are lovely, though I have never seen a fledged crow with beak that was not black. The horses looked wrong—and how did the horses eat while they traveled through the forest going north? Crow and Weasel kill a cow buffalo (American bison) early on, and there is no mention of dressing out and preserving an animal weighing well over 400 pounds on the hoof. That is a lot of meat! Soon after they kill a deer and I wondered how they had managed to eat the buffalo. They become hungry on the return journey, but the game they kill is often adequate for far longer than it seems to last. They make pemmican later on. I could not help wondering what the horses were eating on the tundra? I would not think they would do well with lichen. I wished for more female characters, for a purpose in the journey other than to impress the girls back home with their macho prowess (this comes up twice on pages 22 and 40), but then there is Badger with my favorite lines.
I think the entire book is worth these words. Weasel and Crow go north to see what they will find and return with stories to feed their community. It is a charming and adventurous story.
My reason for not giving five stars? I went back and forth. I considered two and then four and finally settled on three. I felt, sometimes, that the language was deliberately stilted in a self-conscious effort to mimic the style of First Nations/American Indian peoples as too often (inaccurately) represented by white writers. Even though N. Scott Momaday blurbed it, I was uncomfortable and would have appreciated some Native writer/illustrator input. On the other hand, the humor was much appreciated.
I also had practical questions: The illustrations are lovely, though I have never seen a fledged crow with beak that was not black. The horses looked wrong—and how did the horses eat while they traveled through the forest going north? Crow and Weasel kill a cow buffalo (American bison) early on, and there is no mention of dressing out and preserving an animal weighing well over 400 pounds on the hoof. That is a lot of meat! Soon after they kill a deer and I wondered how they had managed to eat the buffalo. They become hungry on the return journey, but the game they kill is often adequate for far longer than it seems to last. They make pemmican later on. I could not help wondering what the horses were eating on the tundra? I would not think they would do well with lichen. I wished for more female characters, for a purpose in the journey other than to impress the girls back home with their macho prowess (this comes up twice on pages 22 and 40), but then there is Badger with my favorite lines.
July 17, 2017
I thought this was an outstanding Native American fable about two young men on a search of discovery and maturation, as they work together to explore lands north of their great plains home. The text is accompanied by very beautiful artwork. I think young readers will love it, especially ones with an interest in Native American culture. Well written.
November 15, 2018
I am rapidly becoming a big fan on Barry Lopez. This picture book was excellent, and the text so clean and vivid. The illustrator was right on in depicting the action in this book.
I think it could be effectively used as a study focus in a MS or HS.
I think it could be effectively used as a study focus in a MS or HS.
September 4, 2020
Beautiful book about two friends on a journey of discovery. The book is supposedly for children but filled with valuable life lessons for all of us and the illustrations are magical.
December 11, 2023
A great story for children and adults. The story is of a spiritual journey and a coming of age of Crow and Weasel. It is a story gratitude and respect for the natural world and the need for humility and reciprocity. There are lessons here for all.
December 19, 2021
This looks like a picture book for kids, but it's most appropriate for adults. It complements Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass, which I just finished reading. Pohrt's art is superb.
Plenty of time to observe and think. That's important for the maturing of Weasel and Crow, and it's important today -- but it's missing from most lives.
What do the Native American tribes have to say about this book?
Plenty of time to observe and think. That's important for the maturing of Weasel and Crow, and it's important today -- but it's missing from most lives.
What do the Native American tribes have to say about this book?
May 19, 2008
A beautifully illustrated tale of two young "men" who set out to travel farther north than anyone in their tribe. They journey far north to the land of Inuit, encountering new people and having learning experiences along the way. This is uplifting material for children and adults. The story emphasizes family, tribe, stories, love for land and animals, respect for others, courage, and giving thanks to higher beings. Lopez is the author of many nature-themed and environmental books.
November 16, 2008
An illustrated story (novella-length) about how to tell stories. The language is very simple but layered with meaning, suitable for kids or adults. When my daughter is a few years older, I will definitely read this story with her.
February 24, 2010
This was the best book I read with my kids last year. Full of wisdom about friendship, community, adventure, and finding your own path in life. I have bought several copies for friends....it is that wonderful!
February 25, 2024
this is a lovely 79 page illustrated coming of age book about a journey by two young "men" - a crow and a weasel. they are plains indians, by dress and location. it is not based on any particular native american story, lopez made it up about a journey.
crow and weasel, with the blessing of a spiritual leader in their tribe, set out to travel further north than any of their people have ever been before, and eventually meet inuit people before heading home to share their stories. it's a quiet story, with a lot of humility and respect on the part of crow and weasel. it's definitely something I've thought about before, the explorations of indigenous people. so much of the exploration narrative in western culture is bound up in colonialism.
the illustrations are gorgeous. they are by tom pohrt, who is apparently a self-taught artist. he is also the son of a collector of native american artifacts (bought and traded for), so he has a lifelong familiarity with and access to the clothing and tools he painted.
I did feel some discomfort that this book was written and illustrated by two white guys. there is an enthusiastic blurb by the late n. scott momaday on the front inside cover. I read another review where the reviewer was outraged that they seemed to be from a time before europeans invaded the continent yet they rode horses, but they're also...not human? so this is mythic time and I don't think historical accuracy is really applicable here. I mean, you have a crow and a weasel who talk to trees and meet a mouse, a badger, a bear, and human inuit people, who all speak the same language. although they are animals, they are also people, and they eat animals (a weasel killing a buffalo), have dogs, ride horses. that reviewer also felt that this was sheer cultural appropriation - and elsewhere, I have seen lopez accused of that, for publishing a volume of coyote trickster tales that he didn't invent, that are traditional native american stories. this, though, he made up. he didn't take a plains indian story about crow and weasel going north and just write it in his own language. another criticism I saw of him was that he wrote little about contemporary indigenous people and more about the past. I think basically he was trying to lift up the traditional relationship of indigenous people to the land, the relationship of humans to the earth being a lifelong theme of his. in the end, it's a beautiful, respectful book. it was published in 1990, and maybe today, nearly 35 years later, two white guys wouldn't have created it, or gotten it published. it is gorgeous, though.
crow and weasel, with the blessing of a spiritual leader in their tribe, set out to travel further north than any of their people have ever been before, and eventually meet inuit people before heading home to share their stories. it's a quiet story, with a lot of humility and respect on the part of crow and weasel. it's definitely something I've thought about before, the explorations of indigenous people. so much of the exploration narrative in western culture is bound up in colonialism.
the illustrations are gorgeous. they are by tom pohrt, who is apparently a self-taught artist. he is also the son of a collector of native american artifacts (bought and traded for), so he has a lifelong familiarity with and access to the clothing and tools he painted.
I did feel some discomfort that this book was written and illustrated by two white guys. there is an enthusiastic blurb by the late n. scott momaday on the front inside cover. I read another review where the reviewer was outraged that they seemed to be from a time before europeans invaded the continent yet they rode horses, but they're also...not human? so this is mythic time and I don't think historical accuracy is really applicable here. I mean, you have a crow and a weasel who talk to trees and meet a mouse, a badger, a bear, and human inuit people, who all speak the same language. although they are animals, they are also people, and they eat animals (a weasel killing a buffalo), have dogs, ride horses. that reviewer also felt that this was sheer cultural appropriation - and elsewhere, I have seen lopez accused of that, for publishing a volume of coyote trickster tales that he didn't invent, that are traditional native american stories. this, though, he made up. he didn't take a plains indian story about crow and weasel going north and just write it in his own language. another criticism I saw of him was that he wrote little about contemporary indigenous people and more about the past. I think basically he was trying to lift up the traditional relationship of indigenous people to the land, the relationship of humans to the earth being a lifelong theme of his. in the end, it's a beautiful, respectful book. it was published in 1990, and maybe today, nearly 35 years later, two white guys wouldn't have created it, or gotten it published. it is gorgeous, though.
November 2, 2018
Enjoyed the story and - for the most part - the telling. I have a slight problem with the ambiguity of the identity of the main characters - they are referred to as "young men" at times, and as human-like animals at other times. Perhaps this is intentional - and the message is that they are somehow both?
The simple direct way the author presents the characters' thoughts, words and actions really works to communicate this worldview for me.
The friend who recommended the book made a few comments via email which align with my own thoughts about the book; so - with her permission - I offer her words here: "The animism (if that’s the right term) of Crow & Weasel was a stretch for me, but the authentic search for one’s better self was compelling. In a typical adventure story, risk is overcome by heroics and rewards follow. This story offered humility and personal development. I liked that a lot."
The simple direct way the author presents the characters' thoughts, words and actions really works to communicate this worldview for me.
The friend who recommended the book made a few comments via email which align with my own thoughts about the book; so - with her permission - I offer her words here: "The animism (if that’s the right term) of Crow & Weasel was a stretch for me, but the authentic search for one’s better self was compelling. In a typical adventure story, risk is overcome by heroics and rewards follow. This story offered humility and personal development. I liked that a lot."
May 21, 2025
This was not written by an indigenous person, however the story was told in a way that I'm guessing was trying to mimic Native American folk telling. To me it just felt kind of flat and forced. The story was not very compelling. There wasn't much to it even...Crow and Weasel, two young men from a plains tribe go on a journey north from the plains to the Tundra and meet some Inuit there. They learn life lessons, self reliance, trust, and respect for others' cultures and traditions. But they themselves as characters are very flat, naive, uninteresting and one dimensional. The illustrations were very good but there weren't enough of them especially for such an expansive setting. Also, why was every other animal person clothed, even mouse, but badger was not?
October 24, 2021
A masterful mythical fable about two indigenous creatures, Crow and Weasel, leaving their tribal home on the American plains to journey north beyond the end of the known world. They travel in search of adventure, wisdom, admiration, kinship ... all the reasons that people undertake pilgrimages. Lopez tells an immensely satisfying tale in a brief 63 pages, drawing from indigenous folk traditions while giving them the respect of careful attention and stunningly beautiful writing. The artwork from Tom Pohrt is gorgeous too.
November 18, 2025
A white man of European descent telling the story of an indigenous journey. Fell flat for me. Inauthentic is the worst way to tell a story. Sorry Barry, I appreciate that you chose to create a story that honors a kind of people you want to have a connection with but you will always be an outsider looking in. It's obvious and unattractive. Did you ever go days without food? Were you ever lost without any navigation but the stars? Did you ever have to worry that if your arrow doesn't fly true you'll miss your next meal? Unlikely. Imagining it as a cartoon is a disgrace and feels disrespectful.
August 10, 2020
Author's Note: C&W, set in myth time and written with respect for Native American values and oral tradition, is a work of fiction. It does not drive, as far I know, from any indigenous North American tradition.
Important to note this - yes, the story is wonderful, the illustrations lovely, though I would have liked more - some pages are full spread text...
If you are looking for a multicultural text written by a BIPOC, this is not that book.
Important to note this - yes, the story is wonderful, the illustrations lovely, though I would have liked more - some pages are full spread text...
If you are looking for a multicultural text written by a BIPOC, this is not that book.
December 25, 2023
A novella-length fable about two young Native Americans from the plains who explore further north than any of their people have been before. The author and illustrator try, and as best I can see succeed, in respecting Native American customs and beliefs. The story is simple, enjoyable, and frequently tinged with wisdom and morals. Although the back cover and Goodreads categorization label it "myth" and "folklore", a note by the author makes clear it is neither; it is an original story.
November 25, 2025
A gorgeous book, beautifully written, with lessons about perseverance, courage, sharing, gratitude to the earth and its animals and nature, as well as teachings about family, friendship, and sacrifice. All this might make it sound preachy, but the story is wonderfully told, vivid and full of both adventure and contemplation. An amazing book not just for children, but for everyone. Highly recommended.
August 18, 2017
This wasn't what I've come to expect from Lopez, but still very fun, and I could see myself using it at some point as a teaching aid, in the right outdoor context. As far as I can tell, Lopez also did the original stories justice. I will come back to this one.
[4 stars for being so thoroughly enjoyable.]
[4 stars for being so thoroughly enjoyable.]
January 3, 2020
Beautiful. I look forward to reading this to my daughter again when she’s old enough to understand it. Not that it’s a children’s book. It’s a parable about valuing others, appreciation for the world in which we live, and friendship. Really well done, but you’d expect that from Lopez. He is one of our greatest treasures.
August 5, 2017
A coffee table book that's beautifully illustrated with a great coming-of-age story. I attended an event at which the author read this story, and shared some background on its writing -- a special memory!
December 22, 2017
This was one of two outstanding books I read with my son this year. Berry Lopez's writing makes a landscape come to life, and his naturalist writing skills shine here in a coming-of-age story rooted in Native American traditions.
January 21, 2021
Following the Christmas Day 2020 death of Barry Lopez, I sought through my very valued library any of his books I had not read, and this gem of a book found it's way into my hands. The short but enlightening tale of Crow and Weasel and their expedition to see other people and places was wonderfully told and the accompanying art of Tom Pohrt gorgeous.
In a way the book is a fitting picture of Barry Lopez' place in the literary world and his value as a storyteller and teacher. To quote:
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. and learn to give them away where they are needed"
In a way the book is a fitting picture of Barry Lopez' place in the literary world and his value as a storyteller and teacher. To quote:
"The stories people tell have a way of taking care of them. If stories come to you, care for them. and learn to give them away where they are needed"
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