Crow Made a Friend (Holiday House, 2015)

Try, try again is the lesson Crow teaches beginning readers in this picture book reader. Crow was all alone. But like all crows, he was very clever. Using autumn leaves for wings, sticks for the body and a crab apple for the head, Crow made a friend! But winter winds blew in, destroying his creation. Undaunted, Crow fashioned another bird friend out of snow but could not prevent it from melting in the warm spring sun. Alone again, Crow heard the caw, caw, caw of a real, live bird. Together they built a nest and by summer, Crow had a family. This warm, satisfying story, celebrates perseverance and ingenuity.

Crow Made a Friend is part of Holiday House’s innovative and award-winning I LIKE TO READ® books, which are just right for emergent readers. These picture books by renowned and beloved artists have been evaluated and assigned Guided Reading Levels B through G based on the Fountas and Pinnell system and feature:
short texts familiar vocabulary repetition to reinforce learning illustrations that are designed to be a part of the learning experience

CROW MADE A FRIEND RECEIVES A STARRED REVIEW FROM KIRKUS!

“Crow is alone. How will he make a friend? A lonely crow tries to make a friend, literally. As the seasons progress, the plans change. In the fall, he uses sticks for a body, a crabapple for a head, and leaves for wings. But when the wind blows, his friend is gone. In winter, he piles snow, adds a seed for an eye, and sticks for wings. But when the sun shines, his friend is gone. When spring comes along, a bird calls, and this time Crow finds a real friend. Together they build a nest, and come summer, Crow has a family. Children taking their first steps into reading will easily follow the simple text on each page. The illustrations complement the text brilliantly. Done in ink and watercolors, an iridescent crow, his colorful creations, and his final true friend stand out against a white background. Readers will appreciate Crow’s resourcefulness as he creates his friends and will not need any prompting when they read the “Oh no!” text as the wind blows the fall creation to pieces or the sun melts the winter creation. The overall message of the importance of friends and family is sweet but not cloying. A brightly illustrated story perfect for the very beginner reader. (Early reader. 4-7)”

Download a FREE ACTIVITY SHEET from Holiday House: 

A craft activity featuring a crow paper doll: http://www.holidayhouse.com/docs/CrowMadeAFriend_ActivitySheet.pdf

PRAISE FOR I LIKE TO READ® Books
“These books deftly combine text and art to create a positive experience for new readers.”—School Library Journal
“Each one makes the hard work of learning to read enough fun to encourage children at this crucial developmental moment to try another one.”—Vicky Smith, Children’s and YA Editor at Kirkus Reviews