Parents' Guide to

Crow Call

By Patricia Tauzer, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Tender father-daughter tale is best for school-aged kids.

Book Lois Lowry Family Life 2009
Crow Call Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Doc Kaos
Doc Kaos Parent of 8, 9, 10 and 12-year-old
May 7, 2010
age 6+

A book with an identity crisis

Althought the story fits with an older age group, the format fits with a younger. In the end, I found that no one wanted to read it. Although it was recommended for my 8 year old, the book is in the children's section and recommended by Chapters for ages 3-5. My 8 year old would be insulted that I didn't buy her a chapter book. I'm sure it's very good, but it seems conflicted that the format is for 3-5 year olds, but CommonSense puts it at 7+
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

When a father returns from the fighting in World War II, his young daughter feels that she hardly knows him. To help rebuild their relationship, they go on a very special hunting trip complete with the gift of an over-sized plaid flannel shirt, two slices of cherry pie, and a crow call.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

The tenderness of this story will have special appeal to someone whose parent has been away for a while, though all readers will find it touching. The story is based on one from acclaimed author Lois Lowry's own life, and its sentiments seem very real.  The author does a masterful job of showing the development of the father-daughter relationship throughout the day, as through each small step they get closer and closer.  And, the artwork does a spectacular job of bringing a nostalgic tone to the pages as well as showing the changing emotions.

Using watercolor and acryl-gouache on paper, the artist has created nostalgic golden-gray scenes that look friendly and somewhat reminiscent of Andrew Wyeth paintings. In fact, he has dedicated his work to Wyeth, which seems quite appropriate. The full two-page spreads of the father and daughter walking through the woods on a slightly overcast and misty morning are especially breathtaking in their silence and sensitivity.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Liz needed to practice calling her father "Daddy. Daddy." under her breath when they were riding in the car. What can you tell from the looks on both their faces? How do their faces change by the end of the book?

  • Why do you think her father gave her the crow call? How did that show her that he believed in her? Why did he buy her a man's shirt that was much too big for her? What did that tell her?  How about when he let her have two pieces of cherry pie for breakfast?

  • When the waitress mistook her for a boy, why did she keep her pigtails hidden under her collar? What was her dad's reaction?

  • How did Liz feel about hunting? How do you think she felt about crow calling? How did the hunting trip change how she felt toward her father?

Book Details

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