FAMILY LITERACY
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN

Crow Boy

By: Taro Yashima
Published by: Picture Puffin/Penguin Books Canada Ltd.
Available: At local bookstores or through Penguin Books
Price: $5.99
Level: Basic
ISBN: 0 14 050172-X
Reviewed by: Sylvia Doherty (University College of the Cariboo) in the Literacy Materials Bulletin, No. 9, Spring 1994

Our final children’s book review is of the old favourite, Crow Boy. This is the poignant story of a strange, shy, small boy who is isolated by his differences from the other children in the school. The setting is in Japan, but the situation is common to every culture. As the story unfolds, we learn how Chibi, or Tiny Boy, as he was known, earns his bolder name of Crow Boy, and his own unique identity with his classmates and the larger community.

Adults and children were unanimous; they really liked this story: "Crow Boy was a great book. I liked it when he was on stage and was doing all those crow voices." "I would recommend this book to students older and younger than me."

This story presents a powerful message; it affirms the idea that we all have something to offer. One learner summed it up with, "I think this book could show a lesson to the young children not to make fun of people."

Some people thought the illustrations weren’t very good while others really liked them. One learner’s child "liked Chibi’s drawings, and she liked his raincoat which was made from dried zebra grass." A bigger typeface would have made reading easier. However, this book was definitely a hit and could be a valuable awareness and learning tool when exploring the theme of tolerance