King Crow

by Jennifer Armstrong

Jailed by an evil foe, a king receives invaluable help from a crow that regularly brings him the latest news. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517596342
• ISBN13: 9780517596340
• Release Date: April 1995
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.5" x 0.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful illustrations, delightful tale

I truly enjoyed the book and loved the illustrations by Rohmann, particularly those of the crow. In King Crow the role of the crow is both messenger and trickster. The wounded and blinded King Cormac, left for dead after a decisive battle with the evil King Bregant awakens to find a wounded crow asking for his help. The crow has an arrow in its wing from the battle. Cormac helps the crow and he, in turn, promises to repay Cormac's kindness. While the good king doubts the crow can do much for him, the crow assures him he will, just before Bregant's forces arrive to take Cormac prisoner. The crow arrives three times with news for Cormac in regards to Bregant, acting out his traditional role of messenger. The tidbits of news the crow delivers, however aren't vital pieces of intelligence concerning opposition of hidden troops yet loyal to Cormac or the like, rather they're seemingly insignificant scenes in which the crow finds the King Bregant. By adding a single, telling detail each time, the crow ensures that Cormac will sufficiently unnerve Bregant to the point that the provided visions lead to his deserved ("destined" even) fate. With the addition of these significant details, the crow enacts it's other traditional role, that of trickster. Rohmann's depiction of the crow is wonderful. His soft lines and use of colors make the otherwise dismal black of the crow's feathers seem warm and welcoming. Without forsaking the natural integrity of the crow, he successfully gives the crow expressions, varying from plaintive to conspirative, inquisitive and thoughtful, even concern. Once Armstrong has finished setting up the world and gets the story going, it flows well. The conversations between the crow and Cormac are well constructed. There's a sense of the fairy tale throughout the story and together with Rohmann's art it works well as a whole.