Crow, written by Nicola Skinner, illustrated by Rebecca Bagley, reviewed by Pippa Goodhart

Hattie is a child who doesn’t like change or loud noises or things done in the wrong order. Starting a new life in a new place and a new school is a particular challenge for her. She self-diagnoses as being ‘weird’, and is suspicious of the children who approach her with offers of friendship. Her solution is to try and ensure she is left alone, so she makes a den in the playground, and creates a scarecrow to guard her and her den.

 

Then something fantastical happens. A night-time storm brings Crow the scarecrow to life! He starts actively scaring away other children and teachers, and it all gets a bit out of hand … before a happy solution is found for everyone, including Crow.

 

This illustrated chapter book for children of about seven upwards is a light thriller of a story, set within a familiar setting to most readers. Served-up in Barrington Stoke style, edited and sized and printed on cream coloured paper to facilitate easy reading, but rich and lively in its first-person telling.