The Cardinal and the Crow

by Michael Moniz, Michael Moniz (Illustrator)

Overview

All the birds tease old Crow for his scraggly feathers and harsh call, especially proud Cardinal. But when Cardinal gets into trouble, there is only one creature smart enough to get him out. Will Crow choose to help the boastful bird? This thoughtful picture book, inspired by Aesop's fables, reminds us all that 'pride and foolishness often go hand in hand.'

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781927018583
Publisher:	Simply Read Books
Publication date:	02/20/2015
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Michael Moniz spent his childhood living between the big city and the tranquil Azores islands of Portugal. It is this unique upbringing and an early appreciation for culture and the arts that inspired Michael’s creativity at young age. His first book, Wazzyjump, also published by Simply Read Books, received a starred Kirkus review. The “luminous” and “delicacy” of its illustrations (Quill and Quire), as well as its “delightful tale of mystery, discovery, and friendship” (CM Magazine) are the signature for Michael’s whimsical creative style. When Michael is not telling stories, he works as an Artistic Director for a Toronto-based advertising agency.

Michael Moniz spent his childhood living between the big city and the tranquil Azores islands of Portugal. It is this unique upbringing and an early appreciation for culture and the arts that inspired Michael’s creativity at young age. His first book, Wazzyjump, also published by Simply Read Books, received a starred Kirkus review. The “luminous” and “delicacy” of its illustrations (Quill and Quire), as well as its “delightful tale of mystery, discovery, and friendship” (CM Magazine) are the signature for Michael’s whimsical creative style. When Michael is not telling stories, he works as an Artistic Director for a Toronto-based advertising agency.

Read an Excerpt

Once upon a time, in a very charming little wood…
A crow perched on the limb of a large and twisted old tree from dawn to dusk.
This crow was very old, older than any of the other birds or animals for many miles around.
His call was harsh and course; his feathers long and straggly. But this didn’t bother him.
He would have been happy, if the other birds left him alone.
But they didn’t. They mocked and teased him endlessly, flying around him and calling him names all day long.
They always pestered him, singing, “Ugly old crow; ugly old crow.”
One bird, a proud, young cardinal, especially delighted in abusing him.
Crow felt especially hurt by cardinal, who seemed to puff up proudly every time he pestered him.

Editorial Reviews

"This book had me from the description of Crow on the first page: “This crow was very old, older than any of the other birds or animals for many miles around. His call was harsh and coarse and his feathers were long and scraggly. But these things didn’t bother him.// He would have been happy, if only the other birds left him in peace.” Crow is unquestionably an interesting character, yet Moniz makes brash young Cardinal, who with his “brilliant red feathers and a beautiful singing voice” leads the other birds in the mocking song of “ugly old Crow” a dynamic character, too. Crow and Cardinal in text and illustration have distinct and memorable characters. They are more than types, and the subtle layers of background in the illustrations add further to the sense of depth created by the words. This was a pleasure to read."
~ Book Wars blog

School Library Journal:
"K-Gr 4–Old Crow is content, eager to live his life in peace. But his ragged appearance and raspy call makes him a prime target for the taunting of the other birds living by the edge of the forest. Young Cardinal is the worst. He takes great pride in teasing the old bird and leads others in the abuse. The more Crow protests, the more isolated he becomes. When fall arrives and most of the bird fly South for the winter, Cardinal and Crow remain. Cardinal, with his beautiful red feathers, boldly eats seeds left for him in feeders by well-meaning humans, but wise and experienced Crow warns him to be cautious. Cardinal scoffs at the advice, and Crow knowingly keeps watch from above. One day, a cat appears and puts the young bird in a precarious situation. Will Crow warn his tormentor? This delicately illustrated picture book, inspired by Aesop’s fables, is gorgeously and thoughtfully rendered. Set in autumn, by the edge of the wood, each full-page illustration, painted in soft watercolor, is so well done that children can almost feel the cool, crisp air. The moral of the story, that “pride and foolishness often roost on the same branch,” is imparted artfully in a way that will encourage young readers to think. A first purchase for any picture book collection."
–Amy Shepherd, St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

From the Publisher

01/01/2015
K-Gr 4—Old Crow is content, eager to live his life in peace. But his ragged appearance and raspy call makes him a prime target for the taunting of the other birds living by the edge of the forest. Young Cardinal is the worst. He takes great pride in teasing the old bird and leads others in the abuse. The more Crow protests, the more isolated he becomes. When fall arrives and most of the bird fly South for the winter, Cardinal and Crow remain. Cardinal, with his beautiful red feathers, boldly eats seeds left for him in feeders by well-meaning humans, but wise and experienced Crow warns him to be cautious. Cardinal scoffs at the advice, and Crow knowingly keeps watch from above. One day, a cat appears and puts the young bird in a precarious situation. Will Crow warn his tormentor? This delicately illustrated picture book, inspired by Aesop's fables, is gorgeously and thoughtfully rendered. Set in autumn, by the edge of the wood, each full-page illustration, painted in soft watercolor, is so well done that children can almost feel the cool, crisp air. The moral of the story, that "pride and foolishness often roost on the same branch," is imparted artfully in a way that will encourage young readers to think. A first purchase for any picture book collection.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

School Library Journal

2014-10-06
A picture-book parable set in the animal world with the themes of bullying and forgiveness. Old Crow is tormented by the younger, better-looking birds led by the prideful, brilliantly plumaged Cardinal. When Crow finally squawks back, he finds himself ostracized and alone. Winter arrives, and the other birds fly south, but Cardinal and Crow stay. As Cardinal feeds from the bird feeder located near Crow's branch, Crow warns him about dangers lurking, but Cardinal doesn't listen and is caught by a cat. Crow tricks Cat into letting Cardinal go, and when a thankful Cardinal asks Crow how he knew what to do, Crow tells him that "pride and foolishness often roost on the same branch." Cardinal gets the message, and when the other birds return in the spring, they follow Cardinal's lead and tease Crow no longer. While interesting enough, the narrative nonetheless is a bit too long; fables benefit from brevity. The illustrations—all full-bleed double-page spreads—mirror the text. Some have a delicate touch and elegant line, but others look clunky and unfinished; close-ups in particular suffer. The wintry palette limits him already, and by choosing to illustrate his story so literally, Moniz misses an opportunity to create a rich visual experience. Though the theme's upstanding, the book as a whole is little more than just pleasant. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews