The Crowstarver

Oct 6, 2024 8:30 PM

Author:Dick King-Smith

The Crowstarver

A touching novel about the relationship between man and beast from a true master of storytelling.

Crowstarving was the ideal job for Spider - he was on his own - yet never alone, for all around him were animals of one sort or another.

Discovered as a foundling in a lambing pen, Spider Sparrow grows up surrounded by animals. From sheep and horses to wild otters and foxes, Spider loves them all, even the crows he must scare away the newly sown wheat.

Amazingly, every animal who meets Spider implicitly trusts the young boy. This magical rapport is Spider's unique gift, but nothing else in his tough life is so easy.

Reviews

Unflinching realism . . . A darkly atmospheric thriller

—— Guardian

A finely crafted book . . . Revelling in description and imagery . . . Dick King-Smith is an exceptional writer

—— Books for Keeps

A powerful and heartwarming story

—— TES

This book demonstrates everything everything that is good avout writing for children. It is a book of love and wonder thoroughly recommended to adults and young people alike

—— Carousel

There's something genially old-fashioned about it all. Otto endures hardship and adventure (including the brush-off he receives from a pair of alley cats) as he flees his old existence and finds new sources of companionship. In this case, the animal adrift ends up with fellow story characters as well as with human readers, who, as they will in real life too, want to keep Otto around

—— Pamela Paul , The New York Times

Katie's illustrations are full of space, gentle colour and apparent simplicity. She also has a real way with drawing animals - Otto is a very handsome bear, a bear that you'll want to hug and make space for on your bookshelves

—— Playing the Book

One of the funniest, and one of the most irreverant Christmas books out there. . . If you like your humour to be slightly scatological in nature, then The Dinosaur That Pooped Christmas will have children in fits of laughter (and a large amount of adults too). . . Brilliant!

—— Martine Horvath , EYE magazine

Beautifully illustrated, really funny and rather smelly

—— www.theschoolrun.com

An excellent example of the role that children's literature can play in supporting children's mental health...The House Rabbit gently suggests guided self-management of anxiety through mindful reality checking...I would recommend this book for all children.

—— Simeon Elliott , Wellbeing and Resilience Strategies

Includes plenty of splendid, vocabulary-enhancing verbs such as "streaked", "tottered" and "padded".

—— Susan Elkin , Independent on Sunday

Me and You is a wonderful example of the power of illustrations and how hey can play as important a role as words

—— Nursery Education

Anthony Browne offers a new perspective on an old tale

—— Jane Doonan , School Library Association

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