BABY CROW

Both Rowe's (Jack the Dog, not reviewed) story and his illustrations are strangely brooding. Baby Crow lives at the bottom of the hierarchical family tree. His grandfather, a once-renowned now-retired opera singer, lives at the top. When Baby Crow's parents try to teach their little darling to sing, he can't sing a single caw. All he can manage is a weak ""beep."" Grandfather solves the problem by looking into Baby Crow's throat, where he finds a cherry lodged. After that, Baby Crow can sing -- and loudly. His distraught relatives can't sleep from his incessant cawing. Then his father has an idea. He feeds Baby Crow more cherries and is thankful when the young one once again utters his quiet ""beep."" Maybe Baby Crow will one day be a great singer like his grandfather, but not yet. An unusually dark picture book that is probably too subtle for its intended audience.