MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CROW

The acquisitive habit of an enterprising crow leads to a fully decorated community tree for both townspeople and birds in this holiday story told through short, rhyming couplets. The story follows a single crow flying though a busy city on a snowy afternoon as darkness falls, picking up lost trinkets and toys, shiny decorative items, scraps of food and a handy bag of birdseed. This busy bird is obviously bent on some important project, which is revealed in a dramatic spread of the decorated tree with a flock of birds gathering in the deepening twilight. Goodell’s oil and acrylic paintings creatively expand on the short text with lots of details of the city’s shops and residents and create a sense of impending excitement with shoppers, carolers and a town parade complete with Santa and a marching band. The attractive cover shows the crow flying past decorated houses, with the title printed in shiny, silver letters that any crow would admire. (Picture book. 3-7)