A Batchelder winner in translation from the Danish, The Crow Girl reads like a fairy tale or parable. The story & setting are spare like the rocky coastal settlement where much of the story takes place. The characters, beginning with Crow-Girl & her grandmother are depict human experience (removed from texting & screens) & reality both bitter & sweet.

Crow Girl's grandmother eke out a simple existence &, as Grandmother approaches her death (the vehicle for subsequent action in the story), she warns her grandchild to attend to 3 important truths.

Crow Girl's subsequent dislocation, wanderings, & engagements with new people, places & circumstances demonstrate her grandmother's wisdom & Crow-Girl's resilience.

While the story depicts violence, Crow Girl is still appropriate for Intermediates & possibly sturdy Juniors. In its unblinking examination of a wide range of human emotion, it reads like Farmer Boy or Charlotte's Web.

I will be curious to hear the responses of my students. ( )

A Batchelder winner in translation from the Danish, The Crow Girl reads like a fairy tale or parable. The story & setting are spare like the rocky coastal settlement where much of the story takes place. The characters, beginning with Crow-Girl & her grandmother are depict human experience (removed from texting & screens) & reality both bitter & sweet.

Crow Girl's grandmother eke out a simple existence &, as Grandmother approaches her death (the vehicle for subsequent action in the story), she warns her grandchild to attend to 3 important truths.

Crow Girl's subsequent dislocation, wanderings, & engagements with new people, places & circumstances demonstrate her grandmother's wisdom & Crow-Girl's resilience.

While the story depicts violence, Crow Girl is still appropriate for Intermediates & possibly sturdy Juniors. In its unblinking examination of a wide range of human emotion, it reads like Farmer Boy or Charlotte's Web.

I will be curious to hear the responses of my students. ( )

3.5 stars A wonderfully sweet, quiet & concise tale of what it means to be a family. Just enough scary reality stirred in the mix to make it believable. Definitely stands alone; if you're concerned about it being part of a series don't be. However, the sequel, [b:Eidi: The Children of Crow Cove|6800743|Eidi The Children of Crow Cove|Bodil Bredsdorff|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312231101s/6800743.jpg|7006954], is valuable, too, although just a bit different. (Different translators might have affected the tone of each.)

This review edited after a re-read because the first time I read too fast - the book is meant to be savored, not inhaled, and I did like it better as I read that way. ( )

This book was so touching. I felt the grief that the girl felt when she lost her grandmother. I would recommend this story to older students, but I don't know if I would use it as a read-aloud, just because there is so much emotion.

Simply lovely fable-type story of a young girl who makes her way alone in the world, through perils and trials, gaining wisdom and love along the way. It can be read as a parable about love and family, and how one must make choices for the good of the group sometimes...

As Darsa said, it undoubtedly loses something in the translation, but the simplicity of the prose resonates with the straightforward loveliness of the message. It's the kind of book that leaves one smiling, warm and hopeful. It's got a happy ending that one can believe. ( )