Description: A story of "loving friendship between a pet baby animal bird--a crow--rescued in the natural environment by a young girl and family in their home, where it is raised, comes of age, [and] returns to the wild with a poignant reunion"--
Brief description: Stephen Hume; illustrations by Jessica Bromley Bartram
Review Quotes:
"Hume delivers a tender story about raising an abandoned baby crow. The narrator lives in a home surrounded by the natural world, brought to lush life by Bartram's enchanting, accurate illustrations (baby crows do have blue eyes), which are done in a rich, nature-hued palette and feature simple shapes decorated with patterns found in nature. The shapes and patterns against the white space of the page thoughtfully integrate the story's theme by bringing attention to nature's inherent order and harmony. . . Quiet words combine with accurate, well-designed illustrations to create a full, lush picture book about caring and being close to nature."
-- Kirkus Reviews
"An utterly charming and beautifully illustrated picture book entertainment for children ages 8 to 12, Charles by the team of author S. E. Hume and illustrator Jessica Bromley Bartram is an especially commended addition to family, elementary school, and community library picture book collections."
"This is a lovely story about the joys of helping a wild creature. . . Jessica Bromley Bartram's watermedia illustrations do an excellent job of showcasing the colours and patterns of nature. There is a lot of detail put into these images, with every tree, plant, and object decorated with spores, veins, and other small touches of design. With a soft palette largely compromised of blue, green, brown, and yellow, the images evoke the lively beauty of the natural world. The text of Charles is short and simple, making the tale accessible for younger audiences, while the themes of nature, nurture, and friendship can be explored by younger and older readers alike. With its sweet ending and engaging illustrations, Charles is a good choice for fans of nature stories and tales of the caring bond friends can share.
Highly Recommended."
-- CM Magazine
"Charles is a sensitive book with quiet appeal and would be especially appropriate for children who are interested in birds and caring for them. The language is simple and direct, and the message about respect for nature is very clear.
"Jessica Bartram's highly accurate illustrations (yes, baby crows do have blue eyes) are an excellent counterpoint to the text. She uses a nature-hued palette and embellishes her shapes with patterns from the natural world. The shapes and patterns reinforce harmonies that naturally exist, often appearing in attractive repetitions.
"This is a singular kind of book which will really be liked by some children, and definitely has a place in any primary school library collection."
-- Resource Links