Lois Lowry and the Tough Subject

I recently saw a children’s-section bin at a used bookstore labeled simply Tough Subjects. Lois Lowry specializes in such topics. Crow Call is the first picture book by the author, a Newbery Medalist for Number the Stars and The Giver, which address the Holocaust and totalitarianism, respectively. In Lowry’s quasi-autobiographical tale, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, 10-year-old Liz recounts an early-morning hunting expedition with her father, who has recently returned from World War II. Its inky crows stark against a background of muted browns, oranges, and greens, Crow Call looks like fall. It is sepia-toned in spirit as well: Lowry’s gentle, understated tale thrums with nostalgia. But the post-WWII setting may only resonate for those who can recall the era and its accompanying emotion, rather than Lowry’s intended audience of 9- to 12-year-olds. Though the parallels between hunting and soldiering are plain enough to adult readers, children might miss the “tough subject” here altogether; they may also fail to realize that Liz’s aversion to the former mirrors her uncertainty about the stranger who is her father.

Earnest to a fault, Crow Call has something of the good-for-you quality that inspired the episode of The Simpsons where Bart throws a copy of Johnny Tremain on a bonfire and yells, "Your Newbery Award won't save you now!"

Fear Factor: (The ostensible purpose of the father-daughter outing is crow extermination; the subject of killing is ultimately sidestepped, but the anticipation may make sensitive readers as anxious as it makes Liz.)
Heart: (It’s nice to read a book that celebrates paternal rather than maternal tenderness for once; in both prose and watercolor, the oversize men’s flannel shirt in which Liz is enfolded is a lovely metaphor for a father’s love.)
Attitude: (No attitude here, although the book’s measured pace and overall lack of incident may compel your kids to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! in order to restore their equilibrium.)
Psst: The books subject matter will likely resonate with children who have parents returning from Iraq or Afghanistan.
If you like this: Liz's relationship with her father reminded me of another literary younger sister who has a special bond with her dad, Laura Ingalls in the Little House series.