Crow Call

Keyne Quiroga, Regional Accounts Coordinator

8/10/2011 3:54:27 PM
The title Crow Call by Lois Lowry is the story of a young girl, Lizzie, and her father who has just come back from WWII. The story begins on an early morning, and Lizzie is about to embark on a hunting trip with her father to rid their fields of crop destroying crows. There is distance between the two because of the time spent apart. This distance seems to be noticeable between all members of the family. Once they leave for the trip it seems as though the two do not have much in common. This is a good opportunity for a class discussion. Teachers can talk to students about the current war or any distance they might have felt between themselves and a family member.

There is a scene in the book where the two are out and Lizzie's father sees her staring at a man’s hunting shirt so he purchases it for her. Students can discuss why they think she chose this particular shirt or how it might have made her feel. Before the hunt, the father daughter duo share a special moment over breakfast where Lizzie is allowed to order her favorite—cherry pie! This is a great example of a small moment, what is a special moment that your students have shared with a friend or family member?

This story closes with the two out hunting the crows. Lizzie is allowed to use her father’s crow call to attract the crows, but there is never a shot fired. This allegorical ending presents an opportunity to introduce an important literary device. This story has all the characteristics of a good reading workshop title and will help students identify a specific genre (historical fiction), read enthusiastically, and understand what they are reading.