Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World)
by Corey R. Tabor; illus. by the author
Primary    Greenwillow    40 pp.
5/25    9780063373587    $19.99

Crow is waiting at his spot on the telephone wire when along comes Squirrel, who tries to interest Crow in ripping open garbage bags with her. Crow dismisses Squirrel with a “KAW!” Next is Hummingbird, who wants to race. Then Rat. Then Bat. Crow chases each of them away with a “KAW!” When Cat lectures Crow about his aloofness, readers will think they have this book figured out—but that’s when the phone starts to ring. Caldecott honoree Tabor (Mel Fell, rev. 3/21) renders his round-eyed characters in chalky neutrals that stand out against the softest of blue skies. The phone is red, calling attention to itself once it appears on the page, even before it rings. It turns out that Crow is a special agent tasked with destroying an asteroid that’s headed straight for Earth. Here, the illustrations grow more detailed with a secret underground lair, a rocket ship, and missiles. After a successful mission, Crow returns to Earth, and night slowly falls over the course of a few pages while he gathers the other animals for a final friendly flourish. The book layers humor and whimsy over a tight plot and controlled design, playing with readers’ expectations and delivering multiple twists in a compact package.

From the July/August 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.