Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 09/01/2024 No matter where you are in the world, chances are good that there’s a crow close by. Meet the corvid family, including the American crow, raven, jay, and magpie, that has long lived side by side with humans, taking advantage of the abundant food supply that people produce. This may not be the splashiest species, the book suggests, but what it lacks in flashy feathers or celestial singing is more than made up for by its incredible competence and creativity. There are impressive accounts of tool use, problem-solving skills, miraculous memory, and a penchant for playfulness, plus a cross section of a crow’s skull suggesting enormous brainpower. A final recommendation for crow-watching concludes with a mischievous reminder that the intelligent birds may be watching humans right back. The lively text is accompanied by arresting earth-toned illustrations that offer a beautiful bird’s-eye view of the world, and the collaged style suits their scrappy existence perfectly, brimming with intriguing details (background book pages, typewritten labels) and abundant texture sure to keep readers invested. An outstanding ode to the clever crow. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.