Bodil BredsdorffReseñas

good - Katrina

Now I remember, when I read Children of Crow Cove (or whatever it was called), I thought it was nice, but a bit strange, and very quiet, and I wasn't sure who would ever read it. Also, very Not American. I don't mean that in a bad way, in fact, that's why I read the Batchelders. But I don't know who to give this to. The child abuse makes it a tough sell for younger children, it's light on plot, and has a real folktale feeling to it.

A Batchelder winner in translation from the Danish, The Crow Girl reads like a fairy tale or parable. The story & setting are spare like the rocky coastal settlement where much of the story takes place. The characters, beginning with Crow-Girl & her grandmother are depict human experience (removed from texting & screens) & reality both bitter & sweet.

Crow Girl's grandmother eke out a simple existence &, as Grandmother approaches her death (the vehicle for subsequent action in the story), she warns her grandchild to attend to 3 important truths.

Crow Girl's subsequent dislocation, wanderings, & engagements with new people, places & circumstances demonstrate her grandmother's wisdom & Crow-Girl's resilience.

While the story depicts violence, Crow Girl is still appropriate for Intermediates & possibly sturdy Juniors. In its unblinking examination of a wide range of human emotion, it reads like Farmer Boy or Charlotte's Web.

I will be curious to hear the responses of my students.

A Batchelder winner in translation from the Danish, The Crow Girl reads like a fairy tale or parable. The story & setting are spare like the rocky coastal settlement where much of the story takes place. The characters, beginning with Crow-Girl & her grandmother are depict human experience (removed from texting & screens) & reality both bitter & sweet.

Crow Girl's grandmother eke out a simple existence &, as Grandmother approaches her death (the vehicle for subsequent action in the story), she warns her grandchild to attend to 3 important truths.

Crow Girl's subsequent dislocation, wanderings, & engagements with new people, places & circumstances demonstrate her grandmother's wisdom & Crow-Girl's resilience.

While the story depicts violence, Crow Girl is still appropriate for Intermediates & possibly sturdy Juniors. In its unblinking examination of a wide range of human emotion, it reads like Farmer Boy or Charlotte's Web.

I will be curious to hear the responses of my students.

3.5 stars A wonderfully sweet, quiet & concise tale of what it means to be a family. Just enough scary reality stirred in the mix to make it believable. Definitely stands alone; if you're concerned about it being part of a series don't be. However, the sequel, [b:Eidi: The Children of Crow Cove|6800743|Eidi The Children of Crow Cove|Bodil Bredsdorff|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312231101s/6800743.jpg|7006954], is valuable, too, although just a bit different. (Different translators might have affected the tone of each.)

This review edited after a re-read because the first time I read too fast - the book is meant to be savored, not inhaled, and I did like it better as I read that way.

3.5 stars. Quiet thoughtfulness interspersed with adventure in a way that truly works. Read it slowly, savor it. Read Crow-Girl first if you can, but don't expect this to be an exact sequel - some people might like this better because it moves along with more dialog and a more traditional (American?) children's story style.

This book was so touching. I felt the grief that the girl felt when she lost her grandmother. I would recommend this story to older students, but I don't know if I would use it as a read-aloud, just because there is so much emotion.

I really liked this book. It's got a lot in common with [b:The Crow-Girl: The Children of Crow Cove|667660|The Crow-Girl The Children of Crow Cove|Bodil Bredsdorff|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176942681s/667660.jpg|653708], as it's the story of a young woman who wrestles the world into submission, more or less. But it's a lovely, lyrical journey. I love the way children change hands in these books, and how it all works out for the best. I also adore the way Bredsdorff has the (good) adults talk with the kids- they are free to make their own mistakes, free to wander off into the world, clearly valued and respected and missed, but free agents from an early age.

Simply lovely fable-type story of a young girl who makes her way alone in the world, through perils and trials, gaining wisdom and love along the way. It can be read as a parable about love and family, and how one must make choices for the good of the group sometimes...

As Darsa said, it undoubtedly loses something in the translation, but the simplicity of the prose resonates with the straightforward loveliness of the message. It's the kind of book that leaves one smiling, warm and hopeful. It's got a happy ending that one can believe.

Spare, affecting and real, this third book in the Crow Cove series is the sort of book that stays with one for a long time. There are plenty of great big real life issues here, laid out without mercy and without explanation, but with compassion. A lovely story, a splendid story in fact. Not a stand-alone, though- read them in order.

In this third entry in her series of stories about the residents of Crow Cove - a remote seaside settlement, peopled by an odd assortment of friends and family, brought together by chance encounter, and remaining together by choice - Danish children's author Bodil Bredsdorff sets out the tale of Tink, the abused young boy rescued by the eponymous heroine of Eidi. Like Myna and Eidi, the protagonists of the first two books, Tink leaves Crow Cove, but unlike them, he doesn't get very far before circumstances lead him home again, with the drunken Burd - the abusive man from whom Foula and Eidi had escaped, in The Crow-Girl - in tow. Crow Cove isn't quite the haven here, the escape from the past, that it seemed in the earlier books, and the tension that ensues, as a result of the presence of this unwanted new resident, gives Tink an added poignancy.

There were themes explored in this book - alcoholism, and its effect, not just on the alcoholic, but on those around him; suicide, and the despair which leads to it - that cut to the bone, and that might be very difficult for some readers to encounter. I know that I myself found some of the events chronicled here deeply saddening, and am still thinking about them a week later. There is this moment, when Burd, speaking to Tink, says: "Remember that!... Order in your things, someone to care for, and a place to belong. Otherwise you become like a boat that drifts along without an anchor." that I think will stick with me for some time to come.

That said, I admire Bredsdorff immensely for her honesty, and her courage, in presenting the darker realities of the world which she has created, and for not sidestepping these topics as being somehow "inappropriate" in a children's book. Terrible things happen to children, and happen to the people around children, and that has to be reflected in their literature. Bredsdorff doesn't lose sight of that, and her simple, deeply felt narrative, for all that it is set in an unspecific locale, is grounded in a specific reality: that sometimes people get lost, drifting along like boats "without an anchor."

Danish children's author Bodil Bredsdorff does it again in Eidi, the second book in her Children of Crow Cove series. Every bit as powerful as the first installment, The Crow-Girl, it follows the story of the eponymous Eidi, who, having come to Crow Cove in the first book, as part of Myna's improvised family, begins to think of leaving, and making her own way in the world. Setting out with little but her fantastically worked scarf - a advertisement, in those times, of a young woman's work, and a signal that she was open to employment - she eventually finds herself in a far town, taking an abused young orphan under her wing, and by so doing, discovering something surprising about herself.

With such a similar storyline - in both books, the heroine leaves Crow Cove, driven forth by a change in family circumstance (the death of Crow Girl's grandmother, the birth of Eidi's young half-brother), and finds herself "adopting" the stray(s) she encounters - this could very easily have felt like a formulaic reworking of the original. But though there are undeniable parallels, both structurally and stylistically, Eidi felt as fresh and true as the first, giving a nuanced portrait of a young person's conflicted dealings with home and family. Eidi's love for her mother, her feeling of being supplanted by her infant brother, her longing to be out on her own, and doing, all felt so achingly real to me! And the conclusion, in which she (like Myna) comes full circle, was deeply satisfying!

Bredsdorff really seems to respect both her characters and her readers, never assuming that, because they are young, they are incapable of appreciating complexity, or need to have reality sugar-coated for them. Given my overwhelmingly positive response to these first two novels, I'm excited to learn that the third, Tink, will be available in English this coming May!

Originally published in Denmark in 1993, as Krageungen, this delightful little children's novel, with its deceptively simple narrative, and almost serene tone (even when describing some terribly traumatic events), quietly works its way into the reader's heart, so that, by the end, she is fully invested in Crow-Girl's story, and deeply satisfied by its conclusion. The tale of a nameless young girl, and her journey out into the world, after the death of her beloved grandmother, The Crow-Girl is a story about honoring the teachings of our elders - in the form of the grandmother's three life "rules" - of following our instincts, our hearts, and our spirit-guides - in the guise of the two crows who shepherd the girl on her journey - and finally, about creating a family and a home for ourselves, in a world that is often hostile.

Bodil Bredsdorff's prose in spare but evocative, painting a convincing portrait of Crow-Girl's world - the isolated cove in which she and her grandmother lived, the small hamlet in which she briefly finds work, before fleeing from her greedy "benefactors," the little farm where she, Doup, Eidi and Foula find refuge. I appreciated the fact that the author did not draw back from depicting some very painful realities, from the horrifying scene in which Crow-Girl must bury her own grandmother, to the terrifying moment when she is confronted by the half-mad father of Doup, the young boy she "takes in" during the course of her wanderings. The presence of loss and terror in the story - something some adults would misguidedly prefer to see omitted from children's fare - makes the moments of joy all the more intense, and the conclusion all the more satisfying.

I also really appreciated the point, made in one of the grandmother's rules, that the good and the bad are mixed in most people, and that "virtue" - whatever that is - is not always the best way of determining who is suited to be our companions, in the life journey. This felt very un-American to me - I mean that in a complimentary way - and even though I, personally, was raised always to consider the ethical (and would not choose to be any other way), I found it a fascinating commentary on how our world-views are shaped, and how we judge others. I know I've said it before, a few times in this review, but this was just such a satisfying book, brief but deeply moving, philosophical without being pretentious. Highly, highly recommended to all, but especially to young readers who are seeking...

This is the fourth and final book in the Children of Crow Cove series, translated from the Danish. Like the previous titles, it focuses on one of the children living in or connected to the small community in Crow Cove. In this case, it is the story of Alek, called Doup in the previous books, who was originally rescued by the Crow-Girl. The characters of Crow Cove have moved beyond mere survival and have built a prosperous community. Eidi now runs a store in a nearby harbor town and Ravnar has gone to live there as a fisherman after being rejected by the Crow-Girl, Myna. Alek is ready to move away from his childhood and goes to visit Ravnar, but discovers there are some things that cannot be easily repaired. When he witnesses wreckers and a murder, life becomes even more complicated and perilous. There are no easy answers, but the story still ends with a satisfying conclusion, all the characters, old and new, having found their place in life and in a community.

"The waves rise to lie down again. Ships are built and ships are lost. Small horses live and small horses die. You are born and you disappear in an unending chain. And his time on earth was right here, right now, in the clear morning where his life tied the world together in an eternal moment."

Bredsorff's writing, translated by the talented Elisabeth Kallick Dyssegaard, is haunting and beautiful. Her characters and their world are primitive, struggling with survival, but also yearn to be accepted and named, part of a community and a home. Alek faces harsh realities - his horse's death, his brother's darkness, and the random cruelty and greed of humans - but he also meets kindness and hope, strength and beauty.

Verdict: These slim stories are beautifully written. Their stark portrayal of the realities of life and the harshness and beauty of life in the small community of Crow Cove will not be for every child, but appreciated by those who love beautiful words and strong stories.

ISBN: 9780374312695; Published 2012 by Farrar Straus & Giroux; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

This is an author who knows how to write! The images painted are poetic. As an old grandmother is dying she imparts wisdom to the grand daughter she loves. Living together on a rugged cove near the sea, when her grandmother dies, the young girl must bury her and seek others who can help her.

Remembering her grandmother's words regarding two kinds of people," those that make you feel good inside, and then those who cause you to freeze inside, even if you are sitting before a roaring fire and have eaten your fill. Those you should keep away from. They are not good for you, even though others might say that they are good people!"

As she journeys away from the love and life she knew, The Crow-Girl (named because in her travel two crows guide her to safety) meets those who heal and those who harm.

In 155 short pages, the author held my interest with her lyrical, beautiful writing style.½

Reading this series out of order did not detract from the story. The previous books The Crow Girl and Eidi received many honors including the ALA Notable Children's Book and A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.

Well deserving of honors, the author paints lovely, soft, fairy-tale like images. Her writing is a delight and it is a joy to read words used in such poetic fashion.

Her lyrical style is soft and brought to mind the ability to shake a snow globe and watch the characters interact inside.

Alek is a young man living in a place called Crow Cove, where he resides with a small group of people living off the land ,tucked in by the churning sea.

When his older brother leaves, Alek longs for him and travels to stay in another small fishing community. Finding his brother sad and depressed, Alek vows to stay. Awakened one night by the sound of a shipwreck. Alek discovers murderers who lured the ship to shore to pillage and kill.

Rescuing a small girl, Alek's life and that of his brother change dramatically.

While the story line is quaint and simple, I was enthralled with the images and now will look for the previous books in the series.

This is a wonderful book to read on a cold, very windy, rainy, stormy day.½

The Crow girl began as a loving relationship between a young girl and her grandmother. The grandmother has a home next to the ocean, where the grandmother and young girl survive off of fish and snails. The grandmother gives advice and the young lady, as she takes care of her grandmother. One day the grandmother falls to sleep and never wakes up. She has been preparing the young lady for this moment. The girl takes her grandmother to where her grandfather is buried and buries her grandmother with rocks there. After burying her grandmother she starts traveling. She walks up on a small community where a woman offers her a job. The woman mentions that she looks like a crow, and the girl decides to call herself crow girl. Crow girl begins to work as a servant cleaning, gathering wook, and cooking for the lady of the house and her husband. One night she discovers her employers discussing her home and how they should adopt the Crow girl so that they could gain her inheritance, which is her grandmother’s house. Crow girl sneaks out later that night and takes food for her trip leaving them a silver coin for the food she takes. On her travels home she meets up with Doup who is a very young boy who is not able to speak. Disoriented with sadness Doup’s father asks Crow Girl to take Doup with her, giving her a small horse for Doup. On her journey home with the little boy she meets two women along the way. She offers them her food and begins to travel with them. She explains her situation to them and offers them her home. They are delighted and continue to travel with Crow girl to her home. On there way home they are afraid of how they will survive as they don’t have much food. A woodsman discover the pack of people and notices that one of them is injured. Roussan is the man’s name offers his home to the people and small boy. Roussan makes a deal with the friends. He offers them a sheep in trade of their services. He assigns various jobs to the friends and they fulfill their duties. After a period of time Roussan discovers that there duties are fulfilled and it is time for them to go. As the friends arrive at Crow Girl’s place she discovers that she has been robbed! Her friends encourage her to start over and they all work on the house. Doup’s father walks up on the friends one day and want to take his son back. Crow girl is heart broken. Frid, Doup’s father shares that he indebted to Crow Girl and ask her to ask him for anything. Crow Girl ask Frid and his other son to stay with them. He agrees and they continue to build their community. The couple that Crow Girl worked for shows up and Frid, as well as Foula the elder woman that is living with Crow Girl defend her. The couple pay Crow Girl for what they took. The friends continue their new lives at Crow Girl’s. Doup comes up with a new name as he has become attached to her and her new name is Myna. They then decide to call the place where their new community Crow Cove.

In the third story of the Children of Crow Cove, Bodil Bredsdorff chooses another one of her multi-faceted characters to focus on. Tink, who we first meet as a small and miserable child, is now a little older - but still uncertain of his place in the world. In Crow Cove, survival is never a given, and Tink is sure he has broken the fragile line between the little community and starvation. But then he discovers someone who is even more of an outcast than himself; Burd, the abusive drunkard Foula and Eidi fled from. However, it is Burd who saves them all from starvation and helps Tink decide where he belongs and how he can contribute to their community.

Bredsdorff's spare prose contains volumes in just a few words, looks and thoughts. Her characters are focused on the essentials needed for survival, but are still fully realized emotional beings. As the children grow up and choose lives for themselves, each one must adjust to maintain the balance of the small community.

Although the length of the story may tempt librarians to offer it as a beginning chapter book, this story deals with intense emotions and ideas that some children may not be ready for, so I would recommend this for the older side of the 8-12 range.

Verdict: Hand this to thoughtful middle graders and teens who will appreciate the beautiful language and enter fully into the experiences of the characters.

ISBN: 9780374312688; Published May 10, 2011; Reviewed from ARC received at ALA

I liked this book alot.I like the way Menya found people to live with her,and her love for a little boy½

*Starred Review* Gr. 4-6. Crow-Girl lives happily with her grandmother in a cove far from any neighbors. When the old woman dies, Crow-Girl buries her and leaves to make her way in the world. Taken in by a greedy woman who demands her labor and steals her belongings, Crow-Girl eventually escapes and finds new friends with troubles and talents of their own. Together they create a community of friends and family in the cove that was Crow-Girl's original home. There's a fairy-tale quality about this well-written story. There is also unflinching realism not only about the grandmother's death and burial but also about the cruelty, greed, violence, pain, and sadness that the child finds when she ventures beyond the shelter of her home. Still, young readers will be comforted when Crow-Girl survives the loss of the only person who loves her and goes on to create her own family from those whom she befriends and grows to love. Translated from the Danish, this novel has clean, spare prose, a compelling story, and several scenes that readers will long remember. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

(From School Library Journal)
Gr 4-7
Set in the indistinct past, this is the poignant story of a girl who lives with her grandmother on a lonely stretch of coast in Denmark. The two survive by collecting driftwood and carefully harvesting the gifts of the sea. The coziness of their life is punctuated by Grandmother's awareness that her own life is tenuous; she offers her granddaughter gentle advice that serves her well in the future. After the woman dies, the child bids farewell to her beloved home and follows a pair of crows as they fly along the shore. Hoping to find help, she arrives in a village where she works for a coldhearted woman who gives her the name Crow-Girl and tries to take advantage of her. Following her heart and the crows, the girl moves on in her search for a home. Her strength of character, innate kindness, and ability to care for herself prove invaluable in creating a new life and family. The justice of unfolding events and the satisfying ending will please readers, who will enjoy watching the pieces of the plot fall into place. The symbolism and power of names thread through the narrative. Touching on universal themes, this quiet adventure story has the depth and flavor of a tale from long ago and far away. It's a rewarding read for youngsters who are fond of the details and the simplicity of earlier times.
- Carol A. Edwards, Sonoma County Library, Santa Rosa, CA½