Stunt Crow: Adventures in Nature: 1 - Softcover

Reviewed by Bil Howard for Readers' Favorite - Five Stars *****

Prose and poetry blend with the masterful touch of an illustrator’s pen in Stunt Crow, written by David Freedman and beautifully illustrated by Mike Kelly. Though this is a simple and poetic piece that flows like the wings of the bird that it is about, it is a profoundly beautiful work. As the crow breaks free from the tree where he sits and opens his wings to fly, he uses each current of the wind to work his magic. The heron can only watch and the crow plummets for a moment to aggravate the fox. He works his wings about in the air, twisting, turning, and diving with acrobatic precision until he flies a bit too close to the eagle’s nest on the cliff. The eagle shoots forth with all of its mighty power, but stunt crow does what he does best and maneuvers beyond the eagle’s reach. Is stunt crow skilled enough to escape the razor sharp talons?

The first element of this short and simple story that captures one's attention is the intricate detail and expert artistic talent of the illustrator Mike Kelly. Adding in a smooth-flowing combination of poetry and prose, David Freedman creates something of a verbal symphony. It is very easy to conjure a mental picture that blends perfectly with the illustrations. The reader will feel the lift of the wings and the smooth glide, as well as the frantic climb as the talons of the eagle linger behind. Creative, artistic, and lyrical, Stunt Crow stirs the imagination and will make you believe that you have actually taken flight.

David is an artist blacksmith and writer, inspired by the natural world and the oft overlooked magic of reality. David's work draws on the ancient landscape of England, where he lives and works with his family in a converted watermill. Mike is a self-taught artist and illustrator, able to translate ideas and poetry into sweeping landscapes and dazzling action. He also lives in rural England in a small house with too many paintings and not enough walls.