• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: k to 3

Once there was a runaway … The third book in the Crow Stories trilogy is a haunting tale of a young boy’s resilience and hope.

When a young boy loses his mother to cholera, he is convinced he must leave home. He is fearless, resourceful and, above all, determined to find what he is looking for. When his hunger gets the best of him, he agrees to join two riders who take him to their encampment. The boy is soon put to work for his soup and bread, and time passes, though he holds fast to his purpose. Then just when he is ready to set out again, he finds there is no need …

Nancy Vo’s finale to the Crow Stories trilogy is a moving tribute to a young boy’s resilience and faith in the people he loves — even in the face of their absence — and his discovery that while times may be hard, they can also get much better.

Key Text Features

dialogue

illustrations

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7

Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7

Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)

NANCY VO was born on the prairies and now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. She studied fine arts and architecture, and now works as a facility planner and a picture-book maker. She is the author and illustrator of the first two books in the Crow Stories trilogy. The Outlaw was described by the New York Times as “Bewitching,” while The Ranger received a starred review from Kirkus and was praised as “visually arresting and enigmatic.” Nancy has also illustrated As Glenn as Can Be by Sarah Ellis.

Nancy Vo's profile page

• Commended, Globe 100 Best Books

Illustrations and minimal text convey a deeply felt story that will provide rich opportunities for children to extend the storytelling and perhaps tell their own survival stories. Beautifully presented.

School Library Journal

Unusual illustrations in which old newsprint is placed over painted images gives a nostalgic feeling to this picture book.

Winnipeg Free Press

This final installment in the Crow Stories trilogy features the familiar muted palette, Old West setting, and spare narrative of Vo’s previous books. ... A satisfying finish.

Kirkus Reviews

Vo has plenty of tricks up her sleeve as she brings this amazing series to a close.

Globe and Mail

An unexpectedly tender story.

Wall Street Journal