The celebrated author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny joins forces with the Caldecott Medalist of Smoky Night to tell this tender story about loving and enduring family relationships. With words by the renowned Margaret Wise Brown and illustrations by David Diaz, this treasured picture book tells the tale of a little scarecrow boy and the lessons he learns from his scarecrow father about the world — until he decides to test his knowledge and himself. This tender and funny story celebrates the tradition of passing knowledge from one generation to the next, and the exuberance of reaching one’s potential. Especially perfect for sharing during the Halloween season. “The scarecrow boy will enchant young readers. He may be made of straw, but he is all heart—and so is this picture book.” — Publishers Weekly “A sunny coming-of-age story.” — School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1-Diaz provides wonderful illustrations for a story Brown wrote in the 1940s. Little scarecrow boy longs to accompany his father, old man scarecrow, to the cornfields to frighten the crows. Instead, he has to remain home to grow and to practice the terrible facial expressions his father teaches him. Convinced that he has mastered the six fierce faces, he slips out early one morning and confronts a big black crow in the field. These encounters test the youngster's mettle, but he succeeds in frightening the bird, filling his father with pride. Brown's masterful use of repetition and rhythm creates a fine read-aloud story. The warm watercolor illustrations incorporate straw and patchwork to evoke a Midwest summer day in this sunny coming-of-age story. Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MN Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. Ages 3^-5. A little scarecrow wants to go out into the cornfield with his father to make faces and scare crows, but each times he asks, old man scarecrow replies, "No, little boy. / You can't go. / You're not fierce enough / to scare a crow. / Wait till you grow." After he's grown a bit, the boy runs off to the field early one morning to scare the crows. Although the text is not Brown's best, its rhythm, internal rhyme, and sense of a small child's longing provide a strong enough base for the soaring, intensely colorful illustrations. Although very different from Diaz's usual style, the pictures energize the text. Large in scale and seemingly backlit by the summer sun, the scarecrows are intriguing characters with their mobile faces, buoyant bodies, and genial take on life. An old crow proves itself a bit of a menace, but nothing the little scarecrow can't handle, with his inborn courage and his talent for making faces. Expect preschool audiences to make a few faces of their own in delighted mimicry of the young hero. Carolyn Phelan “The scarecrow boy will enchant young readers. He may be made of straw, but he is all heart―and so is this picture book.” - Publishers Weekly “A sunny coming-of-age story.” - School Library Journal “What a day to be a boy.” - The Horn Book Once upon a time in a cornfield there lived a scarecrow and his scarecrow wife and their little scarecrow boy. So begins Margaret Wise Brown's long lost treasure about a little scarecrow boy and the lessons he learns from his scarecrow father every day of the world, until the time he decides to test his knowledge and himself. Published here for the first time as a picture book, The Little Scarecrow Boy is a timeless story about the things children cherish family, home, and their place in the world. Tender and funny, it celebrates the tradition of passing knowledge from one generation to the next, and the exuberance that comes with reaching one's full potential. Known for his stunning design and breathtaking craftsmanship, Caldecott medal recipient, David Diaz declares an entirely new direction with The Little Scarecrow Boy. He perfectly captures the essence of this all-but-forgotten gem of a story with a bright palette and a remarkably fresh, childlike view of the world. "Once upon a time in a cornfield there lived a scarecrow and his scarecrow wife and their little scarecrow boy." So begins Margaret Wise Brown's long lost treasure about a little scarecrow boy and the lessons he learns from his scarecrow father every day of the world, until the time he decides to test his knowledge and himself. Published here for the first time as a picture book, The Little Scarecrow Boy is a timeless story about the things children cherish family, home, and their place in the world. Tender and funny, it celebrates the tradition of passing knowledge from one generation to the next, and the exuberance that comes with reaching one's full potential. Known for his stunning design and breathtaking craftsmanship, Caldecott medal recipient, David Diaz declares an entirely new direction with The Little Scarecrow Boy. He perfectly captures the essence of this all-but-forgotten gem of a story with a bright palette and a remarkably fresh,