Hello, friends! Our book today is The Scarecrow, written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by The Fan Brothers, a heartwarming tale of friendship and family.

A lone scarecrow stands in a field, posted upright in the ground. His presence does its job; deer, foxes, fieldmice and crows (naturally) keep their distance from his ever-vigilant watch. However, this leaves scarecrow rather lonely – with no one to come near, there’s no one to make friends with. That is until the day something small and fluffy falls – plop! – to the ground. A hatchling crow lies helplessly on the cold ground and, moved to kindness, the scarecrow breaks his pole to bend down and care for the baby. As the two become close friends, Scarecrow watches as the baby bird grows into a crow, and realizes that his friend will someday have the power to fly away and leave him. Heartbroken but wanting to be supportive, he encourages the crow, until the fateful day arrives. Watching his friend fly off into the distance, the scarecrow sags, now lacking both his pole and his friendship to keep him upright. All through fall, winter, and spring, the scarecrow wallows in his loneliness – until a familiar face reappears to usher in a new chapter of friendship and gratitude.

Magical. This incredibly beautiful tale is a perfect blend of the gently flowing, emotionally evocative rhyming text and the Fan Brothers’ stunning illustrations. The meticulously detailed yet dreamy scenes that are the Fans’ trademark work perfectly in this classic tale of kindness, especially in Scarecrow’s endearing facial expressions and how the change of seasons reflect his emotional state. Ferry’s gentle, powerful rhymes tell a timeless story in a succinct yet poetic style, and the ending is so pitch perfect that it may bring a tear to your eye. Lastly, the metaphors of sacrifice, trust, generosity, and family are beautifully interwoven. This has all the makings of a new fall classic, and one that can fortunately be enjoyed year-round. The length was great, and JJ and I both adored it. A wonderfully special book to share with the people you love, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)