A broken chain, a piece of string, a bottle cap . . . To most people, these things are useless trash. But to a clever crow, they're just what he needs to create a special surprise--a beautiful Christmas tree that everyone can treasure. Told in jaunty rhyme by Kathi Appelt and lavishly illustrated by Jon Goodell, this heartwarming story of people brought together by a very unexpected artist has all the makings of a Christmas classic. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Someone else's trash is a crow's Christmas treasure, as proven by one industrious bird with a surplus of holiday spirit. As a crow flits about the snowy city on what seems like an urgent scavenger hunt, no one knows his mission. That is, until passersby spot a special avian-friendly fir tree in the park-decked as only a fellow bird could do it. Toe-tapping rhyming verse tinged with gentle suspense teams with crisp oil paintings in which nature's inhabitants outshine the human onlookers. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

PreS-Gr. 2. Shortly before Christmas, a crow flies about the city, finds odd little bits of trash and treasure, and carries them away for some mysterious purpose. As the bird makes one trip after another, viewers see different children and adults going about their business: entering shops, strolling through the zoo, watching a parade, walking to church, listening to carolers, and sometimes looking at the crow. Observant children will recognize some of the people when they reappear in the background of the final double-page spread featuring the town tree. Focusing on the crow and its finds, Appelt's rhyming text provides the strong, spare framework of this satisfying picture book while leaving plenty of space for the illustrator to create the setting and the mood. Goodell takes full advantage of the opportunity, using oil and acrylic to paint a series of beautiful scenes showing many facets of a town in full pre-Christmas bustle. Studded with intriguing details, these narrative pictures lead up to a quiet yet satisfying climax. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2005 Booklist From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.