The Scarecrow

By Beth Ferry, illustrated by the Fan Brothers
HarperCollins, 2019
Picture book, 40 pages, ages 3-7

Autumn sunshine.
Haystacks rolled.
Scarecrow guards the fields of gold.

The titular Scarecrow does what he was meant to do: scare all the animals out of his field. He is isolated. Lonely. Until a baby crow – the very creature he’s supposed to keep out of the field – needs rescuing. 

A beautiful, compassionate tale about finding a friend in the unlikeliest way.

Scarecrow breaks his pole & makes a new home for the crow – literally in his straw heart – and the two become unlikely friends. But seasons change and the crow grows up, leaving Scarecrow alone and broken. For good?

This rhyming picture book is stunning, and for me, as close to perfect as it can get. I love everything about it.

The writing is beautiful and haunted me for days afterwards, in the best way. The meter and rhyme flows and is easy to read aloud.

The illustrations pull you in and don’t let go. They have the classic Fan Brothers style: careful pencil drawings, intricate details, and muted color palette – with an autumnal twist. The closeups feel intimate and you can feel the change of seasons.

This book is full of heart and tugs at heartstrings; I got choked up in a few places. Readers may want a box of tissue handy.

Would I have loved this book as a kid as much as I do as an adult? Yes. Unequivocally, yes. However, it must be said that I loved quiet books as a kid. The Scarecrow might be too subtle or slow for readers who like fast-paced action or prefer laugh-a-minute books. Kids who like The Gruffalo or Ferdinand will like this book.

The Scarecrow by Beth Ferry gets 5 stars from this reviewer.