AManCalledRavenA Man Called Raven, by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by George Littlechild • Children’s Book Press, 1997. 32 Pages.

From the same writing and illustration team that created What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses, A Man Called Raven is a more straightforward story than Horses, following two brothers who encounter a mysterious stranger after they attack a raven with an old hockey stick. The stranger tells them a story about ravens, and challenges the boys’ perspective on the world and their place within it.

The story is well-told, and Littlechild’s colorful illustrations provide a fitting take on a story that is both magical and modern, applying timeless legends with the everyday choices children make about how to live and work in the world. I’m a huge fan of both Van Camp and Littlechild’s work, and though What’s the Most Beautiful Thing You Know About Horses is still my most favorite, A Man Called Raven has its own undeniable magic.

Recommended for readers 10-12, A Man Called Raven should appeal to readers who enjoy myths and legends and those concerned with animal welfare and ecology, as well as readers interested in First Nations and Native American culture.