Little Black Crow — Chris Raschka

Picture a sky
as big as all outdoors,
a fence disappearing over a hill,
a crow then appearing,
a boy looking up,
watching, wondering.

Not much more than a moment
but the meeting
lofts a rush of childhood questions --
27 in all -- inspiring answers
as big as all outdoors.

Caldecott medalist Chris Raschka,
himself the boy perhaps,
has created a book in the sparest language
against the simplest setting,
to inspire in any young listener
the wonder of wondering.