''Jackdaw Summer'' (US. title ''Raven Summer'') is a 2008 book by

David Almond David Almond (born 15 May 1951) is a British author who has written many novels for children and young adults from 1998, each one receiving critical acclaim. He is one of thirty children's writers, and one of three from the UK, to win the bienn ...

. It is about two boys, Liam and Max, who, on following a

jackdaw Jackdaws are two species of bird in the genus ''Coloeus'' closely related to, but generally smaller than, the crows and ravens (''Corvus''). ''Coloeus'' is sometimes treated as a subgenus of ''Corvus'', including by the IUCN.Madge & Burn (1994) ...

, find an abandoned baby.

Reception

A '' BookTrust'' review wrote "Friendship, loyalty and truth are explored through a cast of complex characters in this compelling story. While often tense, it ends on a note of hope." and ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' wrote "This is a thoughtful and claustrophobic snapshot of people's lives, showing how they have come to be who they are that one summer. This may not be Almond's best book to date, but he has only himself to blame for having set the bar so high; Jackdaw Summer is a wonderful piece of writing for children - unsettling yet poetic." ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' in a starred review, wrote "In a thought-provoking coming-of-age story, British writer Almond (Skellig ; Clay ) delves into the darkest realm of the human psyche as he expresses the conflicting urges of an adolescent." "Almond tackles complex questions about humanity from multiple points of view; flashes of wisdom—sometimes painful, sometimes uplifting—arrive at unexpected moments." and

Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.

called it "a unique find." A ''

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' (or ''Kirkus Media'') is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus (1893–1980). The magazine is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fic ...

'' starred review wrote "With a storyteller’s flair and a poet’s precision, Almond reveals the fierce intensity of childhood, and this rare acknowledgment permeates his latest novel set in England’s Northumberland in the time of Bush and Blair." and called it a "hypnotic, sensuous foray into the nature of war, truth, art and the savagery of humanity." ''Jackdaw Summer'' has also been reviewed by ''Viewpoint: on books for young adults'', ''

Booklist ''Booklist'' is a publication of the American Library Association that provides critical reviews of books and audiovisual materials for all ages. ''Booklist''s primary audience consists of libraries, educators, and booksellers. The magazine is av ...

'', ''BookPage'', ''Library Media Connection'' magazine, ''

The Horn Book Magazine ''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony Miller and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietres ...

'', The ''

School Library Journal ''School Library Journal'' (''SLJ'') is an American monthly magazine containing reviews and other articles for school librarians, media specialists, and public librarians who work with young people. Articles cover a wide variety of topics, with ...

'', '' VOYA'', ''

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'' is an academic journal established in 1945 by Frances E. Henne (Graduate Library School, University of Chicago).Wedgeworth, Robert. ''World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services''. Chi ...

'', '' Reading Time'', and ''

School Librarian ''School Librarian'' is a quarterly publication of the School Library Association (SLA) reviewing and discussing the latest children's books. History and profile ''School Librarian'' was started in 1937. Each issue contains articles, regular fea ...

''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackdaw Summer 2008 British novels 2008 children's books British children's novels Books about birds Fictional ravens Hodder & Stoughton books