Books 4: Eunice Boeve: The Summer of the Crow

I wanted to by a bib novel (last one I bought was 9 months ago) and so I searched online book stores and book social networks about the keyword farm /farming and children's books. I found the "Summer of the Crow", the cover depicting a drawing with 2 shirtless boys in bibs. To make sure that the text is also about bibs (which is not always the case) I used an online text search within the book. This is possible for many books on Google Books website or some online shops, however this is limited as there are not all pages available.

This book is about a 13 year old boy Brady who lived on a farm near Kansas in 1935 during a drought.

Right at the beginning there is a funny scene, where the boy undressed his bibs and his mother found cut-off prairie dog tails in the pockets of the bibs. They pay for the tails because of the drought. The boy has a little sister and the other boy on the cover right is a poor friend with the crow.

The book is limited available. New condition only at the biggest online shop or directly from the author. Published 2001.

After 1 1/2 month I finally have finished it. Many bib scenes, about one every 10 pages (of 218), mostly short events like lightning a match at bibs, wiping hands at them or being grapped at the suspenders. In one scene his friends is lying on bed in bibs, because he was too poor to have undershorts, so Brady borrowed him one pair. (I wonder why Brady is wearing some in hot 1930s).

I don't have much bib novels, but although these many scenes here I don't really like this book. Perhaps I was too sleepy while reading it, but I missed the farm and drought atmosphere at most parts. Additionally there is no happy end.

I am now reading Honkytonk Man (see film entry) and then Papa Was a Preacher, which are my favourite films. Perhaps I will later read more childrens' books with illustrations.