Purple Crow

Why was Purple Crow feeling sad

On such a lovely day?

Because all his friends were busy

And there was no one left to play.

Where were all Crow's friends?

None were on the swings or slide.

Nobody in the park or woods,

But Crow found them all inside.

Some were in the library,

Others reading in their home.

Some were reading in a great big group,

The rest were reading on their own.

You know all pigeons love to read,

As do ducks and geese and rooks.

But Purple Crow was different.

He hated reading books.

He used to try to read them

Like all the other birds,

But none were about the things he liked

And he couldn't read the words.

Purple Crow told his troubles

To a kindly passing swan.

She said “you can use the pictures

To tell what is going on”.

“Or get a grown up to read to you

and tell you what is being said”.

“Then the pictures will remind you

of the story in your head”.

Swan then explained that not all books

Have a story anyway.

Some just show you pictures

Of places far away.

Some are books of diggers,

Or plants or dinosaurs.

There are some with dancing fairies

Or sharks with snapping jaws.

From that day forth Crow would read

About all kinds of different things.

From monsters who are scared of mice

To Cheshire cats and magic rings.

Cats in hats, hungry bugs,

A princess now in pants.

A dog that's always finding stuff,

And patchwork elephants.

Purple Crow now reads a lot

And thinks a book's a special friend.

He loves them from the front cover

Right until...

The End.