The Big Dream

Brandon, Ralph the crow, and the mission to raise $2,000 for a remote-controlled car kit make for a genuinely engaging middle-grade adventure — the perseverance and teamwork themes are embedded in the action rather than preached, and the Red Ribbon from the Wishing Shelf Awards gives this indie publication real external validation. The second-in-series placement means new readers may want to start with the first Crow's Tales book, and distribution is limited, but within its target audience this is a solid, well-earned recommendation.